THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


THE 


HISTORY  OF  WOBURN, 

MIDDLESEX  COUNTY,  MASS. 

FROM   THE    GRANT   OF  ITS    TERRITORY   TO 

CHARLESTOWN,  IN  1640,    TO 

THE    YEAR   1860. 

BY   SAMUEL   SEWALL,  M.A. 

OF  BURLINGTON,   MASS.,   SOMETIME  PASTOR  OF  THE  CHURCH  THKRE. 

WITH   A    MEMORIAL   SKETCH    OF  THE  AUTHOR 

BY  REV.  CHARLES  C.  SEWALL. 


WIGGIN    AND    LUNT,    PUBLISHERS, 
WASHINGTON  STREET. 
1868. 


1M.TJDC3-K    &;    SON, 

printers, 

No.  34  School  Street,  Boston. 


TO 

THE  INHABITANTS  OF  WOBUKN 

THIS    HISTORY 

IS    MOST    RESPECTFULLY    INSCRIBED, 
BY  THEIR 

FRIEND  AND  HUMBLE  SERVANT, 
SAMUEL  SEWALL. 


610283 

flUIDlTD  A  DTTV 


MEMOIR. 


REV.  SAMUEL  SEWALL,  author  of  this  history  of  "Woburn, 
was  born  in  Marblehead,  June  1,  1785,  and  died  in  Burlington, 
February  18,  1868. 

He  was  a  descendant  of  a  long  line  of  worthy  ancestors,  and 
bore  the  name  of  two,  who  were  honored  with  the  highest  judi- 
cial office  of  the  State.  He  traced  his  lineage,  also,  to  one  of 
the  distinguished  pastors  of  the  Old  South  Church,  in  Boston, 
whose  character  he  contemplated  with  reverence,  and  his  sacred 
office  with  peculiar  interest.  Hence,  probably,  was  that  sober- 
ness of  thought  and  feeling,  which  was  so  marked  a  feature 
of  his  early  years ;  and  that  subsequent  purity  of  aspiration 
and  aim,  which  led  him  to  the  office  once  filled  and  adorned  by 
his  ancestor.  Tradition,  also,  reports,  that  he  was  in  infancy 
consecrated  by  his  mother  to  the  service  of  God  in  the  Christian 
ministry ;  and,  certainly,  the  teachings  and  discipline  of  parental 
love  and  piety  seem  to  have  had  that  end  in  view. 

Having  received  preparatory  instruction  at  the  Academy,  in 
his  native  town,  he  entered  Harvard  University  in  1800,  and 
graduated  with  unblemished  reputation,  in  1804.  Already 
decided  as  to  the  profession  of  his  choice,  he  at  once  com- 
menced the  study  of  Theology,  at  Cambridge;  occupying,  at 
the  same  time,  a  minor  position  in  the  College  government. 
After  the  usual  period  of  professional  study,  and  being  pos- 
sessed by  nature,  education  and  rigid  self-discipline,  of  fitting 
qualifications  for  the  ministry,  he  took  orders  in  the  Episcopal 
church,  of  which  his  parents  were  members,  and  in  which  he 
had  been  accustomed  to  worship.  Having  officiated  in  this 
church  for  a  short  time,  at  Cambridge,  and  elsewhere,  he  became 


IV  MEMOIR. 

was  factitious.  He  lived  and  moved,  he  thought  and  spoke,  as  if 
ever  in  the  felt  presence  of  his  God.  The  will  of  God  was  the 
law  of  his  daily  life.  The  strength  and  joy  of  his  soul  sprang 
from  communion  with  God ;  and  to  walk  in  all  the  command- 
ments and  ordinances  of  the  Lord  blamelessly  was  his  constant 
care  and  ardent  desire.  Age  shed  a  ripening  influence  upon  the 
virtues  of  his  early  and  maturer  years.  It  gently  relaxed  the 
ties  which  bound  him  to  the  world  he  was  soon  to  leave,  while  it 
hallowed  the  memories  and  hopes  which  endeared  to  him  the 
world  he  was  approaching.  It  rendered  more  precious  and  con- 
soling his  own  religious  belief  and  trust,  while  it  enlarged  his 
charity  and  widened  his  sympathies  towards  others  of  every 
Christian  name  and  sect.  Sorrows  and  the  most  painful  bereave- 
ments he  had  borne  with  meek  submission  and  unfaltering  trust. 
Sickness  and  pain  could  not  rob  him  of  the  peace  of  calm, 
patient,  steadfast  reliance  on  the  providence  of  God,  and  an 
entire  resignation  to  His  will.  He  knew  "Whom  he  had 
believed,"  and  his  faith  in  Him  never  wavered.  So  death  came 
to  him  only  as  an  angel  of  mercy,  to  release  him  from  mortal 
pain  and  decay,  and  to  translate  his  meek  and  pure  spirit  into 
the  blissful  presence  of  his  Saviour  and  his  God. 


PREFACE. 


The  History  of  Woburn,  -which  has  been  for  years  in  a  state  of 
preparation,  and  long  expected  by  the  inhabitants  of  that  town, 
for  whose  use  it  was  principally  intended,  is  at  last  finished,  and 
ready  for  the  press. 

Before  proceeding  to  the  work  itself,  it  seems  proper  to  state 
briefly  what  led  me  to  undertake  it,  and  some  of  the  causes,  which 
have  since,  for  so  great  a  length  of  time,  delayed  its  completion. 

This  History  originated  in  a  series  of  historical  lectures  upon 
Woburn,  begun  many  years  ago,  and  delivered  in  that  town,  at 
different  intervals  of  time.  They  were  at  first  undertaken  at  the 
suggestion,  and  under  the  influence  of  the  friendly,  persevering 
persuasion  of  the  late  Dr.  Benjamin  Cutter,  a  gentleman  eminent 
in  this  vicinity  for  his  antiquarian  taste,  his  extensive  acquaintance 
with  the  localities  and  ancient  affairs  of  Woburn,  and  his  zeal  for 
advancing  its  credit  and  welfare.  The  first  two  lectures  were 
delivered  on  two  successive  evenings  in  February  and  March  1842, 
in  the  vestry  of  Rev.  Mr.  Bennett's  meeting-house,  before  a  large 
and  attentive  audience.  And  so  well  were  they  apparently  received, 
that  I  was  encouraged  to  attempt,  from  time  to  time,  as  I  was  able, 
the  preparation  of  others  on  the  same  theme.  The  two  lectures 
just  referred  to  were  followed  in  several  succeeding  years  by  seven 
others,  delivered  in  the  same  place.  And  in  1859,  a  tenth  lecture 
was  prepared  by  special  request,  and  given  in  Lyceum  Hall,  bring- 
ing down  the  history  to  the  commencement  of  the  Revolutionary 
War  in  1775. 

In  1862,  the  town  of  Woburn  proposed  to  me,  by  a  committee,  to 
finish,  and  make  ready  for  the  press,  the  histor}'  I  had  proceeded 
in  thus  far,  for  a  liberal  pecuniary  compensation.  This  proposal 
was  agreed  to,  with  the  understanding,  that  the  town  would  take 
charge  of  publishing  the  work,  and  provide  for  the  expense,  and 
that  I  should  have  the  inspection  of  the  proof-sheets. 

At  the  time  this  engagement  was  entered  into,  I  was  confident 
myself,  and  encouraged  the  town  to  expect,  that  six  months  would 


IV  PREFACE. 

be  amply  sufficient  for  its  fulfilment.  But  certain  changes,  appa- 
rently very  necessary  or  expedient  to  be  made,  both  in  the  style, 
and  in  the  extent  of  the  work,  have  to  my  regret,  disappointed 
these  anticipations.  The  Lectures  on  Woburn  history,  thus  far, 
had  been  composed  in  the  style  of  direct  address  to  a  present 
audience  ;  but  now  it  seemed  very  desirable  to  substitute  the  style 
of  narrative ;  to  publish  a  history  prepared  to  be  read  with  the 
eye,  rather  than  one  that  was  apparently  designed  to  be  heard 
with  the  ear  from  the  lips  of  the  author.  The  manuscript  lectures, 
too.  had  hitherto  been  written  on  both  sides  of  each  leaf ;  but  now, 
to  accommodate  the  printer,  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  write  them 
over  anew,  occupying  one  page  only  of  each  leaf,  instead  of  both. 
Moreover,  in  the  prosecution  of  the  work,  it  was  thought  expedient 
to  make  certain  enlargements  beyond  what  was  originally  contem- 
plated. In  particular,  a  list  of  all  the  men,  both  citizens  and 
strangers,  who  were  employed  by  the  town  as  soldiers  in  the  War 
of  the  Revolution ;  and  likewise  Genealogical  Notices  of  all  the 
known  original  inhabitants  of  "Woburn  down  to  1672,  and  of  a 
certain  portion  of  their  descendants  in  the  male  line,  have  been 
inserted  in  the  Appendix.  These  additions,  and  others  which 
might  be  named,  would  greatly  enhance,  it  was  thought,  the  value 
of  the  work  in  the  estimation  of  the  people  of  Woburn,  and  much 
increase  the  interest  they  might  take  in  it.  But  they  have  cost  me 
much  additional  time  and  labor  to  prepare  them,  and  have  delayed 
the  completion  of  the  history  far  beyond  my  own  expectations,  and 
the  expectations  of  others.  But,  through  the  favor  of  a  kind  Provi- 
dence, my  health  and  strength  have  held  out ;  and  I  am  able  at 
last  to  announce  to  an  indulgent  community  the  finishing  of  a  work 
which  I  have  for  years  been  laboring  to  prepare  for  them,  and 
which  they  for  months,  or  rather,  I  may  say,  for  years,  have  been 
patiently  looking  to  see. 

In  this  Work,  with  reference  to  the  ecclesiastical  affairs  of  the 
town,  I  have  aimed  to  exhibit  a  complete  and  impartial  history  of 
the  First  Church  and  Parish,  and  a  brief  account  of  the  other 
religious  societies  in  the  town,  down  to  the  present  year,  1867. 
As  to  matters  of  civil  concern,  the  principal  votes  and  proceedings 
of  the  town,  touching  the  various  changes  and  improvements  which 
have  been  made  in  it,  since  the  commencement  of  the  present  century 
till  now,  will  be  found  embodied,  I  trust,  in  the  closing  chapter. 
But  in  regard  to  the  patriotic  measures  taken  and  sacrifices  made 


PREFACE.  V 

by  the  town  since  the  year  1860,  respecting  the  late  war,  and  the 
events  particularly  interesting  to  Wobum  people'which  transpired 
in  the  course  of  it,  I  am  not  provided  with  the  means  of  giving  a 
full  and  satisfactory  relation  of  them.  An  attempt  to  make  such  a 
relation  on  my  part  would  render  necessary  numerous  fatiguing 
and  perplexing  inquiries  ;  and  thus  still  further  protract  the  finish- 
ing of  this  work  (too  far  protracted  already),  which  I  am  anxious, 
for  several  very  important  reasons,  to  bring  to  a  speedy  close  ;  and 
I  must  therefore  leave  the  narration  of  this  portion  of  the  history 
of  Wobum  to  other  and  abler  hands. 

My  principal  authority  for  most  of  the  facts  presented  in  this 
history  have  been  the  Woburn  Records,  (a.)  But  for  various 
statements  made  herein,  I  have  been  largely  indebted  to  the 
printed  works  and  written  communications  of  several  highly 
esteemed  authors  and  respected  friends,  whose  names  I  have  gen- 
erally given,  as  occasion  offered  to  refer  to  them,  in  the  foot  notes 
attached  to  this  work.  But  in  this  connection,  I  cannot  omit 
mentioning  the  Genealogical  Dictionary  of  Hon.  James  Savage,  a 
standard  authority  upon  the  genealogy  of  the  early  settlers  of  New 
England,  and  without  the  aid  of  which,  I  must  often  have  been 
deficient  in  my  Genealogical  Notices  of  the  primitive  inhabitants 
of  Woburn. 

I  embrace  this  opportunity  for  tendering  my  grateful  acknowledg- 
ments to  the  numerous  individuals,  who,  in  one  way  or  other,  have 
kindly  lent  me  their  aid  and  encouragement  in  the  prosecution  of 

(a.)  The  Woburn  Records,  which  are  quoted  or  referred  to  in  this  His- 
tory, are 

1.  Nineteen  volumes  in  folio,  bound  and  in  excellent  order;  exhibiting 
the  votes  and  proceedings  of  the  town  at  all  general  meetings  from  the 
beginning.    Volume  11,  of  this  collection,  records  the  doings  of  the  Select- 
men at  their  meetings  held  monthly  for  several  years  from  1672,  agreeably 
to  vote  of  the  town  April  13,  1644. 

2.  Proprietors'  book  of  Records  from  1739  to  1765,  a  thin  folio,  unbound, 
much  shattered,  and  in  some  parts  defective. 

3.  A  volume  of  Treasurer's  Records,  from  1739  to  1772;  a  folio,  bound  in 
parchment,  but  a  cover  now  broken  off. 

4.  First  Parish  Records,  in  folio,  3  volumes,  complete  from  1730,  when 
Second  Parish  incorporated. 

5.  Records  of  Births,  Marriages  and  Deaths  in  Woburn,  from  1641  to 
1841;   originally  contained  in  two  volumes  folio,  but  now  copied  with 
numerous  additions  from  authentic  sources,  and  collected  into  one  large 
bound  folio  volume. 


VI  PREFACE. 

this  work,  which  is  now  brought  to  a  close.  In  particular,  I  would 
thankfully  express  my  obligations  to  the  gentlemen  at  the  State 
House  in  Boston,  who  at  divers  times  have  given  me  free  access  to 
public  Records  and  Documents  for  examination,  and  thus  have 
opened  to  me  sources  of  information,  which  I  could  nowhere  else 
find,  but  in  the  archives  of  the  Commonwealth.  I  thank  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  town  of  Woburn  for  the  recent  generous  encouragement 
they  have  voluntarily  given  me  to  pursue  and  finish  my  labors, 
beyond  what  they  at  first  led  me  to  depend  on  ;  and  to  the  many 
respected  individuals  among  them,  especially  to  Cyrus  Thompson, 
Esq.,  and  to  Mr.  John  A.  Boutelle,  who  have  furnished  me  from 
time  to  time  with  much  desired  and  important  information.  I 
would  make  my  thankful  acknowledgments  to  the  clergymen 
and  others  of  the  different  denominations  in  the  town,  who, 
by  their  timely  and  acceptable  communications,  made  at  my 
request,  have  greatly  furthered  my  progress  in  my  laborious  under- 
taking. I  would  present  my  warmest  thanks  to  Nathan  Wyman, 
Esq.,  the  Town  Clerk,  and  to  Lewis  L.  Whitney,  Esq.,  Clerk  of  the 
First  Congregational  Parish,  for  the  free  use  they  have  generously 
afforded  me  of  the  Records  in  their  keeping,  without  which,  I  could 
have  made  no  advances  in  the  work  I  have  been  engaged  in. 

Nor  must  I  here  forget  or  overlook  my  obligations  to  Mr.  Bar- 
tholomew Richardson,  senr.,  and  to  Dr.  Benjamin  Cutter,  both 
now  deceased.  True,  they  are  no  longer  here  to  accept  my  thanks 
for  their  services  in  aid  of  the  work  now  completed,  or  to  see  and 
examine  it,  as  they  once  would  have  been  glad  to.  But  to  both 
of  them  I  owe  a  debt  of  gratitude,  which  it  would  be  base  on  this 
occasion  to  ignore  or  conceal.  From  the  former  gentleman,  while 
he  was  with  us,  I  derived  an  amount  of  reliable  and  interesting 
information,  which  but  few,  if  any  other  men  now  living  could  have 
given  me.  And  without  the  counsel,  help  and  encouragement  of 
the  latter  gentleman,  this  history  would  never  have  been  under- 
taken, much  less  pursued  to  completion.  And  now  it  is  finished, 
should  it  in  any  measure  contribute  to  the  entertainment  or  satisfac- 
tion of  the  good  people  of  Woburn,  or  yield  them  any  interesting 
or  valuable  information,  let  them  be  assured  that  they  are  indebted 
for  it,  in  part  at  least,  to  him,  as  well  as  to 

Their  friend  and  humble  servant, 

SAMUEL  SEWALL. 

BURLIXGTON,  September,  18,  1867. 


HISTORY    OF    WOBURN. 


CHAPTER   I. 

Woburn,  originally  Charlestown  Village,  elevated  to  a  Township.  — Church 
gathered;  Pastor  ordained;  Town  incorporated,  1642.  — Town  officers 
first  chosen,  1644.  —  Streets  laid  out ;  common  fields  authorized.  — 
Johnson's  Account  of  Woburn,  1652.  —  Successive  Divisions  of  Town's 
Lands. 

WOBURN  was  originally  a  grant  of  land  made,  1640,  by  the 
General  Court  of  Massachusetts  to  Charlestown ;  and,  for  about 
two  years  afterwards,  was  called  "  Charlestown  Tillage."  The 
settlement  of  Charlestown,  which  is  the  most  ancient  town  not 
only  in  the  County  of  Middlesex,  but  likewise  (Salem  and 
Dorchester  excepted)  in  the  Colony  of  Massachusetts,  as  dis- 
tinct from  that  of  Plymouth,  had  commenced  in  1629.  In 
June  of  that  year,  Mr.  Thomas  Graves,  a  gentleman  from 
Gravesend  in  Kent,  eminent  for  his  skill  in  surveying  and 
engineering,  and  in  the  employ  of  the  Massachusetts  Company 
in  London,  came  there  from  Salem,  with  several  servants  of  the 
Company  under  his  care ;  laid  out  the  town  in  two-acre  lots ; 
erected  a  large  building  for  public  purposes,  called  the  "  Great 
House ; "  and  with  the  consent  of  Gov.  Endicott,  exchanged 
the  Indian  name  of  the  place,  Mishawum,  for  Charlestown,  in 
honor  of  King  Charles  I.,  the  then  reigning  monarch  of  Great 
Britain.1  In  the  year  following,  July  1630,  a  large  and 
select  company  of  Puritans,  who  had  arrived  the  month  pre- 
ceding at  Salem  from  England,  came  to  Charlestown,  with  a 

'Prince's  N.  E.  Chronology,  pp.  181, 188. 


8  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

view  to  build  and  establish  themselves  there.  Among  them 
were  Gov.  Winthrop,  Dep.  Gov.  Dudley,  Mr.  Isaac  Johnson, 
husband  of  the  celebrated  lady  Arbella,  and  Rev.  Mr.  John 
Wilson.  These  four  persons  presently  formed  themselves  into  a 
church,  and  some  accessions  being  made  to  their  number  shortly 
after,  they  chose  Rev.  Mr.  Wilson,  as  their  pastor.2  But  a  ma- 
jority of  the  church  and  others  removing  w^in  a  few  months  to 
Boston  to  reside,  another  church,  viz :  the  present  First  Church 
of  Charlestown,  was  embodied  November  2,  1632,3  consisting 
of  those  members  who  continued  to  dwell  on  the  north  side  of 
Charles  River ;  and  of  this  church,  Rev.  Mr.  Zechariah  Symmes 
was  the  pastor,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Thomas  Allen  the  teacher,  in  1640. 
And  now  the  foundations  both  of  her  civil  and  of  her  ecclesi- 
astical prosperity  being,  to  human  eye,  firmly  laid,  Charlestown 
began  to  look  around  her ;  and  with  a  view  to  the  accommoda- 
tion of  her  increasing  agricultural  population,  she  conceived  a 
desire  for  the  enlargement  of  her  original  bounds.  And  being 
informed  of  the  conveniency  of  land  adjoining  her  Western 
border,  she  presented  a  petition  to  the  General  Court,  in  May 
1 640,  for  the  addition  of  two  miles  square  to  her  territory  in  that 
quarter.4  This  petition  of  Charlestown  was  favorably  heard  by 
the  Court.  The  land  prayed  for  was  immediately  granted  her, 
provided  it  fell  not  within  the  bounds  of  Lynn  Village  [Read- 
ing], and  should  be  built  upon  within  two  years.5  And  at  a 
session  of  the  Court  in  October  next  following,  the  grant  was 
enlarged,  upon  certain  conditions,  to  four  miles  square.6  All 

*  Prince,  pp.  240,  243.  »  Records  of  1st  Church,  Charlestown  :  Title  page. 

<  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  3.  "Colony  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  290. 

•Colony  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  306. 

(5.)  "13  May,  1640.  Charlestowne  is  granted  their  petition;  that  is, 
two  miles  at  their  head  line,  provided  it  fall  not  within  the  bounds  of 
Linn  village,  and  that  they  build  within  two  yeares."  —  Colony  Records, 
Vol.  /.,  p.  290. 

(6.)  "  7  October,  1640.  Charles  Towne  petition  is  granted  them,  the 
proportion  of  4  mile  square,  with  their  former  last  graunt,  to  make  a  village ; 
whereof  500  acres  is  granted  to  Mr.  Thomas  Coytemore,  to  bee  set  out  by 
the  Court,  if  the  towne  and  hee  cannot  agree,"  etc.  —  Colony  Records, 
Vol.  /.,  p.  306. 


HISTORY   OF  WOBURN.  9 

acts  of  Court  were  anciently  dated  from  the  first  day  of  the 
session  at  which  they  were  passed.  As  the  first  session  of  the 
Court  of  1640  commenced  on  the  "  13th  day  of  the  3d  month" 
( 13th  May),  and  as  the  land  then  granted  to  Charlestown  was 
explored  May  15th,  only  two  days  after,4  the  precise  date  of 
that  grant  may  be  confidently  fixed  to  the  second  day  of  that 
session ;  viz,  the  14th  of  the  3d  month,  Old  Style ;  or  according 
to  New  Style,  the  modern  way  of  computing  tune,  May  24th, 
1 640.  ( See  Appendix,  No.  m. ) 

The  territory  thus  granted  to  Charlestown  seems,  before  the 
arrival  of  the  English  upon  these  shores,  to  have  been  the  abode, 
or,  at  least,  a  favorite  place  of  resort,  of  numerous  Indians. 
These  were  perhaps  Pawtucket  Indians,  so  named  from  Paw- 
tucket  Falls  in  Lowell,  which  was  their  principal  seat;  or  (which 
is  more  probable)  those  Indians,  whom  Prince  calls  Aberginians, 
and  concerning  whom  he  says,  that  Charlestown  Neck  was  full 
of  them  in  1628.7  Many  years  have  elapsed  since  Indians  of 
every  tribe  have  entirely  disappeared  from  this  town  and 
vicinity,  except  a  few  solitary  individuals,  the  memory  of  whose 
names  and  dwelling  places  are  still  preserved  by  some,  or  have 
been  till  recently.  But  they  have  left  behind  them  durable 
memorials  of  their  former  residence  here,  and  of  their  laborious 
ingenuity.  In  all  the  territory  within  the  original  limits  of 
Woburn,  (comprehending  Woburn  that  now  is,  with  Winchester, 
Wilmington  and  Burlington)  multitudes  of  their  stone  arrow- 
heads have  been,  and  some  still  continue  to  be,  turned  up  by  the 
plough ;  stone  heads  of  their  spears  and  hatchets  have  not  un- 

4  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  3. 

(7.)  "  Sept.  13,  1C28.  Among  those  who  arrive  at  Naumkeak,  are 
Ralph  Sprague,  with  his  Brethren  Richard  and  William ;  who  with  3  or  4 
more,  by  Governor  Eudicot's  consent,  undertake  a  Journey,  and  travel 
the  Woods  above  12  miles  Westward,  light  on  a  Neck  of  Land  call'd 
Mishawum,  between  Mistick  and  Charles  Rivers,  full  of  Indians,  named 
Aberginians.  Their  old  Sachem  being  dead,  his  eldest  son,  call'd  by  the 
English  John  Sagamore,  is  Chief;  a  man  of  a  gentle  and  good  Disposition; 
by  whose  free  Consent,  they  settle  here ;  where  they  find  but  one  Eng- 
lish House,  thalch'd  and  pallizado'd,  possess'd  by  Thomas  Walford  a 
Smith."—  Prince's  N.  E.  Chronology,  pp.  174,  175. 


10  HISTORY   OF   WOBUEN. 

frequently  been  found ;  and  in  Burlington,  immemorial  tradition 
still  points  to  a  spot  within  the  new  cemetery  there,  on  the  road 
to  Bedford,  as  the  site  of  one  of  their  wigwams  in  former  days. 

The  granting  to  Charlestown  of  the  land  she  had  petitioned 
for,  was  quickly  followed  by  repeated  attempts  to  explore  it, 
and  to  determine  its  bounds.  On  May  15,  1640,  Mr.  Increase 
Nowell,  magistrate,  Rev.  Zechariah  Symmes,  Edward  Johnson, 
Edward  Convers,  Ezekiel  Richardson,  Mr.  "  Hubard,"  an  artist, 
and  some  others,  went  from  Charlestown  to  search  the  land 
lying  within  the  two  miles  square.8  And  September  6th,  follow- 
ing, Capt.  Robert  Sedgwick,  Ensign  Abraham  Palmer,  Thomas 
Lynde,  Edward  Johnson,  Edward  Convers,  John  Mousall,  and 
others,  went  to  view  the  bounds  between  this  grant  to  Charles- 
town  and  Lynn  Village,  afterwards  Reading.  In  this  latter 
expedition,  some  of  the  company  experienced  a  wonderful  pres- 
ervation, which  is  particularly  noticed  in  Woburn  Records  by 
Johnson,  who  was  one  of  them,  as  follows :  "  Lik  Jacobits  [Like 
Jacobites;  See  Gen.  28:  11]  laying  them  downe  to  rest  where 
night  drue  one  [drew  on]  [they]  were  presarued  by  the  good  hand 
of  God  with  cherfull  sperits,  thought  [though]  the  heauens 
powred  downe  raine  all  night  unsessantly.  One  remarkable 
prouidence  neuer  to  bee  forgotten :  sum  of  the  company  lying 
under  the  body  of  a  great  tree  (it  lying  sum  distant  from  the 
earth)  when  the  daye  light  appeered,  noe  sooner  was  the  last 
man  come  irom  under  it,  but  it  fell  downe  to  their  amasment 
[amazement],  being  forced  to  dige  [dig]  out  their  food  that  was 
caught  under  it :  it  being  soe  ponderus  that  all  the  streneth  they 
had,  cold  [could]  not  remoue  it."  8 

The  use  originally  designed  by  Charlestown  to  be  made  of 
this  newly  acquired  territory,  was,  apparently,  to  accommodate 
with  farms  thereon  such  useful  men  as  might  from  time  to  time 
be  admitted  to  settle  among  them,  and  to  promote  the  building 
of  a  village  for  the  improvement  of  such  remote  lands  as  were 
already  laid  out.9  In  pursuance  of  this  design,  after  the  land 
petitioned  for  was  granted  and  enlarged,  a  committee  of  thirteen 

•  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  3.  »  Charlestown  Records. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  11 

was  chosen  by  the  town,  November  4th,  1 640,  which  was  "  to  sett 
the  bounds  betwixt  Charlestown  and  the  Village,  and  to  appoint 
the  place  for  the  village."9  This  committee  met  November  17, 
1640,  and  came  to  an  agreement  upon  the  matters  submitted  to 
them.  But  in  this  agreement,  the  committee,  it  seems,  did  not 
concur  unanimously.  In  reference  to  it,  Wo  burn  records, 
under  the  date  of  the  meeting,  November  17,  1640,  observe, 
that  "  it  was  in  part  assented  to,  but  afterward  denyed."  A 
change  too  in  the  minds  of  the  people  on  this  interesting  subject 
had  now  commenced,  and  was  gaining  ground.  Since  the  grant 
of  the  Court  had  been  enlarged  from  two  to  four  miles  square,  a 
scheme  for  making  a  distinct  town  of  it,  instead  of  a  village 
more  or  less  dependent  upon  Charlestown,  had  been  conceived 
and  was  entertained  by  numbers  with  favor. 

And  hence  on  November  5th,  the  very  day  after  the  appoint- 
ment of  the  town  committee  of  thirteen  above  referred  to,  the 
Church  of  Charlestown  chose  seven  men,  viz  :  Edward  Convers, 
Edward  Johnson,  Ezekiel  Richardson,  John  Mousall,  Mr.  Thomas 
Graves,  Samuel  Richardson  and  Thomas  Richardson,  as  commis- 
sioners or  agents  for  the  erection  of  a  church  and  town  upon  the 
recent  grant  of  Court,  where  had  been  designed  originally  only 
a  village  within  the  limits  of  Charlestown.10  By  what  author- 
ity the  church  took  this  step,  interfering  with  the  action  of  the 
town,  does  not  appear.  Perhaps  they  regarded  the  disposal  of 

•  Charlestown  Records. 

(10.)  Woburn  Town  Records  commence  as  follows,  from  the  date  of 
the  first  grant  of  Court. 

"  14  of  the  3  month  [14  May]  1640.  A  true  Relation  of  the  prosseedings 
of  Edward  Conuars,  Edward  Johnson,  John  Mousall,  Mr.  Thomas  Graues, 
Samuwell  Richison  and  Thomas  Richison,  chosen  by  the  Church  of  Charles- 
towne  for  the  Erecting  of  a  Church  and  Towne ;  which  accordingly  by  great 
labor  was  by  them  performed,  and  now  cal'd  the  Towne  of  Woburne."  .  . 
.  .  .  .  "the  5  of  9  month  [5  November]  1640,  the  persons  aboue  spec- 
ified were  chosen  by  the  Church  of  Charlestowne  :  chosen  for  the  earring 
one  the  aflaiers  of  this  new  Towne."  —  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.  p.  3. 

Ezekiel  Richardson  is  not  named  above  with  the  other  commissioners, 
but  the  omission  must  have  been  accidental.  He  was  certainly  one  of 
them.  For  we  find  the  others  holding  a  meeting  for  consultation  at  his 
house,  in  his  turn,  on  "the  13th  of  12th  month  1640"  [13  February,  1640-1]. 


12  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

the  Court's  grant  as  a  matter  of  ecclesiastical  as  well  as  civil 
concernment,  and  therefore  that  they  were  entitled  to  a  distinct 
voice  in  it.  But  however  that  be,  the  measure  itself  seems  to 
have  excited  no  opposition  on  the  part  of  the  town,  but  rather  to 
have  met  its  entire  acquiescence.  Six  of  the  seven  commissioners 
chosen  by  the  church  were  on  the  committee  of  thirteen  ap- 
pointed by  the  town ;  and  it  was  by  the  instrumentality  of  these 
commissioners,  not  of  that  committee,  that  the  establishment  of  the 
town  and  church  of  Woburn  was  at  length  happily  effected. 

But  many  and  grievous  were  the  difficulties  which  they  had  to 
encounter,  before  they  saw  the  accomplishment  of  their  enter- 
prise. 

The  wild, unsettled  state  of  the  country  presented  many  serious 
obstacles  to  the  discharge  of  their  commission.  At  the  time  of 
their  appointment,  the  whole  territory  which  they  were  to  elevate 
into  a  township,  as  well  as  all  that  was  adjacent  to  it  for  several 
miles,  was  an  unbroken  dreary  forest,  or  a  wide  uncultivated 
waste.  Hence,  beside  being  frequently  exposed  to  danger  or 
alarm  from  the  wandering  savage  natives,  the  commissioners,  as 
they  traversed  the  country  in  performance  of  their  trust,  without 
beaten  roads  to  travel  in,  or  landmarks  to  guide  them,  or  houses 
to  shelter  them,  or  friends  to  extend  to  them  even  the  most 
trifling  office  of  hospitality  or  kindness,  must  needs  have  been 
subjected  to  hardships,  of  the  severity  of  which,  the  present  inhabi- 
tants of  the  town  can  have  but  faint  conceptions.  Of  their 
sufferings  of  this  description,  one  instance  on  record  may  be  cited 
as  a  specimen.  As  they  were  engaged,  November  9th,  shortly 
after  their  appointment,  in  exploring  the  land  about  the  Shawshin 
river  they  were  overtaken  and  lost  in  a  snow  storm,  and  in  this 
sad  dilemma  they  were  forced,  as  night  approached,  for  want  of 
a  better  shelter,  "  to  lye  under  the  Rockes,  whilst  the  Raine  and 
Snow  did  bedew  their  Rockye  beds."  n 

Difficulties  of  this  description  however  they  must  have  antici- 
pated ;  and  fortitude  of  mind  and  firmness  of  bodily  constitution 
abundantly  enabled  them,  in  the  good  cause  they  were  engaged 

«  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  3. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURX.  13 

in,  to  surmount  them.  But  other  troubles  awaited  the  commis- 
sioners, which  probably  they  were  not  prepared  to  meet,  and 
which  proved  far  more  trying.  Scarcely  had  they  entered  on 
the  labors  of  their  commission,  before  the  church  of  Charlestown 
suddenly  appeared  in  opposition.  Our  Puritan  fathers,  from  mo- 
tives of  piety  and  benevolence  as  well  as  of  worldly  interest,  loved 
to  see  the  haunts  of  the  savage  occupied  by  civilized  men ;  to  see 
towns  planted  and  churches  springing  up  in  the  wilderness 
around  them.  Accordingly,  the  church  above  named  appears  to 
have  cordially  aided  in  procuring  the  grant  of  the  newly  acquired 
territory,  and  took  a  leading  part  in  the  plan  of  settling  it  as  a 
distinct  town.  But  at  a  meeting  of  her  own  calling,  23  :  9  mo. 
[23  November]  1640,  to  see  who  would  go  up  and  become  in- 
habitants of  the  proposed  township,  a  larger  number  coming 
forward  than  had  been  expected,  she  instantly  conceived  a  fear 
that  the  loss  of  so  many  emigrants  would  in  a  manner  "  depop- 
ulate Charlestown,"  or  do  her  material  injury  in  that  day  of  small 
things.11  And  now  under  the  influence  of  this  apprehension, 
which  time  showed  to  be  groundless,  she  began  to  discounte- 
nance this  enterprise  of  her  own  devising  or  encouraging,  and 
to  watch  all  who  were  in  favor  of  it  or  disposed  to  engage  in  it, 
with  a  jealous  eye.11  But  though  opposition  from  such  a 
.quarter  must  have  been  unlocked  for,  and  very  disheartening  to 
the  commissioners,  yet,  happily,  it  was  of  but  short  continuance. 
The  church  appears  to  have  soon  found  that  the  spirit  of  emi- 
gration which  she  herself  had  helped  to  raise  and  foster,  she 
could  not  check  or  put  down  at  will.  She  therefore  prudently 
yielded  to  circumstances ;  and  within  a  fortnight  from  the  time 
she  began  to  frown  upon  their  work,  full  power  was  given  to 
Edward  Convers  and  Company  to  go  on  with  it  anew.11 

The  obstruction  which  the  church  of  Charlestown  had  thrown 
in  their  way  being  thus  removed,  the  commissioners  for  the  erec- 
tion of  the  new  church  and  town,  resumed  with  fresh  zeal  the 
work  of  their  appointment.  Among  their  first  cares  for  this  end, 
agreeably  to  the  usual  practice  of  our  .pious  ancestors  in  such 

11  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  8. 


14  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

cases,  was  the  observance  of  a  day  for  solemn  humiliation  before 
God,  and  for  supplication  of  his  aid  and  blessing  in  their  ar- 
duous undertaking.  Under  date  of  December  22, 1640,  Johnson 
notes  in  the  records,  "  considering  the  waytines  [weightiness]  of 
the  worke,  and  the  weaknes  of  the  persons,  this  day  was  sett 
appart  for  humble  seecking  of  God  by  prayer  and  fastting  for 
helpe  in  a  worke  of  soe  great  consiquence ;  which  was  performed 
at  the  hows  of  John  Mousall  by  the  forenamed  persons  and  their 
wiffs  [wives],  the  Lord  assisting."  u 

About  this  time,  they  commenced  a  series  of  meetings,  held  in 
rotation,  at  their  respective  houses  in  Charlestown,  for  consulting 
on  the  affairs  of  the  contemplated  town,  and  adopting  measures 
in  reference  to  its  settlement.  Their  first  meeting  for  these  pur- 
poses was  held  December  18th,  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Thomas 
Graves,  when  they  agreed  upon  Town  Orders  (Appendix  No.  1), 
and  chose  Edward  Johnson  Recorder  or  Town  Clerk.11  At  like 
meetings  in  the  two  following  months,  they  admitted  many  to  set 
down  their  dwellings  in  the  proposed  plantation ;  though  some 
of  them  (to  use  the  words  of  the  Recorder),  "  being  shallow  in 
brayns,  fell  ofe  [off]  afterwards."11  And,  on  February  10th, 
1640—1,  they  built  a  bridge  over  the  Aberjona  River  for  their 
own  and  the  public  accommodation,  and  perhaps  too  as  an 
earnest  of  their  resolution  to  go  up  and  possess  the  land.  This 
bridge,  the  first  that  was  built  in  Woburn,  they  called  Cold 
Bridge.  It  was  in  after  times  better  known  as  the  "  Convers' 
Bridge,"  from  the  name  of  the  proprietor  of  the  adjacent  mill; 
and  as  it  is  said  in  the  records  to  have  been  laid  "  over  against 
Edward  Conuars'  hows,"  it  is  inferred  that  that  house,' which 
continued  many  years  in  the  occupation  of  that  distinguished 
family,  and  the  site  of  which  is  still  well  remembered,  was  either 
already  standing  when  the  bridge  was  built,  or  that  it  was  erect- 
ed immediately  after,  and  before  the  entry  just  quoted  from  the 
records  was  made ;  and  that  it  was  the  first  built  dwelling-house 
in  Woburn.12 

February  8th,  1640-1,  the  commissioners  came  from  Charles- 

u  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  1.,  p.  3.  »  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  4. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  15 

town  to  find  a  suitable  location  for  their  projected  town.  After 
two  days'  search,  they  pitched  for  this  purpose  upon  a  spot  at 
the  east  end  of  the  Court's  grant,  which  they  quickly  afterwards 
laid  out.  And  at  a  meeting  at  Ezekiel  Richardson's,  February 
13th,  they  directed  all  who  intended  to  become  inhabitants,  to 
meet  on  the  ground,  February  16th.12  The  place  selected 
as  the  site  of  the  proposed  town,  was  unquestionably  the  plain 
on  the  borders  of  the  Aberjona  River,  and  near  the  place  which 
it  was  designed,  at  a  recent  day,  to  cultivate  as  a  silk  farm. 
But  the  selection  was  not  made  by  the  commissioners  with 
unanimity.  The  spot  chosen  did  not  meet  the  views  of  a  con- 
siderable proportion  of  the  expected  settlers ;  and  at  the  same 
time,  Mr.  Nowell,  Mr.  Symmes,  and  other  gentlemen  of  note  and 
principal  influence  in  Charlestown,  gave  them  no  small  dis- 
couragement from  going  there  to  build.12  Hence,  when  the 
persons  notified  came  there,  February  16th,  the  day  appointed, 
to  the  number  of  forty,  though  they  busied  themselves  in  mark- 
ing trees,  and  laying  bridges,  yet  (say  the  Records)  "  the  way 
was  so  playen  [plain]  backward,  that  diuers  neuer  went  for- 
ward againe." 12  These  checks  given  them  by  patrons  or 
superiors  in  standing,  and  these  tokens  of  fickleness  or  faint- 
heartedness on  the  part  of  associates  in  their  enterprise,  must 
necessarily  have  caused  the  commissioners  much  perplexity  and 
trouble.  But  they  notwithstanding  persevered  in  their  work ; 
and  February  29,  1640-1,  within  a  fortnight  from  the  last- 
mentioned  date,  by  the  advice  of  a  committee  appointed  by 
Charlestown  to  confer  with  them,  consisting  of  Mr.  Nowell, 
Captain  Sedgwick,  Lieut.  Sprague,  and  others,  they  abandoned 
the  site  which  they  had  first  selected  for  private  dwellings  and 
a  meeting-house,  and  decided  upon  another  farther  west  in  its 
stead.  To  this  spot,  which  is  now  in  and  around  the  centre  of 
the  town,  they  came  in  March  and  May  following,  and  laid  out 
house  lots ;  and,  upon  some  of  these  lots  at  least,  buildings 
were  doubtless  erected  in  the  course  of  that  year.12 

By  this  arrangement,  another  serious  obstacle  in  the  way  of 

>»  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  4.    See  Appendix,  No.  II. 


16  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

the  commissioners  was  removed ;  but  their  difficulties  and  trials 
were  not  yet  terminated.  (They  were  still  doomed  to  suffer 
repeated  and  grievous  disappointments  in  their  efforts  to 
obtain  an  able  minister  for  the  town,  whose  foundations 
they  were  laying.)  This,  with  our  Puritan  ancestors,  was  a 
point  of  paramount  importance  to  secure.  Their  main  errand 
in  coming  to  this  country  was  of  a  religious,  not  a  secular 
nature ;  and  hence,  as  Capt.  Johnson,  one  of  the  principal 
founders  of  Woburn,  observes,  "  it  was  as  unnatural  for  a  right 
New  England  man  to  live  without  an  able  ministry,  as  for  a 
smith  to  work  his  iron  without  a  fire."  13  The  stated  and  able 
ministration  of  the  word  and  ordinances  of  the  gospel  was  a 
privilege  for  which  the  first  settlers  of  this  land,  generally  speak- 
ing, were  ready  to  make  any,  even  the  most  costly  sacrifices ;  and 
scarcely  any  of  them  felt  willing  to  seat  themselves  down  in  a 
place  where  there  was  not,  at  least,  a  comfortable  prospect  of 
speedily  enjoying  it.  Of  all  this,  the  commissioners  for  building 
up  Woburn  were  fully  aware.  The  acquisition  of  a  good  and 
faithful  minister  of  Jesus  Christ  was  not  only  their  own  hearts' 
most  earnest  desire,  but,  in  their  view,  it  was  a  matter  of  essential 
importance  to  the  prosperity  of  their  infant  plantation.  Hence 
the  question,  Whom  should  they  get  for  a  minister  ?  had  been  a 
subject  of  serious  discussion  at  their  meetings  in  Charlestown 
the  preceding  winter.  And  now,  at  the  present  stage  of  their 
enterprise,  they  determined,  without  delay,  to  commence  vigor- 
ous exertions  to  procure  some  one,  on  whom  they  could  rely  for 
the  faithful  discharge  of  the  sacred  office  among  them.  And  yet 
the  repeated  failure  of  these  exertions  was  long  a  cause  to  them 
of  sore  mortification,  and  at  times/ to  some  of  their  number, 
almost  of  despair. 

The  person  to  whom  they  first  applied  to  become  their  minis- 
ter was  Rev.  Jonathan  Burr.  This  gentleman,  who  came  to  this 
country  in  1639,  had  been  a  clergyman  of  high  repute  in  Eng- 
land for  piety  and  learning,  and  had  just  now  received  a  call  to 
settle  over  the  church  in  Dorchester,  as  colleague  with  Rev. 

M  Wonder  Working  Providence,  B.  II.,  Chap.  22. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  17 

Richard  Mather. 14  But  from  certain  reported  differences 
between  him  and  Mr.  Mather,  the  first  settlers  in  "Woburn  seem 
to  have  imbibed  an  opinion  that  he  was  disposed  to  quit  Dor- 
chester, and  might  be  induced,  upon  application,  to  come  and  be 
settled  over  them.  Accordingly,  "  divers  "  (commissioners  and 
others,)  went  from  here  March  17,  1640-1,  to  speak  to  him  on 
the  subject,  to  whom  he  gave  "  good  incorridgment  to  go  one 
[on] ;  God  would  prouid  "  [provide] ;  and  withal,  led  them  to 
expect  that  he  might  ultimately  comply  with  their  wishes.  *  But 
the  differences  which  had  existed  between  him  and  his  senior 
colleague,  Rev.  Mr.  Mather,  were  soon  healed ; 14  and  his  friends 
at  Dorchester,  after  repeated  visits  to  this  incipient  plantation, 
being  dissatisfied  with  its  local  advantages,15  probably  advised 
him  not  to  remove  from  where  he  then  was.  Influenced  doubt- 
less in  some  measure  by  their  feelings  and  views  in  this  matter, 
Mr.  Burr  returned,  May  10,  1641,  a  negative  answer  to  the 
invitation  given  him  from  this  place ; 16  and,  though  afterwards 
urged  ane\f, 16  he  could  not  be  persuaded  to  revoke  it.  He 
remained  at  Dorchester,  and  died  there,  deeply  lamented,  August 
9th  of  the  same  year,  1641." 

At  Mr.  Burr's  declining  a  settlement  in  this  place,  "  most  harts 
grew  fainte," 16  and  even  a  majority  of  the  commissioners  began 
to  be  discouraged.17  But  there  were  three,  at  least,  of  the  seven, 
whose  resolution  no  adverse  occurrences  could  shake,  no 
obstacles  turn  from  their  purpose.17  Conscious  of  the  rectitude 

14  Allen's  Biography.  »  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  4. 

15  "The  20th  of  1.  mo.  1641,  Mr.  Burr's  ffriends  came  againe,  and  brought 
men  with  them  to  vew  the  land,  espetially  the  medow."  Wob.  Rec.  I.,  p.  4. 

"  24  of  3d  mo.  [May]  1641,  Mr.  Burr's  ffreinds  came  againe  with  fresh 
men,  whos  minds  were  much  for  medow,  and  their  jugments  short  in  what 
they  saw."  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  4. 

18  "  10 :  3d  mo.  Meeting  at  Thomas  Richison's  :  Mr.  Burr  declined;  and 
most  harts  grew  fainte." 

"  29  :  3d  mo.  Mr.  Thomas  Graues  and  Edward  Johnson  were  sent  to  Mr. 
Burr,  who  was  loth  to  giue  a  full  answer."  T.  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  4. 

17  See  the  several  statements  in  this  paragraph,  and  others  connected  with 
it,  concerning  "  a  majority  of  the  commissioners,"  and  respecting  "  three  " 
of  their  number,  illustrated  and  confirmed  in  certain  Lines  in  verse,  com- 
posed by  one  of  them,  Captain  Edward  Johnson,  prefixed  by  him  to  the 
Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  1,  and  copied  in  Appendix,  No.  II.,  of  this  work 
2* 


18  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

of  their  motives  and  aims,  they  repaired  again,  in  that  dark  and 
gloomy  day,  to  the  Lord,  and  in  return  obtained  light  and 
encouragement  from  above.  Under  date  of  the  25  of  6  mo.  [25 
August]  1641,  we  read  in  the  Records,  "  Things  goin%  heauily 
one  [on],  and  many  Blocks  in  the  waye;  espetially  sum  of  their 
own  Company  disheartening,  this  day  was  set  apart  for  humble 
seeking  the  Lord  by  fasting  and  prayer:  whom  they  found 
gratious  in  keping  upp  the  sperits  of  sum  to  the  worke."18  And 
now,  strengthened  by  the  pious  exercises  of  this  solemnity,  three 
at  least  of  the  commissioners 18  proceeded  with  their  enterprise 
with  fresh  resolution  and  courage.  The  next  day,  they  built  a 
bridge  over  Horn  Pond  River,  —  a  work,  at  that  time,  attended 
with  great  labor  and  difficulty.  "  The  place  was  soe  boggy,"  say 
the  records,  "  that  it  swallowed  up  much  wood  before  it  cold 
[could]  bee  mad  pasable,"  [passable]  and  yet  they  finished  the 
bridge  the  same  day,  and  called  it  "  Long  Bridge."  18 

Shortly  after,  they  made  a  new  effort  to  procure  a  minister. 
Two  messengers  went  to  Rowley,  October  25, 1641,  to  make  pro- 
posals to  Rev.  John  Miller,18  a  clergyman  recently  from  England, 
and  then  an  assistant  to  Rev.  Mr.  Rogers,  pastor  of  the  church 
in  that  town ;  but  finding  Mr.  Rogers  "  loth  to  part  with 
him,"  they  forbore  urging  him  any  further.18 

In  less  than  a  fortnight  after,  the  commissioners  spake  on  the 
same  design  to  Mr.  Thomas  Carter,  a  candidate  for  the  ministry 
from  England,  and  then  a  resident  at  Watertown.  And  receiv- 
ing some  encouragement  of  help  from  him,  they  proposed  to  the 

is  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  4. 

Rev.  John  Miller  had  been  an  ordained  minister  in  England.  Upon 
coming  to  this  country,  he  was  admitted  as  a  member  into  the  Church  of 
Roxbury.  After  leaving  Rowley,  about  1642,  he  was  ordained  the  pastor 
of  the  Church  of  Yarmouth,  on  Cape  Cod,  and  continued  there  as  late  as 
1651.  Subsequently,  he  became  a  preacher  of  the  gospel  at  Groton;  but 
died,  while  the  people  there  were  taking  measures  to  settle  him  over  them. 
The  following  notice  of  his  death  is  from  the  Records  of  1st  Church,  Rox- 
bury :  "  1663,  June  14,  Mr.  John  Miller,  Preacher  of  the  Gospel  at  Groyton, 
sometime  pastor  of  the  Church  at  Yarmouth,  rested  from  his  labors." 
See  also  Johnson's  Wonder  Working  Providence,  Book  11,  chap.  XI., 
Butler's  History  of  Groton,  p.  155,  and  American  Quarterly  Register,  Vol. 
XI.,  p.  259. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  19 

church  of  Charlestown  (of  which  several  of  them  were  members), 
that  they  might  hold  public  worship  at  the  village.19  The 
church  granted  their  request,  and  also  lent  them  for  one  Sabbath 
the  aid  of  their  pastor,  Rev.  Mr.  Symmes ;  who  accordingly, 
November  21,  1641,  preached  here  the  first  'gospel  sermon 
probably,  that  had  ever  been  delivered  in  this  portion  of  the 
New  England  wilderness.  His  text  was  from  those  appropriate 
words,  "Jeremiah  iv.  3.  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord  to  the  men  of 
Judah  and  Jerusalem,  Break  up  your  fallow  ground,  and  sow 
not  among  thorns."  19  Mr.  Carter  likewise,  in  fulfilment  of  the 
expectations  he  had  raised,  preached,  December  5th,  at  this  place 
for  the  first  time,  out  of  Genesis  xxii.,  "  incorridgiug  to  trust  in 
the  Lord  for  the  means."  19  From  this  time,  the  people  here,  by 
the  commissioners,  frequently  renewed  their  applications  to  him 
to  become  their  minister.  And  as  a  pledge  of  their  good  will, 
and  of  their  earnest  purpose  to  sustain  him  in  his  work,  they 
set  about  building  a  house  for  the  ministry.20  But  it  was  long 
before  he  could  be  persuaded  to  enter  into  any  permanent 
engagement  with  them.  Though  solicited  again  and  again,  he 
was  for  months  unwilling  to  promise  anything  more  than  occa- 
sional help;  and  this,  the  records  observe,  "was  uery  [very] 
seldom."  20  At  length  their  importunity  prevailing  with  him  to 
spend  with  them  a  day  of  humiliation,  April  14,  1642,  he  after- 
wards gave  them  good  encouragement  to  hope  for  his  constant 
services,  and  passed  two  Sabbaths  with  them  in  succession. 
Thenceforth  their  expectations  of  attaining  the  great  object, 
which  they  had  so  long  sought,  and  labored  and  prayed  for, 
began  to  brighten,  and  with  some  short  interruption  21  continued 
to  increase.  At  last,  hoping  to  enjoy  Mr.  Carter's  permanent 
services  in  the  ministry,  those  among  them  who  were  connected 
by  covenant  with  the  church  of  Charlestown  requested,  June  5, 
1642,  that  they  might  be  dismissed.  That  church  received  their 
request  at  first  with  reluctance,  and  put  them  off  for  a  fortnight. 
Then,  after  much  agitation,  she  voted  them  a  dismission,  and  her 
consent  that  they  might  be  gathered  into  a  church.20 

u  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  4.  *>  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  5. 


20  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

The  First  Congregational  Church  in  Woburn  was  gathered 
with  much  solemnity  August  14,  0.  S.  or  August  24,  N.  S., 
1642,  (Appendix  III.)  :The  proceedings  in  this  interest- 
ing transaction  are  minutely  related  by  Capt.  Edward  Johnson, 
one  of  the  principal  founders  of  this  church,  and  clerk  of  the 
town  at  that  time,  both  in  the  Town  Records  21  and  in  his 
celebrated  history  of  New  England,  entitled  "  The  Wonder- 
working Providence  of  Zion's  Saviour."22  From  these  au- 
thorities, we  learn  that  there  were  present,  on  the  occasion,  the 
elders  and  messengers  of  several  of  the  neighboring  churches 
and  others;  particularly  Rev.  Messrs.  Symmes  and  Allen  of 
Charlestown,  Wilson  and  Cotton  of  Boston,  Shepard  of 
Cambridge,  Dunster,  President  of  Harvard  College,  Knowles  of 
Watertown,  Allin  of  Dedham,  Eliot  of  Roxbury,  and  Mather 
of  Dorchester,  — ministers,  whose  praise  is  still  in  all  the  churches 
of  our  land.  Mr.  Increase  Nowell  of  Charlestown,  likewise  one 
of  the  magistrates  of  the  colony,  was  there,  agreeably  to  an 
opinion  then  and  long  afterwards  prevalent,  which  deemed  it  a 
duty  for  one  or  more  of  the  magistrates  to  be  present  on  such 
occasions,  for  the  prevention  of  errors  and  proceedings  that 
might  breed  disturbance  in  the  Commonwealth;  and  also  for 
giving  countenance  and  encouragement  to  so  good  a  work.  22 
These  all  being  assembled,  about  8  o'clock  of  the  morning  on 
the  day  just  mentioned,  Mr.  Symmes  "continued  in 'prayer  and 
preaching  about  the  space  of  four  or  five  houres."  Then  the 
persons  to  be  embodied  in  a  church  state,  viz :  John  Mousall, 
Edward  Johnson,  Edward  Convers,  William  Learned,  Ezekiel 
Richardson,  Samuel  Richardson  and  Thomas  Richardson,  stood 
forth,  and  made  declaration,  one  by  one,  of  their  religious  faith 
and  Christian  experience ;  confessing  "  what  the  Lord  had  done 
for  their  poor  souls  by  the  work  of  his  Spirit  in  the  preaching 
of  his  Word  and  Providences."22  And  here  the  elders  and 
messengers  present  had  liberty  to  propound  any  question  to 
them  for  their  better  understanding  of  them  in  any  point  they 

81 "  16  of  3  mo.  [16  May]  1642.    They  [the  Commissioners]  were  dishar- 

tened  by  too  [two]  of  their  company  taking  of  Councill."     Town  Records. 

a  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  5.  «  W.  W.  Prov.  B.  II.,  Chap.  XXII.,  p.  175-181. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  21 

doubted  of;  and  all  at  length  being  satisfied,  the  persons  to  be 
gathered,  manifested  their  consent  to  their  covenant  in  words 
expressed  in  writing  to  this  purpose. 

"  We  that  do  assemble  ourselves  this  day  before  God  and  his 
people,  in  an  unfeigned  desire  to  be  accepted  of  him  as  a  Church 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  according  to  the  Rule  of  the  New 
Testament,  do  acknowledge  ourselves  to  be  the  most  unworthy  of 
all  others,  that  we  should  attain  such  a  high  grace,  and  the  most 
unable  of  ourselves  to  the  performance  of  any  thing  that  is  good, 
abhorring  ourselves  for  all  our  former  defilements  in  the  worship  of 
God,  and  other  wayes,  and  resting  only  upon  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
for  attonement,  and  upon  the  power  of  his  grace  for  the  guidance 
of  our  whole  after  course,  do  here,  in  the  name  of  Christ  Jesus,  as 
in  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  from  the  bottom  of  our  hearts,  agree 
together  through  his  grace  to  give  up  ourselves,  first  unto  the 
Lord  Jesus,  as  our  only  King,  Priest,  and  Prophet,  wholly  to  be 
subject  unto  him  in  all  things,  and  therewith  one  unto  another,  as 
in  a  Church  Body,  to  walk  together  in  all  the  Ordinances  of  the 
Gospel,  and  in  all  such  mutual  love  and  offices  thereof,  as  toward 
one  another  in  the  Lord ;  and  all  this,  both  according  to  the 
present  light  that  the  Lord  hath  given  us,  as  also  according  to  all 
further  light,  which  he  shall  be  pleased  at  any  time  to  reach  out 
unto  us  out  of  the  "Word  by  the  goodness  of  his  grace  :  renouncing 
also  in  the  same  Covenant  all  errors  and  schismes,  and  whatsoever 
by-wayes  that  are  contrary  to  the  blessed  rules  revealed  in  the 
Gospel,  and  in  particular,  the  inordinate  love  and  seeking  after  the 
things  of  the  world."  "  Every  Church  hath  not  the  same  for 
words  ;  for  they  are  not  for  a  form  of  words." 

And  now  having  entered  into  covenant,  the  elders  present 
extended  to  them  the  right  hand  of  fellowship,  in  the  name  of 
the  churches  to  which  they  respectively  belonged;  thereby 
acknowledging  them  to  be  a  true  and  regularly  gathered  church 
of  Christ. 

The  establishment  of  a  church  in  Woburn  was  soon  followed 
by  the  ordination  of  its  first  pastor.  For  some  time  before  the 
church  was  gathered,  Mr.  Thomas  Carter  had  been  "  exercising 
his  gifts  of  preaching  and  prayer  among  them ;"  and  continuing 
afterwards  to  do  so  with  acceptance,  the  church  called  him  to 


22  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

the  pastoral  office,  and  he  was  ordained  over  them  November 
22,  0.  S.  or  December  2d,  N.  S.,  1642.22  On  this  occasion,  the 
same  churches  appear  to  have  been  sent  to  for  their  presence 
and  aid,  as  at  the  gathering  of  the  church,  and  the  same  pastors 
to  have  attended  that  did  then,  except  Rev.  Mr.  Knowles  of 
Watertown,  who  was  absent  on  a  special  mission  to  preach  the 
gospel  in  Virginia.23  This  ordination  has  long  been  celebrated 
from  the  circumstance,  that  "imposition  of  hands,"  the  dis- 
tinctive ceremony  of  such  solemnities,  was  performed  by  laymen. 
Congregational  principles,  as  afterward  set  forth  in  the 
Cambridge  Platform,  recognize  the  right  of  a  church  to  ordain 
its  pastors  by  the  hand  of  its  ruling  elders,  or  other  members 
duly  appointed  thereto.  But  they  likewise  allow  the  propriety 
of  imposition  of  hands  on  the  candidate  by  the  elders  of  other 
churches  present,  at  the  request  of  the  ordaining  church,  when  it 
has  no  elders  of  its  own  to  do  it,  as  was  the  case  in  this 
instance  at  Woburn.24  And  this  latter  method  of  ordination,  a 
little  varied,  soon  became,  and  still  continues  to  be,  the  common 
custom  of  the  country.  It  was  recommended  to  Woburn  church, 
at  the  ordination  of  Mr.  Carter.  "Some  difference  there  was," 
observes  Gov.  Winthrop  in  his  History,  concerning  this  transac- 
tion :  "  Some  difference  there  was  about  his  ordination.  Some 
advised,  in  regard  they  had  no  elder  of  their  own,  nor  any 
members  very  fit  to  solemnize  such  an  ordinance,  they  would 
desire  some  of  the  elders  of  the  other  churches  to  have  per- 
formed it;  but  others,  supposing  it  might  be  an  occasion  of 
introducing  a  dependency  of  churches,  and  so  a  presbytery, 
would  not  allow  it.  So  it  was  performed  by  one  of  their  own 
members,  but  not  so  well  and  orderly  as  it  ought."25  Johnson's 
account  of  it  is,  that  after  Mr.  Carter  had  exercised  in  preach- 
ing and  prayer  the  greater  part  of  the  day,  "  two  persons"  (of 
whom  he  himself  was  doubtless  one)  "  in  .the  name  of  the 
church,  laid  their  hands  upon  his  head,  and  said,  l  We  ordain 


»  W.  W.  Prov.,  Book  II.,  Chap.  XXII.,  p.  175-181.    For  the  present  Articles  of  Faith  and 
Covenant  in  the  First  Church  of  Woburn,  see  Appendix,  No.  IV. 
»  Woburn  T.  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  5.  Allen's  Biog.  under  Knowles. 
**  Platform,  Chap.  IX.,  §  3,  4,  5.  »  Savage's  Winthrop,  Vol.  II.,  p.  109,  110. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  23 

thee,  Thomas  Carter,  to  be  Pastor  unto  this  Church  of  Christ.' " 
"  Then  one  of  the  elders  present  being  desired  of  the  church, 
continued  in  prayer  unto  the  Lord  for  his  more  especial  assist- 
ance of  this  his  servant  in  his  work;"22  and  the  others  held  out 
the  right  hand  of  fellowship  to  him.20 

In  the  interval  between  the  gathering  of  the  church,  and  the 
ordination  of  its  first  pastor,  Woburn  was  incorporated  as  a 
town.  Its  territory  was  granted  originally  to  Charlestown,  on 
condition  that  it  should  be  built  on  within  two  years.5  This 
condition  had  been  fulfilled.  And  now  that  a  church  had  been 
embodied  among  its  inhabitants,  and  there  was  a  fair  prospect  of 
the  speedy  settlement  of  a  minister  over  them,  (provisions,  to 
which  paramount  importance  was  attached  by  the  early  legisla- 
tion of  Massachusetts,  in  their  establishment  of  towns  and 
parishes)  the  way  was  fully  prepared  for  granting  this  people 
the  privileges  of  a  town.  Accordingly,  at  a  session  of  the  Gen- 
eral Court,  which  commenced  the  "  8th  of  7  mo."  or  September 
8th,  1642,  and  was  continued  by  adjournment  to  the  27th  of  the 
same  month,  the  town  was  incorporated.  The  Act  of  Court  for 
this  purpose  is  contained  in  these  five  words:  " Charlestowne 
Village  is  called  Wooborne."  26  And  as  the  record  of  this  Act 
of  Incorporation  is  subsequent  to  the  record  of  the  above 
adjournment,  the  earliest  date  that  can  be  assigned  to  that  Act 
is  September  27th,  0.  S.;  or  October  6th,  N.  S.,  1642. 

Thus  the  permanent  settlement  of  this  place,  which  had  been 
undertaken  by  the  Commissioners  for  the  work,  under  circum- 
stances of  great  discouragement,  and  perseveringly  carried  on 
by  them  and  others  through  the  midst  of  oppressive  labors  and 
disheartening  difficulties  and  trials,  was  at  length  happily  accom- 
plished. By  the  date  of  its  incorporation,  Woburn  was  the 
twentieth  town  in  the  Massachusetts  Colony,  as  distinct  from 
that  of  Plymouth ;  and  the  twenty-ninth  of  those  three  hundred 
and  thirty-one  cities  and  towns  which  constituted  the  State  of 
Massachusetts  in  1855.  At  the  time  it  was  first  legally  recog- 
nized as  a  town,  not  one  of  those  which  now  immediately  border 

"Mass.  Col.  Records,  Vol.   II.,  p.  28.    Why  this  name  was  given  to  Woburn  at  its  incor- 
poration, see  Appendix,  No.  V. 


24  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

upon  it,  had  received  a  corporate  existence.  Even  Reading,  the 
plantation  of  which  was  commenced  earlier  than  that  of  Woburn, 
was  still  known  only  as  Lynn  Village.  Then,  the  incorporated 
towns  nearest  to  Woburn  were  Rowley  and  Ipswich  on  the 
north,  Salem  and  Lynn  on  the  northeast,  Charlestown  on  the 
east,  Cambridge  on  the  southeast  and  south,  and  Concord  on 
the  southwest.  On  the  west  and  northwest,  all  within  the 
present  bounds  of  Massachusetts,  saving  Newbury  and  Salisbury, 
was  as  yet  a  wilderness,  uninhabited  by  man,  except  by  Indians 
dwelling  in  scattered  wigwams,  or  in  a  few  denser  settlements, 
such  as  Nashoba,  now  Littleton,  and  Pawtucket,  now  Lowell. 

The  first  general  meeting  held  in  "Woburn  after  the  grant  to 
it  of  corporate  privileges  was  on  November  9,  1643.  Then  an 
order  was  passed,  imposing  a  fine  of  eighteen  pence,  for  the  use 
of  the  town,  upon  every  one  who  should  absent  himself  from  any 
public  meeting  without  a  reasonable  excuse.  Committees  also 
were  appointed  to  look  after  fences,  to  parcel  out  meadows,  and 
to  lay  out  a  common  field,  to  be  afterwards  divided  by  lot  among 
them  that  should  have  share  therein.27  But  for  reasons  that  can 
now  be  only  conjectured,  there  was  no  general  choice  of  town 
officers  till  April  13,  1644,  above  a  year  and  a  half  from  the 
Act  of  Incorporation.  At  a  public  meeting  on  that  day,  it  was 
voted,  with  the  general  consent  of  all  the  freemen  and  other 
inhabitants  then  present,  that  a  choice  should  be  made  annually, 
from  among  the  freemen  of  the  town,  of  seven  men  (or  of  a  less 
number  in  after  time,  when  the  town  should  be  more  settled), 
who  should  have  power  to  order  the  prudential  affairs  of  the 
town,  and  who  should  continue  in  office  till  "  the  first  third  day 
of  the  weeke  in  the  first  month  "  (that  is,  till  the  first  Tuesday 
in  March)  in  the  next  year,  when  a  new  choice  should  be  made. 
The  following  Orders  likewise  were  agreed  upon  for  the  future 
direction  of  their  Selectmen : 

1.  They  should  always  give  public  notice  when  any  rate  or 
assessment  was  to  be  made  upoii  the  inhabitants,  "  to  the  end,  men 
"  may  shew  their  grevance  if  any  bee  ;  and  mutual  love  and  agree- 
"  ment  may  be  continued,  by  takeing  ofe  [off]  the  burden  from 
"  the  opressed." 

»  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  5. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBTJRN.  25 

2.  When  any  scruples  should  arise  in  their  minds,  in  the  trans- 
action of  the  affairs  of  the  town,  they  should  repair  to  the  elder  or 
elders  of  the  church  in  the  said  town  for  advice. 

3.  They  should  alter  no  man's  propriety  in  th'e  town  without 
his  free  consent. 

4.  They  should  meet  once  a  month,  at  the  least,  upon  the 
town's  business  ;  and  keep  a  record  of  all  orders  concluded  by  the 
major  part  of  them  for  the  good  of  the  town  ;  and  that  they  should 
give  an  account  in  public  at  the  year's  end  of  their  disbursements 
and  disposal  of  the  town's  stock  and  land.28 

On  the  same  day,  they  chose  Edward  Johnson,  Edward 
Convers,  John  Mousall,  William  Learned,  Ezekiel  Richardson, 
Samuel  Richardson  and  James  Thompson  for  their  first  Board 
of  Selectmen ;  William  Learned,  Constable ;  and  Michael  Bacon, 
Ralph  Hill  and  Thomas  Richardson  for  Surveyors  of  High- 
ways.28 

Though  Woburn  had  now  acquired  the  name  and  privileges  of 
a  town,  yet  much  remained  to  be  done  to  redeem  it  from  its  for- 
mer wilderness  condition.  House  lots  had  been  marked  out  in 
the  centre  and  some  other  places,  a  house  for  their  minister  and 
a  few  other  scattered  dwellings  had  be*en  built,  and  a  meeting 
house  was  either  then,  or  shortly  after,  erected.  But  no  streets  lead- 
ing to  and  by  their  respective  places  of  abode  had  been  completed, 
no  roads  for  intercourse  with  other  towns  had  been  established, 
and  their  territory  as  yet  lay  in  great  measure  common.  Hence 
as  soon  as  the  incorporation  of  the  town  and  the  settlement  of 
its  minister  were  over,  the  laying  out  of  streets  and  highways, 
and  the  distribution  of  the  lands,  were  necessarily  among  the 
first  subjects  of  attention  to  the  people.  Accordingly,  in  Novem- 
ber, 1645,  three  streets  or  highways  were  laid  out,  one  called 
Upstreet29  and  the  other  two  running  into  Upstreet,  called  Sawpit 

48  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  5,  6. 

29  It  would  be  exceedingly  difficult  at  the  present  day  to  determine  with 
certainty  the  position  of  the  several  streets  or  high  ways  that  were  first  laid 
out  in  Woburn. 

Upstreet  is  described  in  the  Records  (vol.  I,  p.  7)  as  "  leading  to  Shaw- 
shin,"  and  there  are  strong  reasons  for  supposing  that  it  ran  from  the  cen- 
tre of  the  town  northerly  towards  Wilmington,  and  southwesterly  from 
3 


26  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

Lane30  and  Military  Lane.31  In  April  of  the  next  year,  1646, 
two  other  highways  were  laid  out,  viz.,  Plain  Street  and  Driver's 
Lane.  Plain  Street  is  described  in  the  Records  *  as  "  leading 
to  Cambridg  mill  and  towne  the  one  way  and  to  Upstreet  and 
Shawshin  the  other  waye,"  and  seems  evidently  to  be  the  road 
which  now  goes  over  the  plain  in  the  west  side  of  the  town  to 
Cutter's  mill  (formerly  so  called)  in  West  Cambridge,  and  which, 
in  coming  in  the  direction  towards  Woburn,  divides  near  Kendall's 
mill,  into  two  branches,  the  easterly  branch  passing  the  late  Capt. 
Joseph  Gardiner's  house,  and  leading  to  Upstreet,  and  the  west- 
erly branch  into  the  road  towards  the  Shawshin  in  Burlington. 


the  same  point  into  Pleasant  Street  by  the  house  formerly  occupied  by 
General  Thompson  to  the  George  Richardson  house,  and  thence  to  the 
house  formerly  of  Benjamin  Simonds,  now  owned  by  Jesse  Cutler,  and 
thence  by  Mr.  John  Cummings,  jr.'s  house  to  the  Shawshin  or  Hodge  Hole 
meadows  in  Burliniiton.  But  the  late  Dr.  Benjamin  Cutter  (a  gentleman 
very  thoroughly  acquainted  with  Woburn  localities)  was  of  opinion  that 
Upstreet,  in  coming  from  Wilmington,  entered  Bedford  Street  at  Mr. 
George  Flagg's,  and  proceeding  thence  to  the  house  of  Mr.  George  Rich- 
ardson, went  from  there  to  the  houses  of  Messrs.  Jesse  Cutler  and  John 
Cummings,  jr.,  towards  Shawshin  as  mentioned  above. 

30  Sawpit  Lane,  running  into  Upstreet,  according  to  the  Records,  appears 
to  have  been  a  highway  diverging  from  the  northerly  part  of  Upstreet  to- 
wards Wilmington  through  or  near  what  are  still  called,  it  is  said,  the 
Sawpit  Woods,  toward  Reading. 

31  Military  Lane,  though  long  since  forgotten,  was  recognized  by  name  in 
a  Report  of  the  Selectmen  made  January  28,  1731-2,  in  the  case  of  a  com- 
plaint to  the  Selectmen  by  Thomas  Reed  against  Jeremiah  Center  for  stop- 
ping up  the  way  leading  from  Reed's  house  to  the  meeting-house.    In  that 
Report,  Military  Lane  is  described  as  the  highway  "  which  leads  from  our 
meeting-house  through  the  Training  Held  by  the  said  Jeremiah  Center's 
and  Thomas  Reed's  into  that  Highway  leading  to  Shawshin,  known  by  the 
name  of  Upstreet "  a.    Thomas  Reed's  house  here  referred  to  is  presumed 
to  be  that  lately  occupied  by  Mr.  Silvanus  Wrood,  senr.,  deceased.    Military 
Lane  then,  after  leaving  the  meeting-house  (then  standing  on  the  hill  east 
of  the  Common)  and  passing  over  the  Training  Field  into  Pleasant  Street, 
proceeded  thence  to  the  school-house  of  the  sixth  District,  lately  taken 
down,  and  there  entering  the  narrow  lane  by  or  back  of  that  school-house, 
went  on  by  Mr.  Center's  to  Mr.  Wood's  house,  where  it  met  a  branch  of 
Upstreet  coming  from  Mr.  John  Cummings,  jr.'s  corner,  and  thence  went 

on  with  that  to  bhawshin. 

»!  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  9.  »  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.  inverted,  p.  69. 


HISTORY   OP    WOBURN.  27 

Drivers'  Lane  appears  to  have  been  principally  intended  for  the 
driving  of  cattle  to  some  common  pasture  on  the  plains  at  the 
West  Side.  It  was  laid  out  from  Kingsford,  at  the  Aberjona 
River,  to  Plain  Street,  one  rod  wide  on  the  land  of  Mr.  Zechariah 
Symmes  on  one  side,  and  one  rod  wide  on  the  land  of  Edward 
Convers  on  the  other,33  and  was  probably  that  road  which  now 
goes  from  the  site  of  the  ancient  Convers'  mill  by  Winchester 
meeting-house  to  "  Plain  Street,"  on  the  road  to  West  Cam- 
bridge, at  Mr.  Loring  Emerson's. 

In  the  Summer  and  Autumn  of  the  same  year,  1646,  provision 
was  made  for  the  construction  of  roads  to  Reading  and  Mystic 
Bridge,33  now  South  Reading  and  Medford.  In  December 
1647,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  lay  out  a  highway  from 
<f.the  three  Richisons  to  the  Towne  meeting-hows  one  way,  and 
Mr.  Thomas  Graves  the  other  way,"  M  which  was  doubtless  the 
commencement  of  the  road  known  from  time  immemorial  as 
Richardson's  Row. 

The  incorporation  of  Woburn,  1642,  as  a  distinct  town, 
rendered  it  very  desirable  to  establish  the  divisional  line  be- 
tween it  and  Charlestown  as  soon  as  possible.  And  yet  for 
several  years  this  necessary  measure,  from  some  cause  or  other, 
was  still  undetermined.  While  Woburn  was  yet  Charlostown 
village,  an  agreement  had  been  entered  into  by  a  committee  of 
thirteen,  for  fixing  the  bounds  between  the  village  and  the 
parent  town ;  but  this  agreement  had  been  subsequently  "  denied" 
and  the  labors  of  the  committee  frustrated.35  When  three  years 
and  upwards  had  elapsed  from  the  incorporation  of  the  town,  and 
this  important  question  still  remained  to  be  decided,  it  was 
agreed  at  a  general  meeting  at  Woburn,  March  17, 1646,  to  send 
to  the  Selectmen  of  Charlestown  the  following  letter. 

u  To  our  much  Respected  and  approued  good  ffreinds  of  Charles- 
towne  chosen  to  order  the  prudentiall  affaiers  thereof: 

"  Much  Respected  and  Aintient  ffreinds  : 

"  Wee  are  Bould  to  interupt  your  presant  pressious  I  inpayments 
with  Request  for  Issue  of  those  things  which  Sartaine  of  our  Beloned 

*»  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  9.       M  Records,  VoL  1.,  p.  12.       »  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  3. 


28  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

Brethren  among  you  were  Chosen  unto.  Now  our  humble  Request 
is,  that  they  may  End  it  forthwith.  If  otherwise  they  cannot  so 
doe,  our  further  Request  is  that  sum  others  unintrested  in  the 
things  may  put  a  ffreindly  Isue  (Issue)  to  the  same.  Our  last 
Request  is,  that  if  nether  of  these  will  doe,  then  in  a  brotherly 
and  ffreindly  way  to  petistian  to  the  General  Court :  that  wee  may 
not  bequeth  matter  of  cliferenc  to  our  posteryty.  Thus,  with 
hope  of  a  presant  answer  in  writing  to  our  soe  Reasanabl 
Request, 

"  Wee  Remaine  yours  to  bee  Comanded 

"  in  all  saruis  of  loue  in  Christ  our  Lord."  36 

To  this  friendly  letter,  in  which  : Christian,  courtesy  and  firm- 
ness in  insisting  upon  their  just  rights  are  equally  conspicuous, 
no  response  appears  to  have  been  made,  and  no  effectual  action 
taken  in  the  premises  by  Charlestown  for  three  years  more.  On 
the  3:  1  mo:  1649,  Edward  Johnson,  Edward  Convers,  John 
Mousall  and  John  Wright,  four  of  the  seven  Selectmen  of 
Woburn  were  appointed  a  committee  "  to  speake  with  our  Breth- 
ren of  Charlestown  about  the  settling  the  Bounds  sudenly 
betweene  them  and  us."37  This  quickening  message  seems  to 
have  led  soon  after  to  the  appointment  of  a  committee  mutually 
chosen  by  Charlestown  a  \d  Woburn,  who  brought  to  a  final  issue 
this  and  other  important  questions  connected  with  it,  July  29, 
1650.  Their  report  was  subscribed  Dec.  16,  1650,  not  only  by 
the  committee,  but  by  the  Selectmen  of  Woburn,  and  by  two 
leading  members  of  the  church  of  Charlestown,  in  token  of  their 
approbation  of  it;  and  was  entered  in  full  upon  Charlestown 
records.  The  following  is  a  transcript  of  their  return,  as  copied 
from  those  records  by  Nathan  Wyman,  Esq.,  town  clerk  of 
Woburn. 

"  The  29  of  the  V  month,  [29  July,]  1650. 

"  Whereas  weeRobt.  Sedgwicke,  Ralph  Sprague,  Tho.  Lyne  and 
Robt.  Hale  being  chosen  by  the  Ffreemen  of  Charlestowne  &  the 
Ffreemen  of  Wobourne  mutually  to  settle  the  bounds  bettweene  ye 
two  Townes  afforesaid,  as  also  to  appoint  what  quantity  of  Land 
should  be  laid  to  the  Lots,  &  Ffarmes  y'  are  adjoyning  to  Charles- 
. i . 

»  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  8,  9.  37  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  14. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  29 

towne  Common  on  ye  Ea?-t  side  of  Samll.  Richcsons ;  &  also  to 
appoint  where  the  Line  shall  devide  the  two  Townes  in  all  places 
where  ye  Land  of  both  Townes  doe  joyne  together,  as  also  to 
appoint  what  quantity  of  Land  the  said  Charlestown  shall  have 
from  Wobourne  in  consideration.  ...  of  Charlestown's  resigning 
up  those  Lotts  &  Commons  wch.  were  in  the  old  Bounds  of  Charles- 
towne,  unto  the  Inhabitants  of  Wobourne  : 

"  This  first  wee  agree  upon  :  That  the  Line  of  devision  bettween 
the  two  Townes  shall  runne  from  Cambridge  Line  by  ye  Northwest 
end  of  Mr  Nowell's  Lott 6  &  so  all  along  bettweene  Mr.  Sims's 
Ffarme  &  Edward  Convers's  Ffarme  untill  it  come  to  the  East  side 
of  them  adjoyneing  to  Charlestowne  Common. 

"  Also  we  have  agreed  &  determined  y*  \Vobourne  shall  have  five 
hundred  Acres  of  Laud  out  of  Charlestowne  Common  for  the  use 
of  those  Lotts  &  ffarmes  before  mentioned  ;  the  which  five  hundred 
Acres  shall  begin  at  the  East  Corner  of  Edward  Convers's  ffarme, 
next  Mr.  Sims's  tfarme,  &  so  by  all  along  by  the  East  side  of  those 
Lotts,  &  so  up  to  Charlestowne  head  Line,  of  such  a  breadth  as 
shall  take  in  the  five  hundred  Acres  ;  and  y*  the  sd.  Wobourne 
(according  to  theire  promise)  shall  make  and  maintaine  a  sufficient 
ffence  of  two  Railes  to  runne  even,  in  that  Line,  that  shall  devide 
bettweene  the  five  hundred  Acres  &  Charlestowne  Common ;  and 
that  Raile  shall  bee  the  bounds  bettweene  the  two  Townes  on  that 
side. 

"Allso  wee  agree  That  all  the  [Tracts?]  of  Common  &  Waste 
Land  }rt  lye  bettweene  Cambridge  Line  &  the  five  hundred  Acres 
(above  mentioned)  shall  belong  unto  Wobourne. 

"  Likewise  wee  agree  that  Charlestowne  shall  have  three  thou- 
sand Acres  of  Land  out  of  the  Bounds  of  Wobourne,  in  considera- 
tion of  those  Lotts  &  Commons  the  which  is  resigned  up  to 

e  This  end  of  the  divisional  line  agreed  upon  between  Charlestown 
and  Woburn,  running  from  Cambridge  [West  Cambridge]  bounds  over 
the  hills  to  the  Northwest  corner  of  "  Mr.  Nowell's  lot,"  remained,  till 
very  recently,  unchanged;  leaving  the  extensive  tract  of  land,  known,  till 
lately  by  the  name  of  Charlestown  End,  and  including  the  Gardner  Farms, 
the  farm  of  Mr.  Luke  Wyman,  etc.,  etc.,  within  the  bounds  of  Charlestown. 
But  by  annexing  to  the  other  end  of  the  line  as  here  described,  the  500 
acres  of  commons  with  the  lots  and  farms  attached,  which  Charlestown  by 
this  agreement  ceded  to  Woburn,  and  whu  h  comprised  much  of  the  laud  at 
Richardson's  Row,  and  in  South  Woburn  (now  Winchester)  the  actual 
dividing  line  in  this  quarter  was  carried  considerably  to  the  East. 
3* 


30  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

Wobourne  out  of  Charlestowne  Lands;  and  that  the  three 
thousand  Acres  shall  lye  in  the  place  where  Capt.  Johnson  &  Saml. 
Richeson  and  others  of  Wobourne  did  shew  us :  That  is  to  say,  to 
begin  at  the  uttermost  Corner  Northerly  next  Reading  Line,  &  so 
to  runne  Southerly  along  two  miles  deepe  on  the  East  side  of 
Shawshin  [Billerice]  Line  till  the  full  extent  of  the  three  thousand 
Acres  bee  out. 

"  Witness  our  hands  this  16.  of  the  X  month  [Dec.  16,]  1650. 
Subscribed  by  those  appointed  to  order  the  Prudentiall  affaires  of 
the  Towne  of  Wobourne. 

"EDWARD  JOHNSON ]  "RoBT.  SEDGWICKE 

JOHN  MOUSALL  THOS.  LYNDE 

JAMES  TOMSON  ROBT.  HALE 

EDWARD  CONVERS  INCREASE  NOWFLL 

RALPH  HILL  JOHN  GREENE."  38 

SAMLL.  RICHESON." 

The  appropriation  of  the  town's  lands  to  individual  inhabitants 
was  also,  of  course,  another  object  of  deep  interest  to  the  peo- 
ple, and  of  their  early  attention.  The  disposal  of  the  land  in 
Woburn,  was  originally  vested  in  Charlestown,  which  appears 
accordingly  to  have  made  numerous  grants  of  it  to  divers  of  its 
citizens,  before  Woburn  was  erected  into  a  distinct  township. 39 

88  Charlestown  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  90,  91. 

For  the  ultimate  disposal  of  the  3,000  acres  ceded  in  the  above  Report  by  Woburn  to 
Charlestown,  see  Appendix,  No.  VI. 

39  Hence  the  repeated  mention  in  Woburn  Records  of  "  Charlestown 
Lots  " ; »  and  notices  also  of  lots  belonging  to  individual  citizens  of  Charles- 
town,  and  bearing  their  names ;  as  the  Dunham  lot,  apparently  near  New 
Bridge,  or  North  Woburn;  Frodingham's  [Frothingham's]  lot,  near  Horn 
Pond ;  Burgess's  lot ;  Davison's  lot ;  aud  Shepardson's  lot,  which  became 
eventually  the  homestead_of  James  Convers,  jr.  *>  In  1640-1,  before  the 
incorporation  of  Woburn,  Messrs.  George  Whitehand  and  George  Bunker, 
both  of  Charlestown,  surrendered  their  respective  lots  to  the  disposal  of 
the  [intended]  town ;  "  and  the  latter  gentleman,  for  a  full  and  valuable 
consideration  paid  to  him  by  Woburn,  gave  Dec.  10th,  1663,  a  deed  of  a  lot 
of  his,  consisting  of  238  acres,  assigned  him  by  Charlestown,  and  lying 
within  the  bounds  of  Woburn,  for  the  use  of  the  town  forever.^  In  1654, 
Mr.  Robert  Long  of  Charlestowu  surrendered  for  the  town's  use,  a  lot  or 
meadow,  situate  in  the  centre  of  Woburn,  North  and  West  of  Rev. 
Thomas  Carter's,  granted  him  by  Charlestown,  and  still  known  as  Long's 

[»  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  7,  9.]  »>  Records  inverted,  Vol.  I.,  p.  10.  «  Records,  Vol.  I.,  3, 4. 
«  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  30. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  31 

At  the  incorporation  of  Woburn,  this  power  of  granting  land 
within  its  bounds  fell  of  right  to  the  united  body  of  its  inhabi- 
tants, who  thenceforth  disposed  of  its  lands,  sometimes  by  vote 
in  town  meeting,  and  sometimes  by  their  Selectmen  in  their 
name,  or  by  committees  specially  chosen  for  the  purpose.  In 
one  or  other  of  these  ways,  much  of  the  territory  of  the  town 
was  speedily  appropriated.  In  the  infancy  of  the  town  for  instance, 
there  were  numerous  grants  both  of  upland  and  meadow  to  indi- 
viduals admitted  to  be  inhabitants,  as  their  own  proper  freehold. 
To  some  of  these  grants  was  expressly  annexed  a  condition,  that 
they  [the  grantees]  should  bring  testimonials  of  their  peaceable 
behavior ;  or  that  they  should  continue  in  town  five  or  more 
years.  And  for  all  of  them,  the  grantees  were  required  to  pay 
twelve  ^pence  an  acre  for  the  use  of  the  town.  A  portion  like- 
wise of  the  common  land  was  reserved,  with  a  pious  forethought, 
very  creditable  to  the  first  settlers,  for  succeeding  officers  of  the 
church.  And  considerable  tracts  in  various  quarters  of  the 
town  were  set  apart  to  be  holden  and  improved  by  certain 
individuals  in  common,  as  Friendly  or  Boggy  Meadow  Field  in 
or  near  Wilmington,  Pleasant  Field  towards  Reading,  New 
Bridge  Field  in  North  Woburn,  Plain  Field  on  the  way  from  the 
centre  to  Convers's  mill,  Waterfield  at  the  West  End,  and  Hun- 
gary Plain  Field  and  Forest  Hill  Field  in  and  near  Burlington. 
And  to  prevent  injury  and  hard  thoughts  among  the  owners  in 
the  use  or  cultivation  of  these  common  fields,  it  was  early  ordered 
that  the  Selectmen  should  set  off  to  every  proprietor  his  propor- 
tion of  fence  to  maintain,  and  mark  each  end  of  one's  share  of 
fence  with  the  initial  letters  of  his  name.  But  the  cultivation  of 


Meadow ;  for  which  Woburn  paid  him  in  recompense  thirty  shillings.  « 
And  soon  after  the  incorporation  of  Woburn,  1642,  six  of  the  commission- 
ers for  its  settlement,  viz.,  Edward  Johnson.  Edward  Convers,  John  Mou- 
sall,  and  Messrs.  Ezekiel,  Samuel  and  Thomas  Richardson,  in  considera- 
tion of  divers  benefits  received  (particularly  meadow,  commonage  and 
planting  ground)  and  others  expected  from  the  town,  gave  up  all  the  land 
therein,  which  had  been  granted  them  "before  the  placing  downe  this 
Towne,  near  adjoining  to  the  said  towne  "  for  the  use  of  the  town  and 
the  church  of  Woburn  forever,  t 

«  EecordB.  Vol.  T  .  n.  9rt        n?*nnrd«.  Vo?.  T..  p.  6. 


32  HISTORY  OP   WOBURN. 

fields  held  in  common  having  been  productive  of  much  uneasi- 
ness and  contention,  they  have  long  since  been  divided  in  sever- 
alty  among  their  respective  proprietors. 

And  now  this  town  of  Woburn,  having  its  affairs  put  in 
proper  train,  and  under  the  direction  of  suitable  officers,  soon 
began  to  thrive  and  prosper.  This  is  inferred  in  part  from  the 
increase  in  the  number  of  its  inhabitants  and  of  its  church  mem- 
bers, during  the  first  ten  or  twelve  years  from  its  incorporation 
in  1642.  Judging  from  the  number  of  the  original  subscribers 
to  the  Town  Orders,  which  was  only  thirty-two  (and  all  of  them 
did  not  eventually  become  inhabitants),  the  first  settlers  in 
1642  could  hardly  have  exceeded  thirty  heads  of  families, 
and  the  founders  of  the  church  were  only  seven  in  number. 
But  in  1652,  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  had  increased  to  sixty 
families,  and  the  members  of  the  church  to  seventy-four.  This 
we  learn  from  the  celebrated  history  of  New  England,  called  the 
"  Wonder-working  Providence  of  Zion's  Saviour,"  written,  and 
published  in  London  in  1654,  by  Capt.  Edward  Johnson,  a 
principal  founder  and  distinguished  citizen  of  Woburn,  who 
gives  in  it  the  following  account  of  the  town,  as  it  was  at  the  tune 
he  wrote,  in  1662. 

"  There  was  a  Town  and  Church  erected,  called  Wooburn,  the 
present  year  [1642].  But  because  all  the  actions  of  this  wander- 
ing people  meet  with  great  variety  of  censures,  the  author  will,  in 
this  Town  and  Church,  set  down  the  manner  how  this  people  have 
populated  their  Towns,  and  gathered  their  Churches,  etc.,  etc. 
This  Town,  as  all  others,  had  its  bounds  fixed  by  the  General 
Court,  to  the  contents  of  four  miles  square  (beginning  at  the  end 
of  Charlestown  bounds)  :  the  grant  is  to  seven  men  of  good  and 
honest  report,  upon  condition  that  within  two  years  they  erect 
houses  for  habitation  thereon,  and  soe  go  on  to  make  a  Town 
thereof,  upon  the  A.ct  of  Court.  These  seven  men  have  power  to 
give  and  grant  out  lands  unto  any  persons  who  are  willing  to  take 
up  their  dwellings  within  the  said  precinct,  and  to  be  admitted  to 
all  common  privileges  of  the  said  Town ;  giving  them  such  an 
ample  portion,  both  of  Medow  and  Upland,  as  their  present  and 
future  stock  of  cattel  and  hands  were  like  to  improve,  with  eye  had 
to  others  that  might  after  come  to  populate  the  said  Town.  This 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  33 

they  did  without  any  respect  of  persons ;  yet  such  as  were  exorbi- 
tant, and  of  a  turbulent  spirit,  unfit  for  a  civil  society,  they  would 
reject ;  till  they  come  to  mend  their  manners,  such  came  not  to 
enjoy  any  freehold.  These  seven  men  ordered  and  disposed  of  the 
streets  of  the  Town,  as  might  be  best  for  improvement  of  the 
Land,  and  yet  civil  and  religious  society  maintained :  to  which 
end,  those  that  had  land  nearest  the  place  for  Sabbath  assembly, 
had  a  lesser  quantity  at  home ;  and  more  farther  off  to  improve 
for  corn  of  all  kinds.  They  refused  not  men  for  their  poverty,  but 
according  to  their  ability  were  helpful  to  the  poorest  sort  in  build- 
ing their  houses,  and  distributed  to  them  land  accordingly ;  the 
poorest  had  six  or  seven  acres  of  Medow,  and  twenty-five  of 
Upland,  or  thereabouts.  Thus  was  this  Town  populated,  to  the 
number  of  sixty  families  or  thereabout :  and  after  this  manner  are 
the  Towns  of  New  England  peopled.  The  scituation  of  this  Town 
is  in  the  highest  part  of  the  yet  peopled  land,  neere  upon  the  head 
springs  of  many  considerable  rivers,  or  their  branches  ;  as  the  first 
rise  oflpswitch  river,  and  the  rise  of  the  Shashin  river,  one  of  the 
most  considerable  branches  of  Merrimeck,  as  also  the  first  rise  of 
Mistick  river  and  ponds.  It  is  very  full  of  pleasant  springs,  and 
great  variety  of  very  good  water,  which  the  Summer's  heat  causeth 
to  be  more  cooler,  and  the  Winter's  cold  maketh  more  warmer : 
their  Medows  are  not  large,  but  lye  in  divers  places  to  particular 
dwellings  ;  the  like  doth  their  Springs.  Their  land  is  very  fruitful 
in  many  places,  although  they  have  no  great  quantity  of  plain  land 
in  any  one  place ;  yet  doth  their  Rocks  and  Swamps  yield  very 
good  food  for  cattel ;  as  also  they  have  Mast  and  Tar  for  shipping, 
but  the  distance  of  place  by  land  causeth  them  as  yet  to  be  unprofit- 
able. They  have  great  store  of  iron  ore.  Their  meeting  house 
stands  in  a  small  Plain  where  four  streets  meet.  The  people  are 
very  laborious,  if  not  exceeding,  some  of  them."  40 

"  Now  to  declare  how  this  people  proceeded  in  religious  matters 
and  so  consequently,  all  the  Churches  of  Christ  planted  in  New 
England  ;  when  they  came  at  once  to  hopes  of  being  such  a  compe- 
tent number  of  people  as  might  be  able  to  maintain  a  Minister,  they 
then  surely  seated  themselves,  and  not  before  ;  it  being  as  unnatural 
for  a  right  N.  E.  [New  England]  man  to  live  without  an  able  Min- 
istry, as  for  a  Smith  to  work  his  iron  without  a  fire.  Therefore  this 
people  that  went  about  placing  down  a  Town,  began  the  foundation 

"Wonderworking  Providence,  Book  II.,  Chap.  XXII.,  p.  175.,  etc. 


34  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

stone  with  earnest  seeking  of  the  Lord's  assistance  by  humbling  of 
their  souls  before  him  in  dates  of  prayer,  and  imploring'his  aid  in 
so  weighty  a  work.  Then  they  address  themselves  to  attend  coun- 
sel of  the  most  Orthodox  and  ablest  Christians,  and  more  especially 
of  such  as  the  Lord  had  already  placed  in  the  Ministry,  not  rashly 
running  together  [to  gather]  themselves  into  a  Church,  before  they 
had  hopes  of  attaining  an  Officer  to  preach  the  Word,  and  adminis- 
ter the  Seals  unto  them  ;  chosing  [choosing]  rather  to  continue  in 
fellowship  with  some  other  Church  for  their  Christian  watch  over 
them,  till  the  Lord  would  be  pleased  to  provide,"  etc.,  etc. 

[Here  follows  the  author's  account  of  the  gathering  of  the  Church  of 
Woburn,  and  of  the  ordination  of  Rev.  Mr.  Carter,  as  summarily  given 
above.  He  then  proceeds  as  follows  :] 

"  The  people  having  provided  a  dwelling-house,  built  at  the 
charge  of  the  Town  in  general,  welcomed  him  unto  them  with  joy, 
that  the  Lord  was  pleased  to  give  them  such  a  blessing,  that  their 
eyes  may  see  their  Teachers.  After  this  there  were  divers  added 
to  the  Church  daily  after  this  manner.  The  person  desirous  to 
joyn  with  the  Church,  cometh  to  the  Pastor  and  makes  him  ac- 
quainted therewith,  declaring  how  the  Lord  hath  been  pleased  to 
work  his  conversion :  who  discerning  hopes  of  the  persons'  faith  in 
Christ,  although  weak,  yet  if  any  appear,  he  is  propounded  to  the 
Church  in  general  for  their  approbation  touching  his  godly  life  and 
conversntion  :  and  then  by  the  Pastor  and  some  brethren  heard 
again,  wno  make  repo-:  to  the  Church  of  their  charit.ible  approving 
of  the  person.  But  before  they  come  to  joyn  with  the  Church,  all 
persons  within  the  Towne  have  publike  notice  of  it ;  then  publikely  he 
declares  the  manner  of  his  conversion,  and  how  the  Lord  hath  been 
pleased,  by  the  hearing  of  his  Word  preached,  and  the  work  of  his 
Spirit  in  the  inward  parts  of  his  soul,  to  bring  him  out  of  that  nat- 
ural darkness,  which  all  men  are  by  nature  in  and  under ;  as  also  the 
measure  of  knowledge  the  Lord  hath  been  pleased  to  indue  him 
withal.  And  because  some  men  cannot  speak  publikely  to  edifica- 
tion through  bashfulness,  the  less  is  required  of  such ;  and  women 
speak  not  publikely  at  all ;  for  all  that  is  desired  is,  to  prevent  the 
polluting  the  blessed  Ordinances  of  Christ  by  such  as  walk  scanda- 
lously, and  that  men  and  women  do  not  eat  and  drink  their  own 
condemnation,  in  not  discerning  the  Lord's  body.  After  this  man- 
ner, were  many  added  to  this  Church  of  Christ ;  and  those  7  [seven] 
"that  joyned  in  Church  fellowship  at  first,  are  now  encreased  to  74 


HISTORY    OP   WOBURN.  .  s      35 

persons,  or  thereabout After  this  manner  have  the 

Churches  of  Christ  [in  New  England]  had  their  beginning  and  pro- 
gress hitherto ;  the  Lord  continue  and  encrease  them  the  world 
throughout."—  W.  W.  Prov.,  Book  11,  Chap.  xxii.,pp.  175-181. 

It  has  already  been  observed,  that  the  original  territory  of 
Woburn,  as  granted  to  Charlestown  in  1640,  was  four  miles 
square.  But  this  grant  was  encumbered  with  another  grant  of 
five  hundred  acres,  to  be  laid  out  within  the  bounds  of  the  four 
miles  square,  to  Mr.  Thomas  Coytmore,  a  noted  shipmaster,  and  a 
highly  respected  citizen  of  Charlestown.  But  before  Capt.  Coyt- 
more could  derive  any  benefit  from  this  grant  to  him  by  the  Court, 
he  perished  in  a  storm  at  sea;  and  his  only  son,  Thomas 
Coytmore,  jr.,  dying  afterwards  in  his  minority,  the  General 
Court,  at  their  session  in  October  1656,  confirmed  the  grant  of 
500  acres  in  Woburn,  and  also  other  lands  and  goods  of  Capt. 
Coytmore,  to  Mr.  John  Coggan,  the  then  husband  of  Mrs.  Martha, 
Capt.  Coytmore's  relict,  on  condition  of  his  paying  .£200  to 
the  four  daughters  of  Capt.  William  Tyng  by  Elizabeth,  Capt. 
Coytmore's  sister.41  In  1664,  Mr.  Coggan  having  deceased, 
the  Coytmore  grant  in  Woburn  was  claimed  by  Mr.  Joseph  Rock 
of  Boston,  administrator  upon  the  estate  of  John  Coggan  and  of 
Martha,  his  wife.  And  now  the  selectmen  of  Woburn,  consider- 
ing that  even  without  that  incumbrance,  Woburn  was  smaller  in 
point  of  territory  than  any  other  incorporated  town  in  its  vicinity, 
petitioned  the  Court  in  1664,  that  they  would  order  Mr.  Rock's 
claim  of  500  acres  in  Woburn  to  be  laid  out  in  some  other  place ; 
and  also  that  they  would  grant  to  Woburn  four  thousand  acres 
of  unappropriated  land,  wherever  it  might  be  found  in  this  wil- 
derness, and  so  do  by  this  town  as  they  had  done  already  by 
the  neighboring  towns  of  Billerica  and  Reading.42  In  answer  to 
the  latter  part  of  this  petition,  the  Court  at  their  session  in 
October  of  that  year,  made  a  grant  to  Woburn  of  two  thousand 
acres.43  But  they  took  no  notice  of  the  request  in  it  to  order 

«  Colony  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  Part  I.,  pp.  272,  273,  281. 

«  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  29. 

«  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  30.  Colony  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  Part  II.,  p.  138.  This  grant 
was  not  laid  out  to  Woburn  till  upwards  of  lifty  years  afterwards ;  and  then,  (as  will  be  noted 
in  a  future  portion  of  this  history)  through  mismanagement,  it  proved  of  no  permanent 
advantage  to  the  town,  but  a  source  of  contention  for  a  long  series  of  years. 


36  HISTORY   OF   WOBtJRN. 

the  Coytmore  grant,  claimed  by  Mr.  Rock,  to  be  laid  out  else- 
where than  in  Woburn.  And  the  following  year,  Mr.  Rock  sold 
it  for  £50  to  Messrs.  Francis  and  John  Wyman  of  Woburn,  to 
whom  it  was  laid  out  by  Mr.  Jona  Danforth,  Surveyor,  under 
direction  of  General  Court's  Committee,  in  the  westerly  and 
northwesterly  parts  of  what  is  now  Burlington,  in  October 
1667.44 

Shortly  after  the  above  petition  to  the  Court  for  additional 
territory  was  presented,  the  distribution  of  a  large  part  of  what 
they  already  held  in  common  became  a  subject  of  intense  interest 
for  several  years  to  the  citizens  of  Woburn.  At  a  general  meet- 
ing, Nov.  14,  1664,  it  was  agreed  by  a  major  vote,  that  there 
should  be  a  distribution  of  plough  land  and  swamps,  and  a  par- 
ticular division  of  the  remote  timber ;  and  a  committee  of  seven 
was  chosen  to  carry  this  vote  into  effect,  according  to  justice  and 
equity.45  But  the  measure  meeting  with  opposition,  this  com- 
mittee did  not  venture  to  discharge  their  commission  without 
further  instructions  from  the  town.  And  now  arose  a  question 
of  importance,  Who  the  proprietors  of  the  town  were,  among 
whom  the  proposed  distribution  was  to  be  made  ?  This  ques- 
tion was  decided  at  a  public  meeting,  Feb.  27,  1665-6,  at  which 
it  was  voted,  that  "  the  right  proprietors  of  the  common  lands  of 
the  towne  of  Woburne"  were  "those  which  had  their  names 
expressed  in  the  deuiding  the  herbidg."  ^  At  the  same  meeting, 

«  Colony  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  Part  II.,  p.  356.    Middlesex  Registry  of  Deeds,  Vol.  111., 
pp.  149, 150. 

44  When  Woburn  Precinct,  now  Burlington,  was  incorporated  in  1730,  this 
tract  of  land  was  largely  dwelt  upon  and  improved  by  numerous  Wymans, 
the  posterity  of  the  above  named  Francis  and  John   Wyman.     But  now 
(1867)  and  for  several  years  past,  there  has  not  been  a  Wymau  in  the 
place  to  bear  up  his  ancestor's  name,  and  to  cultivate  this  portion  of  his  land. 

45  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  29. 

46  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  31,  32.    Record  of  meeting,  27  :  12mo. 
1665  [Feb.  27,  1665-6].    The  decision  at  this  meeting,  of  the  question, 
Who  were  the  right  proprietors  ?  was  not  improbably  grounded  on  the 
following  order  of  the  General  Court,  May  30,  1660:  "It  is  ordered,  that 
hereafter  no  cottage  or  dwelling  place  shall  be  admitted  to  the  privildg  of 
commonage  for  wood,  timber,  and  herbage,  or  any  other  the  priviledges 
that  lye  in  common  in  any  tpwne  or  peculiar,  but  such  as  are  already  in 
being,  or  hereafter  shall  be  erected  by  the  consent  of  the  towne."  —  Colony 
Records,  Vol.  V.,  Part  I,  p.  417. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  37 

a  vote  was  passed,  "  for  the  diuission  of  all  the  lands  and  timber 
that  belong  in  common  to  the  said  Towne,  to  the  Inhabytance 
expressed  by  name  as  priuilidged  by  the  vote  of  the  Towne  in 
the  diuistion  of  herbidg,"  and  also  to  three  persons  (viz: 
George  Brush,  John  Craggen,  and  Increase  Winn)  admitted  at 
that  meeting  to  be  inhabitants  and  "propriety  of  commonag," 
and  to  "  noe  other." 46  A  committee  of  three  likewise  was 
chosen  the  same  day,  « to  consider  of  a  way  of  diuistion,"  to  be 
propounded  to  the  inhabitants  at  a  future  meeting,  for  their 
approbation  and  concurrence.  The  report  of  this  committee 
was  submitted  at  a  meeting  of  the  town,  Jan.  28,  1666—7,  when 
it  was  voted,  that  the  way  by  which  the  land  should  be  divided 
that  yet  lay  in  common,  should  be  "  by  persons  and  esteats,  sar- 
uants  left  out ;  the  head  of  the  family  at  twenty  pound  esteat, 
wifes  and  children  at  five  pounds  esteat."  And  at  another  gen- 
eral meeting,  March  28,  1667,  it  was  voted  by  the  major  part 
present,  "  that  all  the  land  that  lyeth  in  common,  both  land  and 
timber,  shall  bee  deuided  for  propriete  [propriety]  to  the  wright 
proprietors  j  "  and  furthermore,  a  committee  of  five  was  appointed 
at  the  same  meeting,  viz  :  Francis  Kendall,  John  Wyman,  Thomas 
Peirce,  John  Brooks,  and  Samuel  Walker,  sen.,  who  were  fully 
empowered  by  the  town  "  to  laye  out  the  Common  to  propriety," 
according  to  the  true  intent  and  meaning  of  the  votes  of  Jan. 
28,  1666-7  and  of  March  28,  1667;  and  in  order  to  this  end, 
"  to  take  a  List  of  the  persons  and  esteats  of  the  wright  propri- 
etors." In  pursuance  of  their  appointment,  this  committee  made 
out  a  Table  exhibiting  the  names  of  all  who  had  right  in  the  com- 
mon land  of  Woburn,  and  their  respective  proportions  in  it, 
according  to  their  several  persons  and  estates ;  by  which  Table, 
not  only  the  present  but  all  future  divisions  of  the  town's  land 
were  to  be  regulated.  But  this  committee  was  not  allowed  to 
complete  the  whole  business  intrusted  to  them.  Complaint 
being  made,  it  seems,  of  some  of  their  proceedings,  the  General 
Court  chose  Oct.  31,  1667,  a  committee  of  their  own  body,  viz : 
Capt.  Daniel  Gookin,  Mr.  Thomas  Danforth  and  Mr.  Edward 
Collins,  to  settle  the  difficulties  which  had  arisen  in  Woburn.47 

«  Colonial  Record*,  Vol.  IV.,  part  II,  pp.  364-6. 
4 


38  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

By  these  gentlemen,  a  new  committee  for  the  town  was  nomi- 
nated, which  was  empowered  to  divide  the  land  to  be  divided, 
to  each  proprietor  his  just  proportion,  according  to  his  interest 
in  the  common  land  of  the  town.  Accordingly  this  new  commit- 
tee, consisting  of  Capt.  Edward  Johnson,  John  Carter,  Josiah 
Convers,  John  Wright  and  Thomas  Peirce 48  did  on  Sept.  23, 
1668,  divide  all  the  timber  and  wood  growing  or  lying  on  the 
hither  part  of  the  common  land  in  Woburn  into  eight  grand  divi- 
sions called  eighths,  each  of  which  was  subsequently  to  be  more 
particularly  divided  among  themselves  by  the  persons  expressly 
named  as  interested  in  it,  according  to  the  proportion  to  which 
each  person  was  entitled  in  the  whole  of  the  common  land  of 
the  town,  and  which  was  annexed  to  each  man's  name  respec- 
tively.49 In  this  way,  the  timber  and  wood  growing  or  lying  on 
various  tracts  of  land  in  different  quarters  of  the  town,  minutely 
described  in  the  Records,50  was  divided  among  eighty  proprie- 
tors, including  the  widow  of  Mr.  Thomas  Graves,  of  Charles- 
town,  one  of  the  original  undertakers  for  the  building  up  of 
Woburn ;  and  as  each  person's  proportional  part  of  the  timber 
and  wood  was  confirmed  by  the  committee  "  to  him,  his  heirs  and 
successors  forever,  and  all  hereafter  growing  on  the  same  land,"49 
it  is  presumed  that  the  town  granted  the  land  itself  in  progress 
of  time,  as  it  was  wanted  for  cultivation,  to  those  who  with  their 
successors  were  thus  made  perpetual  proprietors  of  all  its  future 
growth;  and  this  conjecture  seems  to  be  confirmed  by  the 
frequent  occurrence,  for  many  years,  of  the  phrase,  "where 
the  top  is  already  their  own,"  or  some  equivalent  expression 
in  subsequent  grants  of  land  to  individual  persons. 

At  the  same  time,  and  by  the  same  committee  that  made  dis- 
tribution of  the  wood  and  timber  just  spoken  of,  division  was 
made  of  two  extensive  cedar  swamps,  situated  in  what  is  now 
Wilmington,  one  called  Lebanon,  the  other  Ladder  Pole  Swamp. 
Both  these  swamps  were  first  divided  into  eighths,  as  nearly 
equal  as  might  be  to  each  other  in  their  joint  contents,  that  is, 
the  sum  of  an  eighth  of  one  swamp  added  to  an  eighth  in  the 

«  Wobnrn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  80.   «•  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  45.   »  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  45-17. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  39 

other.  Then  one  man,  on  behalf  of  all  those  who  were  named 
as  interested  in  the  same  eighth  with  himself,  drew  by  lot  the 
place  of  his  eighth ;  and  then  another  man  the  place  of  his,  etc. 
etc.  After  which,  each  eighth  was  to  be  particularly  divided 
among  themselves  by  those  to  whom  it  belonged,  in  proportion 
to  their  respective  interests  therein :  the  land,  as  well  as  cedar 
and  timber,  to  belong  to  them  and  their  heirs  forever.51 

To  compensate  the  two  committees  above  named,  employed  to 
effect  the  foregoing  grand  division  of  wood,  timber  and  land, 
agreeably  to  vote  of  March  28,  1667,  there  was  granted  at  a 
general  meeting  Feb.  26,  1677—8,  by  a  major  vote  of  the  pro- 
prietors, as  follows :  To  the  Dividing  Committee,  Capt.  Edward 
Johnson,  Capt.  John  Carter,  Mr.  John  Wright,  Dea.  Josiah 
Convers,  and  Sergeant  Thomas  Peirce,  thirty  acres  of  make 
meadow  or  swamp,  "to  sattisfy  the  said  committee,  and  those  that 
they  sett  to  worke,  for  all  the  truble  and  pains  that  they  were  at, 
in  deuiding  the  common  lands  into  proprieties."  To  the  pro- 
portioning committee,  John  Wyman,  Francis  Kendall,  Sergeant 
Thomas  Peirce,  Samuel  Walker  and  John  Brooks,  seven  acres 
of  make  meadow  or  swamp,  "to  satisfy  them  for  proportioning 
every  man's  right  in  the  common  lands."48 

In  1673,  there  was  another  grand  division  of  the  common 
land  of  the  town ;  viz :  of  timber  land  adjoining  Billerica  line 
and  Maple  Meadow  in  Wilmington.  This  land,  amounting  to 
above  500  acres,  was  distributed  by  lot  among  80  proprietors, 
in  proportion  to  their  respective  rights.  For  stating  the  lines  of 
the  great  lots  in  which  it  was  laid  out,  the  town  allowed  the 
committee  of  four  appointed  for  the  work,  twenty-four  shillings, 
or  six  shillings  apiece ;  and  each  proprietor  was  to  give  William 
Johnson,  for  setting  off  to  him  his  proportion,  and  marking  his 
lot  in  three  places  in  every  side  line  with  the  initials  of  his 
name,  two  pence  an  acre,  in  Indian  corn  at  eight  groats  a  bushel, 
or  in  other  pay  to  Mr.  Johnson's  content :  and  the  town  was  to 
pay  one  hand  for  carrying  the  chain  all  the  time,  two  and  six- 
pence a  day.52 

n  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  47-49.  «Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  41,  42. 


40  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

Finally,  in  1677,  a  large  tract  of  common  land,  lying  between 
Billerica  line,  Maple  Meadow  River  and  Reading  line,  and  con- 
taining by  estimation  about  four  thousand  acres,  was  the  greater 
part  of  it  divided  proportionally  between  seventy-nine  proprie- 
tors, besides  a  lot  of  sixty  acres,  reserved  for  a  succeeding  officer 
of  the  church.  Provision  was  made  that  the  Selectmen  might 
from  time  to  time  lay  out  highways  through  this  tract  for  the 
mutual  accommodation  of  the  proprietors,  without  allowance  given 
for  the  land  taken  for  this  purpose ;  and  William  Johnson  was 
employed  to  lay  out  the  lots,  for  which  each  proprietor  was  to 
pay  him  twopence  an  acre  in  Indian  corn,  barley  or  rye,  he 
furnishing  a  plot  of  the  said  land. M  And  after  the  division 
then  made,  there  being  still  a  residue  of  this  tract  undivided,  it 
was  granted  Feb.  26,  1677-8,  by  an  unanimous  vote  of  the  pro- 
prietors, to  forty-four  young  men,  who  petitioned  for  it ;  and 
was  divided  among  them  by  William  Johnson  for  a  compensa- 
tion agreed  upon  by  them. 

This  appears  to  have  been  the  last  extensive  distribution  of 
the  common  land  in  Woburn.  More  was  yet  left  in  various 
places,  in  comparatively  small  parcels,  of  which  grants  were 
occasionally  made  to  different  individuals.  In  a  shattered  rec- 
ord book  still  extant,  commenced  in  1739,  and  purporting  to 
belong  "to  the  proprietors  of  the  common  and  undivided 
lands  in  Woburn  and  Wilmington,  "  are  recorded  their  pro- 
ceedings at  their  meetings  from  time  to  time  in  relation  to  those 
lands ;  such  as  the  appointment  of  committees  to  perambulate 
their  lines,  and  to  establish  bounds ;  to  lease  their  lands  to  indi- 
viduals, and  to  receive  their  rents :  and  to  prosecute  at  the  law, 
such  persons  as  trespassed  upon  their  lands,  unto  final  judgment. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  proprietors,  May  17, 1739,  and  continued 
by  adjournment  to  1st  Monday  in  September  following,  Messrs. 
Jacob  Wright,  Thomas  Carter  and  Joseph  Baldwin  were  chosen 
a  committee  with  full  power  to  lay  out  to  each  proprietor  his 
just  proportion  of  the  common  lands.54  Accordingly  with 
the  help  of  Caleb  Brooks,  surveyor,  this  committee  laid  out  a 

K  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  77,  78,  79.  ••  Proprietors'  book,  p.  5. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  41 

large  portion  of  these  lands  as  directed;  and  at  a  meeting 
January  4,  1741  [1741-2]  they  presented  a  report  of  their 
doings  in  the  premises,  as  far  as  they  had  proceeded ;  which 
report  was  accepted  and  ordered  to  be  recorded.55  From  this 
report  as  recorded,  it  appears  that  they  had  laid  out  about  141 
acres,  lying  in  Wilmington  «  great  lot, "  Wood  Hill,  on  the  west  side 
of  Clear  Meadow  brook,  and  on  the  east  and  west  sides  of 
Maple  Meadow  River,  in  seventy-seven  lots  to  as  many  proprietors, 
and  one  lot  retained  by  the  proprietors  themselves  in  common,  and 
called  the  proprietors'  lot.  To  defray  the  expense  of  this  sur- 
vey and  division  of  the  common  lands,  Low's  Meadow  had  been 
previously  sold,  by  order  of  the  proprietors.56  At  a  Proprietors' 
Meeting,  May  26,  1763,  voted  to  grant  a  place  for  a  burial 
ground,  and  one  for  a  pound,  if  places  convenient  for  these  pur- 
poses could  be  found. 

The  last  grants  by  the  proprietors,  upon  record  in  this  book, 
were  of  stable  lots  near  the  meeting-house  on  the  common,  to 
Rev.  Josiah  Sherman,  Dea,  Eames  and  others,  voted  June  10, 
1765.  At  the  same  time  it  was  voted  to  grant  horse  stable  lots 
to  no  others  but  proprietors. 

At  a  general  meeting  of  the  town,  December  7,  1741, 
and  continued  by  adjournment  to  January  4,  and  February  8, 
1741—2,  it  was  apparently  attempted  to  nullify  the  distinction 
between  the  proprietors  of  the  common  lands  in  Woburn,  and 
other  inhabitants  of  the  town,  with  a  view  to  prosecute  the  pro- 
prietors' committee,  as  intruders,  in  making  division  of  those 
lands  from  time  to  time,  as  the  votes  of  the  proprietors  had 
authorized  them.  But  the  town  records  being  examined  by  a 
committee  appointed  for  the  purpose,  it  was  probably  found,  that 
the  town  had  for  years  recognized  and  acted  upon  the  distinction, 
which  was  founded  upon  an  order  of  the  General  Court  in  1660, 
and  the  attempt  failed.  See  Town  Records,  vol.  VII.,  p.  380, 
381,  382.  See  also  Mass.  Records,  vol.  IV.,  part  I,  p.  417: 
Town  Records,  vol.  I.,  p.  31,  32. 

«  Proprietors'  book,  p.  9.  «»  Proprietors'  book,  pp.  7, 14, 15. 

4* 


CHAPTER  II. 

Civil  customs  — Moral  and  Religious  habits  of  the  Frst  Settlers  — Town 
officers  —  Town  meetings  —  Measures  to  prevent  pauperism  —  Taxes  paid 
largely  in  produce  of  Soil ;  Schooling,  etc.,  etc.,  etc. —  Death  and  brief 
notices  of  the  Seven  Commissoners  for  building  up  Woburn. 

IN  the  First  Chapter  of  this  History  of  Woburn,  we  have 
seen  the  foundations  of  the  town  laid,  its  government  organized, 
its  lands,  the  larger  portion  of  them,  distributed  among  its  early 
proprietors,  and  all  its  affairs,  civil  and  ecclesiastical,  brought 
into  a  regular  and  successful  train.  In  this  chapter,  it  may  be 
useful  as  well  as  interesting  to  advert  briefly  to  the  civil  customs 
and  institutions  of  the  town,  and  to  the  literary,  moral  and 
religious  character  of  its  founders,  and  of  their  immediate  suc- 
cessors for  the  first  fifty  years,  before  we  resume  the  thread  of 
its  history. 

At  the  first  election  of  town  officers  in  Woburn  in  1644,  there 
were  chosen  only  Selectmen,  a  Constable,  and  three  Surveyors 
of,  the  highways.  In  the  record  of  that  transaction,  no  mention 
is  made  of  town  clerk,  treasurer,  assessors,  and  other  officers, 
whom  both  law  and  expediency  have  now  rendered  indispensa- 
ble. The  reason  is,  with  regard  to  the  town  clerk,  that  the  law 
did  not  then  expressly  require  that  officer  to  be  chosen  annually 
as  it  does  now ;  and  the  people  were  not  disposed  to  drop  from 
the  office  one  whom  they  had  found  hitherto  to  be  faithful. 
Hence  Woburn,  for  the  first  forty-eight  years, -had  but  two  town 
clerks;  Capt.  Edward  Johnson,  chosen  by  the  commissioners 
for  its  settlement  in  1640,  and  continued  in  office  by  the  good 
will  of  the  people,  without  re-election,  till  his  death  in  1G72; 
and  William  Johnson,  Esq.,  his  son,  who  was  chosen  clerk  in 
1672,  and  served  the  town  in  that  capacity,  without  re-election, 
till  1688.  And  as  to  other  town  officers,  they  came  gradually 
into  distinct  notice  and  use,  as  the  increase  of  the  public  busi- 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  43 

ness,  or  the  interest  of  the  people  rendered  them  necessary. 
For  many  years,  the  Selectmen  were  the  keepers  of  the  town's 
treasure,  as  well  as  the  local  guardians  of  its  rights.  In  1695 
was  the  first,  and  till  1719  the  only  instance  in  Woburn,  of  the 
election  of  a  town  treasurer,  distinctively  as  such;  and  the 
person  chosen  treasurer  in  1719,  and  for  several  years  afterward, 
was  one  of  the  Board  of  Selectmen. 

For  upwards  of  a  century  too,  from  the  first  planting  of  the 
town,  the  Selectmen  ex  officio,  or  by  the  uniform  choice  of  the 
people,  discharged  the  duties  of  Assessors  and  School  Committee ; 
and  the  constables  were  also  collectors  of  taxes.  In  assessing 
Town  and  County  Rates,  however,  the  Selectmen  used  to  be 
assisted  by  an  officer,  now  unknown  by  name,  but  then  annually 
chosen  by  the  people,  and  called  "  Commissioner  of  the  Rate." 1 
Woburn  had  likewise  in  its  early  days  three  other  commissioners, 
styled  in  the  records,  "  Commissioners  to  end  small  causes." 
The  appointment  of  such  commissioners  was  sanctioned  by  law 
in  all  towns  where  there  was  no  magistrate,  and  they  constituted 
an  inferior  Court  of  Justice,  having  the  powers  of  magistrates 
(excepting  that  of  committing  to  prison) ;  to  hear  and  determine, 
according  to  their  own  best  judgment,  all  causes  in  which  one  of 
the  parties  belonged  to  the  town  in  which  they  presided,  and  in 
which,  the  debt,  trespass  or  damage  [did]  not  exceed  forty 
shillings.  In  Woburn  Records,  they  appear  to  have  been  elected 
by  the  people,  with  other  town  officers,  but  the  law  required 
them  to  be  licensed  by  the  County  Court,  or  by  the  Board  of 
Assistants.2  They  continued  to  be  appointed  in  this  town, 

1  Colony  Laws,  1672,  p.  23.  Record  of  Choice  of  Town  Oncers  for 
1653.  "  Ensigne  Carter,  Commistionor  for  the  Rate."  Town  Records,Vol. 
L,  p.  18.  ^V 

8  Colony  Laws,  1672,  p.  20,  Colony  Records,  Vol.  II.  p.  188.  Extrabt 
from  "  Choyce  of  Town  Officers  the  25,  of  12  mo.  1650."  [25  Feb.  1650-lf.] 

"  Commissioner  to  carry  the  Votes  to  Cambridge,  James  Tompson." 
"  EDWARD  JOHNSON,  "  EDWARD  JOHNSON, 

EDWARD  CONUARS,  EDWARD  CONUARS,  [Convers.] 

JOHN  MOUSALL,  JOHN  MOUSALL," 

JOHN  WRIGHT,  "  Deputy,  EDWARD  JOHNSON." 

JAMES  TOMPSON,  Commissioners  to  end  Small  Causes. 

SAMUEL  RICHISON, 

RALI'H  HILL,"    Selectmen.  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p,  16. 


44  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

though  not  uniformly  every  year,  till  1674;  were  frequently  the 
same  persons  as  three  of  the  Selectmen;  and  were  always 
men  of  great  weight  of  character,  and  of  principal  influence  in 
the  town. 

The  time  originally  agreed  upon  by  the  inhabitants  of  Woburn, 
1644,  for  the  choice  of  town  officers,  was  "the  first  third  day  of 
the  weeke  in  the  first  month ;"  that  is,  the  first  Tuesday  in  March. 
But  the  very  next  year,  1645,  the  people  anticipated  their  ap- 
pointed time  for  this  transaction.  A  deep  snow  falling  the  latter 
part  of  the  winter,  which  proved  a  great  obstruction  to  other 
business,  some  persons  from  a  wish  "to  redeem  time,"  prevailed 
to  have  the  town  officers  elected  Febuary  19th,  of  that  year. 
In  1 647,  the  town  voted  to  choose  its  officers  on  the  first  Monday 
of  March  annually,  instead  of  the  first  Tuesday.  And  the  next 
year  but  one,  1649,  the  day  for  this  purpose  was  again  altered, 
by  vote  of  the  town,  to  the  last  Tuesday  in  February ;  on  which 
day,  the  people  were  ordered  to  meet  every  year  for  this  business 
without  further  warning.3  And  this  continued  to  be  the  day  for 
the  election  of  town  officers  in  Woburn,  till  1692,  when  by  a  law 
of  the  Province,  all  such  elections  were  required  to  be  made  in 
March. 

At  the  time  Woburn  anciently  chose  its  town  officers,  it  was 
likewise  accustomed  to  choose  deputies  to  the  General  Court. 
For  this  service,  it  rarely  employed  more  than  one  person,  but  it 
sometimes  did  two.  And  as  the  law  then  allowed  towns  to 
elect  persons  who  were  resident  anywhere  within  the  Colony, 
to  represent  them  in  the  Legislature,  provided  they  were  freemen, 
it  sometimes  happened,  that  one  or  both  the  deputies  for  Woburn 
belonged  to  Boston.4  As  a  compensation  for  his  services,  the 
town  voted,  1645,  to  allow  their  deputy  sixpence  per  day,  beside 
his  board.5  And  to  save  expense  in  the  latter  article,  they 

3  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  5,  7, 11, 14. 

4  Deputies  from  Woburn  for  1670,  1671,  Capt.  Edward  Johnson,  Mr. 
Humphrey  Davie  of  Boston ;  for  1672,  1673,  Mr.  Humphrey  Davie,  Capt. 
Edward  Hutchinson,  of  Boston.  The  following  record  intimates,  that 
deputies  were  sometimes  chosen  for  only  part  of  a  year,  or  a  single  session. 
"  Mr.  Humphary  Dauie  was  chosen  deputy  for  the  whole  yeare  1675." 
—  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  69. 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  7. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  45 

sometimes  sent  him  corn,  to  be  made  into  bread  for  his  own  use, 
if  he  belonged  to  Woburn ;  but  if  he  were  a  citizen  of  Boston, 
or  if,  though  an  inhabitant  of  Woburn,  he  chose  to  provide  his 
board  in  his  own  way,  while  attending  the  Legislature  on  the 
town's  behalf,  they  were  constrained  to  pay  him  for  his  services 
in  solid  coin.6  But  penurious  as  the  people  may  seem  to  have 
been  in  the  stated  compensation  of  their  deputy,  they  could  at 
times  be  generous.  At  a  General  Meeting,  Nov.  16,  1674,  the 
inhabitants  of  Woburn  resolved  as  follows,  on  behalf  of  one  of 
their  deputies,  who  had  represented  them  that  year  and  several 
years  before,  and  who  was  a  resident  of  Boston.  "Voted  that 
there  shold  bee  tenne  cord  of  wood  gotten  at  the  town's  charge, 
and  delivered  on  the  wharf  at  boston  as  a  gratuity  for  the  good 
saruise  Mr.  Humphary  Dauie  hath  dune  this  Towne  at  the  gen- 
erall  Courte."  —  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  18. 

The  municipal  regulations  of  the  early  inhabitants  of  the  town 
are  deserving  of  the  notice,  and,  in  many  instances,  of  the 
imitation  of  their  successors. 

The  selectmen  were  accustomed  to  meet  statedly  on  the  first 
Monday  of  every  month,  for  the  transaction  of  public  business. 
And  lest  the  interests  of  the  town  should  suffer  at  any  time, 
through  their  dilatoriness  or  neglect  to  attend  on  such  occasions, 
they  agreed,  March  11,  1674,  that  if  any  Selectman  should  fail 
to  make  his  appearance  at  the  place  of  meeting,  by  9  o'clock 
of  the  morning,  their  appointed  hour,  he  should  pay  three 
shillings  to  the  use  of  the  town,  unless  he  were  detained  by  some 
providence  of  God,  which  the  majority  present  should  account  a 
sufficient  excuse.  And  at  their  very  next  meeting,  it  is  recorded, 
that  they  fined  Capt.  John  Carter,  one  of  their  number,  sixpence, 
for  "  being  nere  an  hour  to  [too]  late ; "  and  shortly  after, 
Francis  Kendall,  another  member  of  their  body,  for  a  like 
omission  of  duty,  was  fined  the  same  sum.7 

6  "  The  town  Dr.  in  the  year  1674  :  "  To  deputy's  dyet    .     £02  :  05  :  00. 
11  To  Gershom  Flagg  for  bringing  down  Corne  for 

deputy's  dyet 00 :  02  :  00. 

11  To  deputy's  dyet,  silver 01 :  16  :  00. 

Town  Records,  Vol.  II.,  pp.  22,31. 
»Town  Records,  Vol.  H.,  p.  187, 168,  inverted. 


46  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

The  primitive  inhabitants  too,  of  Woburn,  were  zealous  to 
secure  a  full  and  punctual  attendance  of  its  citizens  at  all  its 
general  meetings,  and  to  preserve  among  themselves  a  due 
esteem  of  their  civil  privileges.  As  early  as  1643,  they  passed 
an  order,  "  That  if  any  man  shall  absent  himselfe  from  a  publike 
meeting  without  a  lawfull  excuse,  hee  shall  pay  I8d.  to  the  use 
of  the  Towne."  8  And  in  February,  1648-9,  there  was  a  vote 
of  the  town  imposing  a  fine  of  two  shillings,  for  the  town's  use, 
upon  any  inhabitant  who  should  fail  to  appear  by  eight  o'clock 
of  the  morning  at  any  stated  annual  meeting  for  election,  though 
unwarned ;  or  who  should  withdraw  on  such  an  occasion,  with- 
out leave  of  the  assembly,  more  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour  before 
the  meeting  was  dissolved ;  or  who  should  be  absent  or  tardy  at 
any  public  meeting  whatever,  that  had  been  legally  warned.8 
And  that  this  vote  might  not  stand  on  their  records  a  mere 
empty  form  of  words,  without  force  or  effect,  it  was  ordered  by 
the  whole  town,  present  at  their  annual  meeting,  1653-4,  that 
the  constable  for  the  time  being,  should  call  over  the  persons 
warned  to  appear  at  every  town  meeting,  and  should  gather  up 
the  fines  of  all  such  as  are  found  delinquent  for  non-appearance, 
agreeably  to  the  vote  just  cited,  changing  only  the  time  of 
appearing  from  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  to  nine.9 

Nor  was  there  less  concern  manifested  to  secure  a  civil, 
peaceable  behavior  at  public  meetings,  than  constancy  and  punc- 
tuality of  attendance.  The  fathers  of  the  town  took  care  on  all 
occasions  to  maintain  their  authority  before  the  people,  and 
failed  not  to  punish  any,  who  shewed  openly  before  them  a  dis- 
position to  contemn  or  resist  it.  In  1664,  for  instance,  they 
passed  an  order,  allowing  the  inhabitants  freely  to  present  their 
grievances  at  any  general  meeting,  either  by  word  or  writing, 
provided  they  did  it  in  a  becoming  manner,  and  with  the  leave 
of  the  moderator ;  but  imposing  a  fine  of  five  shillings  for  the 
town's  use  upon  any  one  who  should  presume  on  such  occasions 
to  speak  disorderly,  or  go  on  to  take  up  the  time  of  the  town 
unnecessarily.10  And  a  few  years  afterward,  they  fined  Nathanael 

•  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  5, 14.  9Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  19. 

»°  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  30. 


HISTOKY   OF   WOBURN.  47 

Richardson,  ten  shillings  for  publicly  charging  them  "  with 
trampling  him  under  their  feet  and  wronging  him,  and  for 
twitting  them  of  putting  themselves  in  place,  with  a  stuborne, 
unciuill  carige."  n 

In  the  infancy  of  the  town,  no  one  was  allowed  to  become  an 
inhabitant  of  it,  or  to  acquire  in  it  any  freehold,  right  of  common, 
or  other  civil  privilege,  without  first  producing  evidence  of  his 
peaceable  behavior,  and  obtaining  the  approbation  of  the  Select- 
men, or  consent  of  the  town  by  vote  at  some  public  meeting.12 
And  to  guard  against  the  intrusion  of  suspicious  characters,  and 
preventing  any  from  gaining  a  legal  settlement  here  in  a  clandes- 
tine manner,  one  of  the  original  Town  Orders  provided  that  no 
person  should  entertain  any  inmate,  whether  married  or  other- 
wise, for  more  than  three  days,  without  the  consent  of  four 
Selectinen;  and  that  every  one  offending  in  this  particular 
should  forfeit  sixpence  to  the  use  of  the  town  for  every  day  that 
he  should  offend  herein. 


11  Town  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  18.    To  the  above  may  be  added  another 
instance.  1674: 1 : 10  mo  George  Polly  summoned  to  appear  before  the  Seclect- 
menfor  harbouring  Inmates  contrary  to  Town  Orders.  In  answeriugto  the 
charge,  Polly  declared  that  "  he  wold  entertaine  them  for  all  the  townsmen ; 
and  that  the  woman  shold  notgoe  out  of  towne  for  any  of  them."  Upon  this, 
the  Selectmen  granted  distress  upon  Polly's   estate  to  the  value  of  eight 
shillings.    But  Polly  afterward  coming  before  them,  and  humbling  himself, 
and  "  acknowledging  his  false  charges,  and  promising  that  he  wold  clere 
the  Towne  of  the  forsaid  Inmates  by  the  next  second  daye  at  night,  then 
the  Constable  was  ordered  to  respet  his  distress ;  but  in  case  the  said 
Polly  did  not  goe  on  to  perform  his  promise,  then  the  Constable  was  to 
goe  on  to  leuey  (levy)  the  eaight  shillings  for  the  Towne's  use."     Town 
Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  57.    No  trifling  with  such  town  officers  as  these. 

12  6  :  11  mo  :  1648,  [6  Jan.  1648-9.]  "  William  Chainberlin  admited  an  In- 
habitant of  this  Towne,  and  permited  to  by  land  for  his  conuenency  in  any 
place  thereof,  prouided  he  unsetle  not  any  Inhabitant,  and  bring  testimony 
of  his  peacibl  behauour,   which  is  not  in  the  least  mesur    [measure] 
questioned."    Town  Records,  Vol.  L,  p.  13. 

At  a  generall  meetting  27:  12  mo:  1665,  [27  Feb.  1665-6.]  Gorge 
Brush,  John  Craggen  and  Increse  Winne  were  admited  Inhabitance  and 
propriety  of  comoneg"  [commonage].—  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  L,  p.  31. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Selectmen  5  :  12  mo  :  1676,  [5  Feb.  1676-7.]  "  John 
Hews  of  Watertowne  is  permitted  to  come  into  Towne,  and  follow  his 
trade  of  weauing."  —  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  52. 


48  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

This  order  appears  to  have  been  rigorously  enforced  for  a 
long  series  of  years.13  And  though,  in  a  few  instances,  it  may 
have  operated  hardly,  and  to  the  public  disadvantage,  yet  it 
doubtless  did  much  towards  securing  that  freedom  from  the 
burdens  of  pauperism  which  the  town  for  a  long  time,  with  but 
little  interruption,  happily  enjoyed.  The  first  two  instances  in 
which  the  town  had  occasion  to  grant  help  to  any  of  its  inhab- 
itants, occurred  in  the  years  1665,  1673.  But  the  persons  here 
referred  to  as  assisted  by  the  town,  were  not,  strictly  speaking, 
paupers,  but  insane.  They  both  were  possessed  of  houses  and 
lands  in  Woburn  j  but  being,  by  the  hand  of  God,  bereft  of 
their  reason,  and  so  rendered  incapable  of  managing  for  them- 
selves, the  Selectmen  took  both  of  them  (one  of  them  by  order 
of  the  County  Court)  under  their  care,  and  disposed  of  their 
property  for  them  to  their  best  advantage.  And  in  this  situa- 
tion, they  both  lived  long  enough  to  exhaust  all  they  had  in  their 
maintenance,  and  were  buried  at  last  at  the  charge  of  the  town. 
The  first  decisive  pauper  case  in  Woburn  did  not  occur  till  the 
town  had  been  settled  about  forty  years,  and  is  that  referred  to 
in  the  following  extract  from  the  records ;  "  The  Selectmen 
agreed  with  John  Brooks,  for  the  keeping  of  Goarge  Wilkinson, 
from  this  4  of  April,  1681,  till  next  Michealmasj  and  in  case 
more  than  ordinary  sickness  come,  then  the  Towne  to  consider 
the  charge."  H  Wilkinson  had  been  a  soldier  in  Philip's  Indian 
war,  in  1675-76,  and  there,  probably,  had  exhausted  both  his 

13 "  The  selectmen  mett  the  7 :  of  the  4  mo :  1676,  and  called  Joseph 
Knight,  jun.  to  an  accoumpt  [account]  for  entertaining  to  [two]  Inmats ; 
and  hee  breaking  the  Towne  Order,  is  fined  three  shillings,  and  to  giue  in 
a  bond  of  fiuety  pounds  to  free  the  Towne  of  all  damage  that  may  come  to 
them  by  these  too  persons,  namely,  Jacob  Kurd  and  Nathanell  Wilson, 
his  [Kurd's]  apprentis."  [Here  follows  his  bond.] 

"At  the  same  time,  the  Selectmen  caled  Dauid  Wyman,  to  answer  for 
entertaining  the  widow  Farmer  as  an  Inmate  in  his  hows  :  the  said  Dauid 
hauing  bin  conuicted  before  the  Selectmen  for  breach  of  a  towne  order,  is 
sentanced  to  paye  seuen  shillings  for  fourteen  days  entertainment."  — 
Record,  Vol.  II.,  p.  26. 

Similar  instances  of  enforcing  this  Town  .Order  may  be  seen,  Record, 
Vol.  I.,  p.  74,  113,  etc.,  etc. 

"Town  Records,  Vol.  III.,  pp.  6,  47. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBT7RN.  49 

strength  and  what  property  he  had  in  the  public  service ;  and 
now,  feeble  in  health,  and  poor  in  estate,  he  was  obliged  to 
throw  himself  on  the  care  of  the  town.  He  died  in  1683,  and 
was  buried  at  the  town's  expense.14 

Observable,  too,  are  the  means  employed  by  the  early  inhabi- 
tants of  Woburn,  with  the  sanction  of  the  law,15  to  prevent  or 
break  up  all  those  irregular  and  vicious  habits,  which  usually 
terminate  in  pauperism,  or  lead  to  confirmed  depravity  and 
spiritual  ruin.  Among  these  means,  was  the  appointment  of 
Tithingmen,  whose  office  it  was,  as  the  records  express  it,  "  to 
have  the  oversight  of  their  neighbours,  and  see  that  they  keepe 
good  orders  in  their  houses."  The  object  of  their  appointment, 
under  the  Colony  laws,  appears  to  have  been  to  advance  the 
divine  honor  and  the  spiritual  benefit  of  the  people,  by 
encouraging  family  worship  and  government,  by  checking  or 
preventing  disorderly  conduct  in  private  families  and  public 
houses ;  by  suppressing  or  checking  profanity,  Sabbath  breaking, 
idleness,  intemperance,  and  sundry  other  immoralities.  With 
these  ends  in  view,  all  the  inhabitants  were  distributed  into 
companies  of  nine  or  ten  adjacent  families  each ;  and  then  these 
several  companies  were  committed  to  the  inspection  of  as  many 
overseers,  called  tithingmen,  or  tenth  men,  from  their  having  a 
tithing  or  a  company  of  ten  families  each  to  look  after,  inclusively 
of  their  own.  These  tithingmen  appear,  in  Woburn,  to  have  been 
annually  chosen  by  the  Selectmen ; 16  were  wont  to  be  men  of  the 

16  At  a  meeting  of  the  Selectmen,  9  :  4  mo :  [June  9th]  1676,  "the  tithing 
men  were-chosen,  who  by  law  are  to  haue  the  oversight  of  their  naigh- 
bours,  and  see  that  they  keepe  good  orders  in  their  howses :  who  are  decon 
Josiah  Conuars,  Sargent  Mathew  Johnson,  Ffrances  Kendall,  Robert  Peirce, 
Allen  Conuars,  Henery  Bolden,  John  Russell,  Joseph  Wright,  and  Joseph 
Richison. 

17  "  At  a  meeting  of  the  Selectmen  5.  of  5  mo,  [5  July]  1680,  nine  persons 
are  named  as  Tithingmen,  and  the  names  of  all  the  heads  of  the  families, 
(82  in  all)  which  were  severally  assigned  to  them  for  their  inspection  in 
their  respective  districts. 

18  "  Ffebrewary  ye,  1st,  1691-2  ye  Selectmen  of  Wobourne  met  &  chose 
tithingmen  (for  said  Towne)  for  ye  year  ensuing :  and  their  names  are  as 
follows : 

»  Colony  Records,  Vol.  V.,  pp.  133,  240,  241,  373.    ' "  Town    Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  37. 
"  Town  Records,  Vol.  II.,  pp.  153, 154.    «  Town  Records,  Vol.  III.,  p.  31. 
5 


50  HISTORY  OF   WOBURN. 

first  respectability  in  the  town ;  were  required  by  law  to  make 
complaint  of  what  they  saw  amiss  in  any  under  their  inspection, 
to  the  nearest  magistrate,  to  be  dealt  with  and  punished  by 
him,  or  by  the  County  Court;  and  being  sworn  to  the  faithful 
discharge  of  their  office,  they  were  often  doubtless  very  service- 
able for  checking  the  profanation  of  God's  name,  day  and  house, 
and  for  the  promotion  of  peaceableness,  sobriety  and  religion  in 
the  families  commended  to  their  care  and  watch. 

In  the  early  days  of  Woburn,  taxes  were  not  paid  wholly  in  money 
or  labor,  as  now.  Silver  was  then  scarce ;  and  paper  currency 
had  not  as  yet  been  introduced.  Hence  the  first  inhabitants 
were  accustomed  to  pay  only  a  certain  part  of  their  taxes  of 
every  description,  in  money ;  and  the  rest  in  cattle,  in  corn,  or 
other  fruits  of  the  soil,  or  in  articles  of  home  manufacture.19 
For  instance,  only  a  fourth  part  of  the  annual  salary  of  their  first, 
and  of  their  second  minister,  was  satisfied  with  coin ;  the  remainder 
being  made  up  in  grain,  or  other  articles  of  family  consumption, 
which  were  called  "  country  pay."  And  country  pay  was  made 
great  use  of,  too,  in  discharging  their  Town  and  Colony  taxes, 
which  occasioned  no  small  inconvenience  to  the  Constables, 


"  For  ye  West  End  of  sd  Towne,     THOMAS  KENDALL  &  BENJAM.  SIMONS. 

For  ye  South  End,  EDWD  CONVERS. 

For  ye  East  End,  SAMUELL  RICHARDSON. 

For  ye  Towne,  [centre  of]  JOHN  MOUSAIX,  JOHN  BERBEEN,  and 

JOSEPH  WINN. 

For  New  Bridge  End,  Lt.  JOSEPH  PEIRCE. 

For  Boggy  Meadow  End,  JOHN  WRIGHT,  Senr. 

For  Totman's  End,  JOSEPH  RICHARDSON. 

For  Shawshenn  End,  EDWARD  JOHNSON." 

"  These  eleven  persons  are  chosen  to  inspect  these  famalyes  near  adja- 
sent  to  each  of  ye  [their]  dwellings,  according  to  the  law  intitled  Tithing- 
men."  18  N.  B.  May  2d,  1692.  The  Selectmen  chose  Jona.  Tompson  for 
New  Bridge,  and  Daniel  Baldwin  and  John  Brooks  for  the  Centre,  in  the 
room  of  Joseph  Peirce,  Joseph  Winn  and  John  Burbeen,  Senr.,  chosen 
Selectmen  Feb.  23,  and  unwilling  on  that  account  to  serve  as  tithingmen. 18 

19  "Received  of  Jacob  Wyman,  Constable  of  Woobourne,  the  summe 
of  £3 :  6s.  in  Shoos  :  and  £5 :  4s.  in  and  as  money,  in  all  is  eight  pound 
ten  shillings,  in  or  as  money,  being  in  full  for  their  Town's  County  Rate 
made  January  20th,  1692-3.  I  say  Reed  by  me. 

Samll.  Andrew,  County  Treasurer."  —  Records,  Vol.  IIL,p.  62. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  51 

especially  when  the  articles  of  country  pay  were  so  bulky  as  to 
put  them  to  extraordinary  expense  in  conveying  them  to  Boston, 
or  proved,  when  there,  of  an  unmerchantable  quality, — cases  in 
which  the  Colony  Treasurer  was  not  apt  to  make  them  any 
allowance,  and  the  Town  (it  may  be  presumed)  if  it  did  it,  would 
do  it  with  reluctance.  Of  the  troubles,  in  which,  from  this  cause, 
the  Constables  were  liable  to  be  not  unfrequently  involved,  the 
annexed  Treasurer's  certificate,  and  Constable's  charge,  copied 
from  the  records,  may  serve  as  illustrations. 

"Boston,  October  21,  1679.  Received  of  John  Ted,  (Tidd)  and  John 
Barbene,  (Burbean,)  Constables  of  Woburne,  the  whole  of  the  six  Rates 
of  June  1677,  and  of  the  three  Rates  of  November  1677 ;  save  only  they 
detaine  in  their  hands  eight  pound  for  transportation ;  which  I  cannot 
allow  of,  not  having  allowed  it  to  other  townes ;  and  therefore  it  must  be 
assigned  by  some  superior  authority.  Otherwise,  I  say,  received  and 
allowed  sd.  rates.  John  Hull,  Treasurer."  ** 

"  The  Town  Dr.  1673.  To  James  Fowle,  (Constable  in  1672.) 

"  For  loss  of  Corne,  and  more  than  ordinary  troupble,  £01 :  00 :  00."  " 

Concerning  schools,  and  the  attention  bestowed  on  the  educa- 
tion of  the  young,  in  the  early  history  of  Woburn,  I  find  nothing 
on  record  prior  to  1673.  From  this  circumstance,  however,  it 
cannot  be  certainly  inferred  that  no  school  had  been  sustained 
in  this  town  during  the  thirty  years  which  had  then  elapsed 
from  its  settlement.  For  very  possibly  the  records  are  deficient 
on  this  head.  The  law  too  of  that  day,  while  it  strictly  required 
that  a  school  for  teaching  to  read  and  write  should  be  kept  in 
every  town  containing  fifty  householders,  still  allowed  the  means 
of  its  support  to  be  drawn  either  from  the  parents  and  guardians 
of  the  children  who  attended  it,  or  from  the  town  at  large.15 
Hence  it  is  very  possible  that  a  school  answering  to  the  descrip- 
tion of  the  law,  may  have  been  kept  for  years  previous  to  the 
above-mentioned  date ;  and  yet,  the  compensation  of  its  instructor 
coming  directly  from  the  parents  or  guardians  of  its  pupils,  and 
not  from  the  town,  there  was  no  necessity  of  recording  it  in  the 
Town  Book. 

In  a  town  account  for  1673,  the  town  is  made  "  Dr.  to  Allen 

*>  Record*,  Vol.  II.,  p.  143.  »  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  4. 

"  Maw.  Colony  Records,  Vol.  H.,  p.  203. 


52  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

Conuars'  wife  and  Joseph  Wright's  wife  for  scooling,  £00.  10s. 
OOd."  16  From  this  charge,  compared  with  others  presently  to 
be  quoted,  these  dames  appear  to  have  taught  the  same  school, 
each  of  them  half  of  the  time  stipulated,  in  1673,  and  to  have 
received  from  the  town  ten  shillings  for  their  year's  work,  to  be 
divided  equally  between  them.  At  a  meeting  of  the  Selectmen, 
Oct.  5,  1674,  "they  agreed  with  Jonathan  Tomson  to  tech 
biger  children,  and  Allen  Conuars'  wife  to  tech  leser  children."17 
And  agreeably  to  this  arrangement,  goodman  Thompson  and 
goodwife  Convers  took  charge,  in  1675,  of.  the  children  respec- 
tively assigned  them,  and  were  allowed  by  the  Town  XI.  00.  00 
between  them  for  "  teching  to  reade,"  as  the  Records  express 
it.18  In  1676,  the  Town  stands  indebted  on  the  town  accounts 
to  Allen  Convers  £1.00  "for  too  [two]  years  scoollinge " ; 
without  specifying  the  years  he  taught.19  March  1,  1678,  the 
Town  is  made  debtor,  by  account,  to  Allen  Convers'  wife  for 
schooling,  [probably  in  1677]  £00.  10.  00.;  and  in  1679,  to 
John  Houlton,  Sen.,  "  for  his  wife's  schooling,  and  worke  [done 
by  him  ?]  on  the  '  Meeting  hows,'  £00. 14.  06."  20  At  a  meeting 
of  the  Selectmen,  March  1,  1679-80,  the  widow  Convers  was 
appointed  to  teach  school  for  that  year ; 21  and  for  this  service, 
she  was  allowed  ten  shillings  in  a  subsequent  town  account.22 

In  1685,  the  town  having  increased  indisputably  to  the  num- 
ber of  one  hundred  families,  or  householders,  and  so  being 
obliged  by  law  to  set  up  a  grammar  school,  the  instructor 
whereof  should  be  able  "  to  instruct  youth  so  as  to  fit  them  for 
the  college,"  the  Selectmen  appointed  Mr.  Samuel  Carter, 
probably  a  son  of  Rev.  Thomas  Carter,  their  pastor,  a  graduate 
of  Harvard  College  in  1660,  and  then  resident  in  Woburn,  to 
keep  a  grammar  school  that  year,  with  a  salary  of  £5.  00  per 
annum.23  But,  though  Mr.  Carter  was  doubtless  competent  to 
teach  such  a  school,  there  were  no  scholars  to  attend  it.  The 
following  Spring,  the  Selectmen  appointed  the  widow  Walker 


i« Town  Records,  Vol.  H.,  p. 4.  "Town  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  166,  Inverted.  "Town 
Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  34.  »  Town  Records,  Vol.  H.,  56.  *>  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  83,  96. 
M  Town  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  152.  »  Town  Records,  Vol.  n.,  p.  107.  »  Town  Records,  Vol. 
I.,  p.  129. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  53 

"to  be  a  school  dame  for  the  yeare  1686,  and  to  haue  tenn 
shillings  for  her  labor,  as  the  other  [mistresses  before  her]  had."24 
Likewise,  at  the  same  meeting,  the  Selectmen,  feeling  unwilling 
to  'expose  the  town  to  the  penalty  of  ten  pounds,  prescribed  by 
law  for  neglect  to  keep  a  grammar  school  by  towns  of  one 
hundred  families  each,  and  yet  reluctant  to  obligate  themselves 
to  pay  a  master  five  pounds  the  second  time  for  doing  nothing, 
(as  they  seem  to  have  been  apprehensive  they  should  liave  to,  if 
they  positively  engaged  to  give  that  sum)  again  employed  Mr. 
Carter  to  keep  such  a  school  in  Woburn,  in  1686,  but  promised, 
absolutely,  to  give  him  only  thirty  shillings  in  pay  for  that  year ; 
but  that  if  he  should  have  any  scholars,  they  would  give  him 
five  pounds,  as  they  had  stipulated  to  give  him  the  year  before.23 
Doubtless  Mr.  Carter,  in  consenting  to  these  terms,  cherished  a 
confident  hope,  that  there  were  a  few  boys,  at  least,  in  the  town 
who  would  discover  ambition  enough  to  sit  that  year  under  the 
instructions  of  a  grammar  school  master,  and  so  his  full  pay 
might  be  secured.  But,  alas,  the  apprehensions  on  this  score 
which  the  Selectmen  seem  to  have  conceived,  in  making  their 
engagement  with  him,  were  but  too  fully  realized.  No  scholars 
attended  grammar  school  in  Woburn  in  1686,  as  none  had 
attended  in  1685.  And  in  a  town  account  for  1685  and  1686, 
Mr.  Carter  stands  credited  <£6.  10s.  for  schooling  in  Woburn 
during  those  two  years,  when  he  had  no  scholars  to  teach,  and 
all  the  room  and  time  to  himself. 25 

In  view  of  the  foregoing  statements,  some  perhaps  may  be  ready 
to  conclude,  that  the  inhabitants  of  Woburn  at  that  day  were  a 
boorish  race,  who  had  no  value  for  good  learning  themselves,  and 
grudged  the  least  expense  for  procuring  its  benefits  for  their 
children.  But  this,  without  much  qualification,  would  be  a  rash 
and  most  unjust  inference.  For  in  the  very  infancy  of  the  town, 
when  they  do  not  certainly  appear  to  have  had  any  school  for 
their  own  children,  they  contributed  £5.  13*.  7£d.  [sterling?] 
for  the  benefit  of  the  scholars  at  the  College  in  Cambridge, — 
a  larger  sum  than  was  given  at  that  time  for  this  end  by  any  town 


Town  Records,  Vol.  IH.,  p.  93.  »  Town  Records,  Vol.  III.,  p.  102. 

6* 


54  HISTORY   OP  WOBURN. 

in  this  County  but  two,  not  excepting  even  Cambridge  itself,  and 
larger  than  by  any  town  in  the  Colony  but  five.26.  And  in  1669, 
a  little  before  the  time  when  they  commenced  paying,  as  a  town, 
the  paltry  sum  of  ten  shillings  per  annum  for  the  support  of 
common  schools  among  themselves,  they  contributed  .£27.  2s.  Orf. 
for  the  erection  of  anew  College  in  Cambridge26, —  a  contri- 
bution in  which  they  were  not  exceeded  by  any  town  in  Mid- 
dlesex Cdtinty,  excepting  Cambridge,  Charlestown,  Watertown, 
Concord  and  Reading.  There  can  be  no  question  then,  that  the 
primitive  inhabitants  of  Woburn  were  favorable  to  the  cause  of 
education  at  the  college,  and  disposed  to  patronize  it  according 
to  their  power.  And  they  were  so  probably  from  various 
motives ;  and  more  especially,  because,  in  common  with  the  gen- 
erality of  the  first  settlers  of  New  England,  they  regarded  a 
liberal  education  as  a  necessary  prerequisite  to  a  learned  min- 
istry ;  as  an  indispensable  means  of  training  up  a  competent 
number  of  young  men  for  becoming  thoroughly  qualified  to 
dispense  the  word  of  life  to  the  people,  when  the  accomplished 
ministers  who  had  accompanied  them  from  England  should 
sleep  in  the  dust.  But  at  the  same  time,  there  were  but  few  in 
the  town,  who  duly  appreciated  the  value  of  learning  to  any 
beside  professional  men. 

Through  the  influence  of  prejudices  imbibed  and  habits  formed 
on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  the  great  majority  could  not 
perceive  the  utility  of  general  knowledge,  beyond  an  ability  to 
read  and  write,  to  those  who  were  destined  all  their  days  to 
follow  the  plough,  or  to  work  in  their  shops.  And  hence  they 
were  slow  to  establish  institutions  among  themselves  designed 
to  promote  this  end,  and  sparing  of  their  hard-earned  money  to 
encourage  them.  They  all  unquestionably  approved  of  grammar 
schools  in  general,  because  they  would  not  see  the  learning 
taught  therein  "buried  in  the  graves  of  (their)  forefathers  in 
church  and  commonwealth  j "  and  particularly  because  they 
regarded  these  institutions  as  helpful  to  the  advancement  of  the 
leading  object  for  which  the  college  was  founded.  Of  common 

*•  Quincy's  History  of  Harvard  University,  Vol.  I.  p.  456,  509. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  55 

schools,  likewise,  they  generally  approved,  as  very  necessary  aids 
in  families  in  which  the  parents  could  not  read  themselves,  for 
teaching  the  children  to  read  the  Bible,  and  to  repeat  the  Cate- 
chism,— exercises  accounted  at  that  time  as  alike  indispensable 
to  the  youth  of  all  classes  and  occupations  in  society.  But  then 
at  that  day,  few  or  none  of  the  young  men  of  Woburn  seem  to 
have  manifested  a  predilection  for  a  professional  life ;  in  which 
alone,  it  was  generally  supposed  there,  that  classical  literature 
could  be  useful.  And  there  were  not  then  many  families  in  the 
place,  especially  in  the  outskirts  of  the  town,  but  could  more 
conveniently  teach  their  children  to  read  at  home,  or  in  small 
private  schools  kept  in  their  immediate  vicinity,  and  maintained 
by  themselves,  than  they  could  send  them  to  a  common  school  at 
a  distance  from  their  thinly-scattered  dwellings,  and  over  their 
rough  and  widely  separated  roads.  Hence,  when  agreeably  to 
law,  they  founded  both  a  common  and  a  grammar  school  in  or 
near  the  centre  of  their  settlement,  for  such  children  as  might  be 
sent  to  them,  none  went  at  first  to  the  grammar  school,  and 
but  few  seemingly  attended  the  common  school.  As  the  labor 
of  teaching  these  few  was  comparatively  but  light,  so  the  com- 
pensation allowed  for  it  was  but  small ;  and  as  it  was  per- 
formed, such  as  it  was,  quite  as  ably  by  women  as  by  men,  so 
the  Selectmen  made  no  distinction  in  the  wages  of  either,  but 
paid  instructors  of  each  sex  alike. 

With  regard  to  the  moral  and  religious  character  of  the  early 
inhabitants  of  Woburn,  the  principal  source  of  information  at 
the  present  day  is  the  Town  Records ;  and  these  exhibit 
many  traces  of  that  high  standard  of  virtue  and  piety,  drawn 
from  the  Word  of  God,  which  the  Puritan  settlers  of  New 
England  had  generally  adopted,  and  of  the  strenuous  measures 
which  they  took  to  secure  a  prevailing  conformity  to  it.  They 
disclose  many  facts,  which  go  to  show  the  predominance  of  a 
correct  moral  sense  in  the  primitive  settlers  of  this  place,  and 
which  indicate  an  earnest  desire  on  their  part,  and  especially  on 
the  part  of  the  civil  fathers  of  the  town,  for  the  suppression  of 
vice  and  irreligion,  and  for  the  promotion  of  good  morals  and 
strict  piety  among  themselves  and  their  children  after  them. 


56  HISTORY  OP   WOBURN. 

Nor  does  it  detract  materially  from  the  weight  of  their  evidence 
on  this  head,  that  these  facts  do  in  many  instances  relate  to 
measures  of  the  Selectmen,  taken  in  compliance  with  the  then 
existing  laws  of  the  country.  In  arbitrary  governments,  external 
obedience  to  laws  even  of  a  good  moral  tendency,  originating  as 
they  do  solely  in  the  will,  and  enforced  by  the  coercive  arm  of 
the  sovereign,  is  no  certain  sign  of  virtue  in  the  people.  But 
in  such  a  government  as  ours  has  been  from  the  beginning,  where 
the  laws  have  always  proceeded  from  the  will,  and  been  executed 
with  the  consent  of  a  majority  of  the  people,  ready  and  prev- 
alent obedience  to  such  laws  is  a  strong  token  at  least  of 
general  soundness  of  morals.  Under  such  a  government,  the 
passing  of  good  laws  for  the  prevention  and  punishment  of  vice 
and  crime,  and  for  the  encouragement  of  virtuous  manners  and 
habits,  and  the  impartial,  undisturbed,  execution  of  them,  both 
combined,  constitute  a  powerful  argument  of  the  prevalence  of 
correct  moral  sentiment  in  any  community ;  for  without  such  a 
sentiment,  they  would  hardly  have  been  enacted,  much  less  would 
they  have  been  enforced,  without  opposition.  And,  therefore, 
whenever  in  a  free  community  we  see  such  laws  for  the  promo- 
tion of  virtue  and  piety  made,  and  not  suffered  to  remain  a  dead 
letter  on  the  Statute  Book,  but  promptly,  quietly  and  without 
resistance  carried  into  effect,  there,  we  may  reasonably  presume, 
that  sound  morals  and  real  religion  do  generally  predominate. 
And  much  evidence  of  this  description  have  we,  beside  some 
other,  that  your  early  ancestors  were  generally  exemplary  in 
their  moral  and  religious  character  and  habits. 

1.  The  first  settlers  of  Woburn,  and  their  immediate  descend- 
ants were  a  very  industrious,  as  well  as  a  hardy,  courageous 
race  of  men.  According  to  the  testimony  of  Capt.  Edward 
Johnson,  who  was  one  of  them,  and  a  principal  sharer  in  all 
their  toils  and  hardships,  they  were  "  very  laborious,  if  not 
exceeding,  some  of  them."  27  They  were  frugal  of  their  time, 
diligent  in  their  respective  occupations  and  callings,  and  gave  no 
countenance  to  idleness  or  dissipation.  And,  accordingly,  we 

*  Wonderworking  Providence,  Book  II.,  Chap.  XXH. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  57 

find  the  Selectmen  of  those  times  exercising  their  authority,  in 
one  instance  at  least,  in  passing  censure  upon  an  individual  of 
highly  respectable  connections,  who  was  indolent  and  improvi- 
dent in  his  habits.  At  a  meeting  of  the  Selectmen,  Jan.  13, 
1698-9,  "John  Carter,  Jun.,  was  sent  for,  and  animadverted 
[upon]  for  mispending  his  time,  and  admonished  to  improve  it 
better  for  the  futer,  or  else  he  might  expect  some  other  cource 
would  be  taken."28  Economy  of  time  was  indeed  in  that  day 
a  virtue,  to  which  dire  necessity  compelled,  as  well  as  correct 
principle  inclined  them.  And  as  proofs  as  well  as  fruits  of  their 
prevailing,  virtuous  industry,  great  changes  were  wrought  in 
their  condition  for  the  better,  during  the  first  fifty  years  from  the 
settlement  of  the  town.  On  coming  hither  to  take  up  their 
abode,  they  found  no  convenient  houses  to  shelter  them,  or 
fields  prepared  for  culture.  All  around  them  was  a  dense 
forest,  or  a  dreary  waste,  infested  with  wolves,29  and  traversed 
as  yet  by  no  human  beings,  except  savage  Indian's,  the  report  or 
experience  of  whose  occasional  cruelties  could  not  but  keep 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  125. 

29  The  following  passages,  from  the  Records,  indicate  that  wolves  origi- 
nally were  numerous  and  destructive  in  Woburn :  — 

"Izack  Brooks  thaueing  ingaiged  to  set  traps  from  time  to  time  in  a 
spring  betwcene  Wood  hill  and  Maple  'medow  Playne  to  each  Wolues,  hee 
haueing  bin  at  Charge  to  alure  [allure]  the  wolues  thether ;  all  other  per- 
sons are  prohibited  to  set  any  traps  at  the  same  place,  soe  long  as  Izack 
Brooks  liueth,  and  shall  goe  on  to  improue  it  for  the  same  end  or  use."  — 
Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  52,  Gerf  Meeting  24  : 12  mo :  1673.  [24  Feb.,  1673-4.] 

The  town  is  Cr.,  1676,  by  cash  paid 

"  To  Francis  Kendall  for  a  wolfe  00 :10 :00. 

"  To  widow  Nutting  for  a  wolfe  00 :10 :00. 

"  To  Izack  Brooks  for  a  wolfe  00 :10 :00." 

(Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  56.) 

1677.  "  To  Izack  Brooks,  wolues,  by  County's  order      03  :00 :00. 

(Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  65.) 

17  :7mo.  1677.  "  To  Izack  Brooks,  for  a  wolfe  00 :10 :00." 

(Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  74.) 

In  1677.  "  To  Izack  Brooks,  for  two  wolues  [two  wolves]    01 :00 :00." 

(Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  84.) 

Among  other  noted  places  in  Woburn,  in  former  days,  was  "  the  Quid 
Wolfe  penne."—  Records,  Vol.  L,  p.  88. 


58  HISTORY  OP   WOBUBN. 

them  in  a  state  of  constant  anxiety,  fear  or  alarm.  Their  first 
dwellings  were  but  mean  buildings ;  and  their  provision  of  food 
for  some  years,  it  is  likely,  was  quite  as  plain,  precarious  and 
scanty,  as  that  of  the  Indians  to  whom  they  had  succeeded.  But 
in  the  course  of  fifty  years,  the  Indians  had  been  beaten  and 
effectually  checked  in  Philip's  war,  in  the  dangers  and  hard- 
ships of  which,  the  inhabitants  of  Woburn  (as  I  may  have 
occasion  to  show  hereafter)  bore  their  part.  The  ferocious 
wolves  they  had  driven  back  in  good  measure  from  their 
borders  to  remote  forests,  and  kept  them  at  bay  there.  Their 
patient,  persevering  labor  had  gradually  subdued  their  rough, 
uncultivated  soil.  And  the  close  of  half  a  century  from  the 
foundation  of  the  town  found  them,  generally  speaking,  in 
possession  of  thriving  farms  and  orchards,  of  houses  far  more 
commodious  than  the  first,  and  furnished  with  many  of  the  com- 
forts and  delights  of  life. 

2.  The  records  furnish  pleasing  evidence,  that  the  primitive 
inhabitants  of  the  town  were  generally  speaking,  a  just  people ; 
lovers  of  equity  and  fairness  of  dealing.  We  there  find  the 
Selectmen  repeatedly  interposing  (  as  the  laws  empowered  them 
to  do)  to  punish  oppression.  And  the  specimens  there  exhibited 
of  the  bargains  and  covenants  made  by  the  Selectmen  themselves 
with  individuals  in  the  town's  employ,  or  to  whom  they  leased 
its  common  lands,  while  they  discover  great  shrewdness  and 
foresight  to  save  the  town  from  harm,  do  also  manifest  a  com- 
mendable disposition  to  deal  honorably  and  equitably  with  those 
with  whom  they  had  to  do.  Take  the  following,  as  instances  of 
their  dislike  of  hard  dealing. 

"  The  Selectmen  mett  the  1 :  11  mo:  1676  :  and  summonsed 
Hopestill  Foster  for  inordinate  wages,  and  [  he  ]  is  refer'd  to 
hering  the  next  Towne  meeting." 

"The  Selectmen  meet  the  5:  of  12  mo:  1676:  and  fined 
Hopestill  Foster,  for  opresion  [  oppression  ]  in  a  case  depending 
betweene  Josiah  Conuars  and  himselfe  about  making  brads ;  two 
shillings,  eight  pence  of  it  to  the  said  Josiah  Conuars." 

"Also  in  a  case  depending  betweene  Mathew  Johnson  ,and 
the  said  Foster,  for  opresion  in  making  streak  nayls  and  putting 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  59 

in  riuits  [rivets]  in  cart  boxes,  eleven  shillings ;   six  of  it  to  the 
complainer."  —  Records,  Vol.  1L,  p.  58. 

3.  Similar  tokens  do  the  Records  set  before  us  of  the  merci- 
fulness and  compassion  of  the  people  of  Woburn  at  that  day, 
towards    those   who    were    suffering    adversity.      In    various 
instances,  they  present  the  people,  or  their  agents,  the  Selectmen, 
remitting   taxes   to   the   aged   and  unfortunate,  commiserating 
the  poor  and  destitute,  and  restoring  lands  to  children,  which, 
through  the  hand  of  God  upon  their  parents,  had  fallen  into  the 
possession  of  the  town.     Of  this  amiable  trait  in  their  character, 
the  following  instances,  among  a  number  that  might  be  produced, 
may  serve  both  as  illustrations  and  as  proofs.     At  a  general 
meeting,  March  1,  1696-7,  voted  that  "considering  that  Benjn 
Wilson,  having  mett  with  considerable  losses,  and  is  very  poore, 
altho'  he  be  found  very  diligent  in  his  place,  he  shall  goe  rate  free 
for  this  yeare,  to  all  rates  and  taxes  whatsoever."  30 

Sept.  9,  1700.  "  The  Selectmen  being  informed  that  the 
widow  Hensher  [Henshaw]  was  in  want,  they  ordered  the 
Constable  Holding  to  pay  her  fiue  shillings  for  a  present  supplye, 
out  of  the  Town  Rate  comitted  to  him  to  collect.31 

"  October  the  27th.  there  was  a  contribution  made  for  the 
widow  Hensher :  there  was  then  gathered  3^ :  15 :  3 :  and  the 
Selectmen  provided  a  cow  for  her  supplye  with  milk,  and  the 
cow  cost  59  shillings,  and  the  cow  remains  the  town's,  only  the 
said  widow  hath  the  use  of  the  cow  free ;  and  the  Selectmen  layd 
out  7§ :  6d.  for  cloth  to  make  her  dumb  child  a  coat,  and  3' :  6d.  for 
a  pair  of  shoos;  and  the  remainder  of  the  said  contribution, 
being  6s :  3d,  it  was  deliuered  to  the  said  widow  by  the  Select- 
men." 31 

4.  Of  the  character  of  the  people  in  general  for  sobriety,  we 
may  form  some  judgment  in  their  favor  from  the  exertions  then 
made  and   sustained,  without  complaint  or  opposition,  against 
the  contrary  vice.     The  records  furnish  repeated  testimonials  to 
the  zeal  and  faithfulness  of  the  early  civil  fathers  of  the  town  to 
carry  the  laws  against  intemperance,  and  practices  which  lead  to 

» Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  87.  «  Town  Record*,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  1««. 


60  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

it-  into  execution.  They  present  them  again  and  again,  as  sum- 
moning before  them  persons  charged  with  intoxication,  and 
sentencing  them,  upon  conviction,  to  pay  a  fine,  or  to  sit  in  the 
stocks.  The  following  are  instances  upon  record  of  their  pro- 
ceedings on  this  head.  "The  Selectmen  meet  the  17.  of  7  mo. 
1677:  William  Deane  was  sumonedfor  excess  in  drincke,  and 
[they]  ordered  him  to  pay  for  his  ecsess  three  shillings  and  four- 
pence."  32  "The  Selectmen  mette  the  1 :  of  2  mo.  1678,  and  by 
warrant  sent  for  William  Deane,  who  was  proved  to  be  in  drink 
the  third  time ;  [and]  is  sentanced  to  paye  ten  shillings  uppon 
the  Constable's  demand."  33  At  a  meeting  of  the  Selectmen 
3 :  8  mo.  1682,  William  Deane  was  fined  the  thurd  time  for  being 
druncke,  tenne  shillings,  or  to  sitt  in  the  stocks."  a4  Jan.  22, 
1679,  Andrew  Pittamy, Indian,  and  his  squaw,  and  another  squaw, 
being  taken  drunck,  were  all  brought  before  the  Selectmen  of 
Woburne,  and  the  case  heard  and  proued,  were  sentenced  to  paye 
tenne  shillings  apeece,  or  to  be  whipt  tenne  lashes,  and  to  defray 
the  charge  of  Constable  and  ^witnesses." 35  "  John  Johnson, 
jun.  being  taken  in  drinck,  was  sentenced  to  paye  tenne  groats."  M 
Such  was  the  rigor  with  which  the  laws  were  anciently  en- 
forced in  this  town  against  persons  chargeable  with  intemper- 
ance. Nor  did  the  civil  authorities  frown  upon  the  hard 
drinker  only,  but  also,  in  some  cases  at  least,  upon  those,  who 
were  accessary  to  his  bad  practices.  The  first  person  appa- 
rently, that  was  approved  by  the  Selectmen  to  keep  tavern  in 
Woburn,  and  recommended  for  a  license  to  sell  spiritous 
liquors,  was  Mr.  Samuel  Walker,  Senr.,  in  1675.36  Mr.  Walker 
was  a  highly  respectable  citizen,  and  one  who  was,  generally 
speaking,  of  an  irreproachable  character.  Nevertheless,  for 
once  abusing  his  license,  by  allowing  a  certain  noted  tippler  to 
come  to  his  house,  and  there  to  indulge  his  vicious  appetite  after 
warning,  he  incurred  the  censure  of  the  civil  fathers  of  the  town 
alike  with  the  tippler  himself.  The  Selectmen,  -showing  no 
respect  of  persons,  imposed  upon  the  latter  offender  a  fine  of 


»  Town  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  74.    »  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  89.    M  Town  Records,  Vol. 
I.,  p.  120.    *  Town  Records,  Vol.  H.,  p.  147.      «>  Town  Records,  Vol.  H.,  p.  27. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  61 

five  shillings  for  going  to  the  tavern,  and  another  fine  of  five 
shillings  more  for  tippling  there  after  warning;  and  a  fine  of 
twenty  shillings  upon  Mr.  Walker  for  finding  him  room  and 
drink  to  tipple  with. 37 

But  while  the  fathers  of  the  town  were  thus  laudably  exerting 
themselves  for  the  prevention  and  suppression  of  intemperance 
and  its  kindred  vices,  they  were  unconsciously  giving  counten- 
ance to  one  practice  which  had  a  tendency  to  promote  it :  that 
of  giving  drink  at  funerals.  This  seems  at  that  day  to  have 
been  the  universal  custom,  especially  in  this  place.  Whoever 
died  here,  intoxicating  liquor  must  be  distributed  among  all  who 
attended  his  burial.  They  buried  their  paupers  with  rum,  and 
they  buried  their  wealthy  men  and  ministers  with  wine.  One  of 
the  charges  allowed  by  the  Selectmen  in  1683,  at  the  death 
of  George  Wilkinson,  the  pauper  already  referred  to,  was  one 
for  three  quarts  of  rum,  to  be  drank  at  his  funeral.38  And  in 
an  account  of  the  funeral  expenses  assumed  by  the  town  at  the 
death  of  their  beloved  pastor,  Rev.  Mr.  Carter,  in  1684,  there  is 
a  charge  of  X2.  9*.  Od.  for  fourteen  gallons  of  wine.39  This 
practice  originated  doubtless  in  a  commendable  desire  to  show 

37  Town  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  58.  »  Town  Records,  Vol.  in.,  pp.  47,  58. 

39  "  Charges  on  Mr  Thomas  Carter's  funarall  in  1684. 
"  By  fourteene  gallons  of  wine,  at  3s.  6d.  per  gallon 
"For  tarr,  two  shillings 
"  For  gloues 
"  For  his  Coffin,  muny 
"  For  his  graue,  in  pay 
"  For  manchester,  6  yards  :  and  Jarr  for  tarr 

04  :19  : 

Nor  did  the  custom  cease  with  the  17th  century,  as  appears  by  the  fol- 
lowing bill,  still  extant.  —  Town  Records,  Vol.  III.,  p.  68. 

"  Charlestown  Anno  1726. 

"  Mr  Jacob  Fowl  &  Mr  Thos  Reed;  Bot  of  Seth  Sweetser 
"  Sept.  22.  To  7  gallons  Sweet  wine,  at  6  :6d     -        -        -        -        £2':5 :6 
"    To  7i  Fyal  at  5s         -        -        ...        -       -         1 :17 :6 

£4  :3  :0 

"  For  ye  funeral  of  Mr  Symons  Deceasd."    [Mr.  Benjamin  Siraonds,  of 
Woburn,  who  died  21  Sept.,  1726.  —  Woburn  Records  of  Deaths.'] 
6 


62  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

hospitality  to  those,  who  manifested  their  respect  for  a  person 
deceased,  and  their  sympathy  with  his  surviving  friends,  by  at- 
tending his  funeral ;  and  especially,  when  they  came  for  this  end 
from  a  distance  over  their  rough  roads,  or  in  an  inclement 
season  of  the  year.  But  such  an  expression  of  hospitality  on 
funeral  occasions  is  now  justly  regarded  as  injurious  in  its 
tendency,  as  well  as  often  burdensome  by  its  expensiveness ;  and 
has  been  wisely  suffered  to  fall  into  general  disuse. 

Finally,  piety  was  a  distinguishing  trait  in  the  character  of  the 
early  inhabitants  of  Woburn,  as  it  was  generally  in  that  of  all 
the  first  planters  of  New  England  and  their  immediate  succes- 
sors. The  town  was  settled  principally  by  emigrants  from 
Charlestown ;  and  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  its  founders, 
and  a  large  proportion  of  its  primitive  population  were  asso- 
ciates in  travel  and  suffering  with  those  who  accompanied 
Winthrop  and  Dudley,  Wilson  and  Phillips,  in  their  perilous 
voyage  across  the  Atlantic,  from  a  land  of  privilege  and  plenty, 
to  this,  then,  American  wilderness,  for  conscience'  sake  toward 
God.  And  their  whole  conduct,  so  far  as  any  particulars  of  it 
have  been  transmitted  to  us,  proves  them  worthy  of  being 
reckoned  with  that  illustrious  company  of  Puritans.  Nor  did 
their  immediate  descendants  come  far  behind  them,  in  respect 
to  their  religious  character.  In  many  of  these,  indeed,  love  had 
begun  to  wax  cold ;  and  there  gradually  came  on  a  decay  of 
vital  religion,  both  here  and  throughout  the  land,  which  was 
observed  and  lamented  by  such  as  had  seen  New  England  in 
her  first  glory.  Still,  in  a  goodly  proportion  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Woburn,  of  the  second  generation,  there  yet  abode  a  like 
spirit  of  piety  and  devotion  which  had  been  the  chief  ornament 
of  their  fathers.  And  this  excellent  spirit  was  continually 
manifesting  a  powerful  influence  in  the  civil  customs  and 
measures,  in  the  domestic  arrangements,  and  in  the  general 
character  and  manners  of  the  early  inhabitants  of  this  town. 
And  the  same  spirit,  I  may  safely  add,  had  a  larger  share  in 
moulding  the  ancient  distinctive  character  of  the  people  of  New 
England,  and  in  originating  all  those  privileges  and  institutions, 
which  are  now  their  boast,  than  any  other  cause  or  influence 
whatever,  merely  secular,  that  can  be  assigned. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  63 

1.  Particularly,  this  spirit  manifested  itself  in  Wobura,  in 
zeal  for  the  public  worship  of  God.  A  leading  object  of  the 
primitive  settlers  in  leaving  Charlestown  to  establish  themselves 
in  this  place  was  to  erect  here  a  church,  for  the  diffusion  of  the 
light  of  God's  Word,  and  for  upholding  in  it  the  ordinances  of 
his  gospel.  Hence,  notwithstanding  a  long  train-  of  difficulties 
ana  discouragements,  which  they  had  to  encounter  successively 
in  their  way  to  this  object,  they  here  quickly  gathered  a  church, 
and  procured  and  settled  a  minister  over  it,  to  lead  in  the  servi- 
ces of  the  sanctuary.  Here  too,  they  had  scarcely  provided  a 
shelter  for  themselves  and  families,  before  they  built  a  house  for 
the  honor  of  God's  name,  and  the  conducting  of  his  public  wor- 
ship. And  as  soon  as  this  house  had  fallen  into  decay,  or  had 
become  too  strait  for  them,  their  sons  built  a  second,  larger  and 
more  convenient  than  the  first.  And  ere  this  second  house  had 
been  erected  ten  years,  they  took  occasion  repeatedly  to  enlarge 
it,  for  the  better  accommodation  of  the  multitude  which  thronged 
it  from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath.  Nor  was  it  on  the  Sabbath  day 
only,  that  they  showed  their  zeal  and  diligence  to  assemble 
together  in  the  Sanctuary  to  serve  the  Lord.  During  the  ministry 
of  the  first  two  pastors  of  the  church,  there  was  a  stated  public 
lecture  in  Woburn  for  prayer  and  exposition  of  the  Scriptures, 
similar  to  those  then  held  in  most  of  the  early  settled  towns  in 
Massachusetts.40  How  often  it  occurred,  is  not  certain;  but 
it  appears,  from  the  records,  to  have  been  held  on  Wednesday,41 
and  to  have  been  well  sustained  upwards  of  sixty  years :  and 
though  in  the  ministry  of  the  second  Mr.  Fox,  there  are  signs  of 
its  falling  into  disuse,  in  consequence,  probably,  of  his  frequent 
ill  health,  and  perhaps,  too,  of  a  growing  indifference  on  the  part 

40  In  the  record  of  general  meeting,   27:    12  mo:    [27  Feb.]    1665-6 
reference  is  made  to  measures  to  be  propounded  to  the  inhabitants  at  a 
meeting,  28 :  1  mo :  1666  next  "  after  Lecture."  —  Town  Records,  Vol.  /., 
p.  32. 

41  Under  Record  of  Selectmen's  meeting,  [Monday]  7  :5  mo  :  [7  July,]  1679, 
mention  is  made  of  the  next  Lecture  day  on  16  :.  5  mo :  79.  [Wednesday.] 
At  a  meeting  of  the  Selectmen,  Nov.  23,  1702,  they  appointed  Wednesday 
ye  30th  of  December  following  after  Lecture,  to  be  a  general  meeting,  etc. 
—  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  214. 


64  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

of  some  of  the  people,  yet  even  then,  attempts  were  repeatedly 
made,  by  a  majority  of  the  town,  to  revive  and  encourage  it,  and 
so  to  continue  it  to  posterity.42 

2.  Nor  was  the  religious  spirit  of  the  early  inhabitants  of 
Woburn  less  conspicuous  in  their  exertions  to  maintain  solemnity 
and  decorum  in  public  worship,  than  it  was  in  those  which  they 
used  to  establish  and  continue  it  among  them.  Generally  speak- 
ing, they  were,  universally,  men  who  reverenced  the  Sanctuary  of 
the  Lord,  set  an  excellent  example  of  becoming  seriousness  in 
all  its  sacred  exercises  themselves,  and  could  not  endure  to  have 
them  interrupted  by  anything  like  trifling  or  levity  in  others. 
Hence,  when  above  thirty  years  after  the  settlement  of  the  town, 
a  portion  of  its  youth  began  to  behave  themselves  disorderly  in 
public  worship,  the  people  generally  were  much  aggrieved,  and 
the  fathers  of  the  town  immediately  set  themselves  to  devise  a 
remedy.  To  put  an  end  to  the  evil  complained  of,  they  passed 
successively  a  number  of  orders  and  regulations,  the  motives  of 
all  which  cannot  be  too  highly  appreciated,  though  at  the  recital 
of  some  of  them  we  can  hardly  refrain  from  smiling  at  their 
minuteness,  and  seeming  singularity  at  the  present  day.  At  a 
mating  of  theirs,  Sept.  7,  1674,  they  resolved  as  follows  on  this 
subject :  «  Considering  how  greatly  God  is  dishonoured  by 
seuerall  youths  playing  at  meetting,  and  the  trust  that  is  by  the 
athouryty  of  this  Commonwealth  committed  to  the  Selectmen; 
they  doe  therefore  order  that  from  this  time  forward,  all  youths 
or  male  persons  that  shall  playe  or  carry  it  unciuilly  on  the 
Saboth  day,  or  in  time  of  Exercise,  they  shall  bee  injoyned  to  sit 
in  the  last  sete  of  the  Rainge  of  mens  seats,  and  all  other  persons 
whatsoeuer  are  prohibited  sitting  in  that  seat  upon  the  penalty 
ofhalfea  Crowne,  they  doing  it  presumptuously."43  But  this 
injunction  not  being  generally  obeyed,  or  the  appeal  implied  in 
it,  to  the  shame  of  these  young  offenders,  not  proving  so  effectual 
as  might  have  been  anticipated,  the  Selectmen  two  years  after- 

42  At  a  general  meeting,  March  4,  1716-17.    It  was  voted  to  add  £20  to 
Rev.  Mr.  Fox's  salary  of  £80  for  that  year,  provided  that  he  keep  a  "  Lec- 
ture once  in  six  weeks,  if  he  be  able." —  Town  Records,  Vol.  V.,p.  357. 
«Town  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  18. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBUBN.  65  • 

ward  had  recourse  to  another  expedient.  They  first  set  apart 
two  seats  in  the  meeting-house,  particularly  described  in  the 
records,  for  all  those  boys  who  should  be  expressly  directed  to 
sit  in  them,  and  whose  names  were  to  be  fixed  on  them  in 
writing,  and  forbade  all  other  persons  over  sixteen  years  old, 
not  expressly  allowed,  to  sit  in  them,  upon  a  penalty  of  2s.  Qd. 
each  time.44  And  then  to  secure  success  to  this  measure,  and 
perhaps  likewise  to  afford  some  relief  to  the  constables,  under 
whose  sole  care  the  boys  had  hitherto  been,  in  time  of  public 
worship,  they  appointed  twenty-six  men  of  respectable  character 
to  overlook  those  boys  in  the  meeting-house,  two  days  each  in 
succession,  under  penalty  of  five  shillings  per  day  upon  each  of 
them  who  should  refuse  to  serve.  The  business  of  this  numer- 
ous committee,  as  stated  in  the  records,  was,  to  oversee  the 
boys  in  the  meeting-house,  "  to  haue  power  to  rape  [rap]  them 
with  a  stick,"  who  did  not  "  behave  themselves  as  they  ought " ; 
and  in  case  they  persisted  in  their  unseemly  behavior,  to  com- 
plain of  them  to  the  Selectmen. 45  But  strict  as  this  measure 
may  seem  to  have  been,  it  did  not  at  once  eradicate  the  evil. 
For  at  a  subsequent  meeting  of  the  Selectmen,  March  1679—80, 
after  making  a  new  assignment  of  seats  for  the  boys  in  the 
meeting-house,  they  committed  them  again  to  the  oversight  of 
the  men  "  appointed  as  formerly,"  and  of  the  constables  46  with 
their  black  staves. 47 

3.  Again,  the  religious  disposition  of  the  early  ancestors  of 
this  people  was  still  further  displayed  in  their  equitable  and 
generous  treatment  of  their  ministers  of  religion.  For  the  first 
pastor  of  this  church,  Rev.  Thomas  Carter,  the  town  built  a 
dwelling-house  at  their  own  cost,  and  presented  it  to  him  at  his 
settlement,  as  a  gift.  They  also  made  him  considerable  grants 
of  land  soon  after  his  settlement,  and  in  all  subsequent  general 
distributions  of  the  public  lands,  they  allowed  him  his  full  pro- 
portion with  the  other  inhabitants  who  were  proprietors.  The 
salary  they  originally  agreed  to  give  him,  viz  :  £80,  was  a  very 
liberal  one  for  that  day ;  and  in  his  old  age  they  enlarged  it  by 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  36.    «  Town  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  41.    «•  Town  Records,  Vol. 
II..  p.  152.    «Town  Records.  Vol.  D.,  p.  23.    See  also  Vol.  III.,  p.  119, 121. 
6* 


66  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

an  annual  donation  of  twenty  cords  of  wood.48  And  when  at 
length  his  increased  infirmities  made  the  aid  of  a  colleague  neces- 
sary, they  did  not  turn  him  adrift  upon  the  world,  as  some  towns 
have  done  by  their  ministers,  worn  out  in  their  service,  in  modern 
times,  neither  did  they  put  him  off  with  a  meagre,  insufficient 
compensation,  as  has  been  the  practice  in  many  instances  since, 
but  they  adjusted  with  him  the  question  of  his  salary  for  the 
time  to  come,  entirely  to  his  own  satisfaction;  and  when  he 
deceased,  they  discovered  their  affectionate  regard  for  the  dead 
by  their  continued  kindness  to  the  living,  his  surviving  widow. 
For  Rev.  Jabez  Fox  also,  their  second  minister,  the  town  of  their 
own  accord  offered  to  erect  a  dwelling-house  at  their  own 
expense,  and  present  it  to  him  as  a  gift.  At  his  request,  they 
enlarged  it  in  building  beyond  the  dimensions  they  had  proposed, 
for  an  allowance  he  engaged  to  make  them  in  money  towards 
the  cost.  They  granted  him  freely,  as  his  own  property,  a  por- 
tion of  those  lots  of  land,  which  they  had  reserved  from  time  to 
time  in  disposing  of  their  public  lands,  for  a  succeeding  officer 
of  the  church ;  and  the  use  of  the  residue,  till  they  should  need  it 
for  a  successor.  And  when  he  died,  they  did  not  withdraw 
their  kindness  from  his  widow,  but  granted  her  a  sum  equal  in 
amount  to  her  husband's  salary  for  half  a  year.  These  several 
testimonials  of  good-will  to  their  ministers,  and  concern  for  their 
temporal  comfort  and  well-being,  speak  loudly  in  favor  of  the 
religious  character  of  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  Woburn.  The 
people  showed  herein  not  only  an  effectual  regard  for  their  wor- 
thy pastors  themselves,  but  likewise  a  becoming  esteem  for  their 
work ;  love  for  that  holy  cause  in  defence  of  which  they  were 
set,  and  for  the  advancement  of  which  among  them  they  labored. 
Whereas,  a  mean,  hard  or  unjust  treatment  of  worthy  ministers  of 
religion  on  the  part  of  the  people  whom  they  serve  is  generally 
speaking,  a  decisive  indication  of  indifference  or  hostility  toward 
religion  itself. 

4.  Finally,  the  pious  spirit  of  the  ancient  inhabitants  of 
Woburn  displayed  itself  in  their  care  for  the  religious  educa- 
tion of  their  children  and  youth.  By  a  law  of  this  colony, 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  54,  98,  101, 102. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  67 

*" 

passed  in  1642,  the  same  year  with  that  in  which  Woburn  was 
incorporated,  the  Selectmen  of  every  town  were  required  to  see 
"  that  all  masters  of  families  do  once  a  week  (at  the  least) 
catechise  their  children  and  servants  in  the  grounds  and  principles 
of  religion ;  and  if  any  be  unable  to  do  so  much,  that  then  at 
the  least,  they  procure  such  children  and  apprentices  to  learn 
some  short  orthodox  catechism  without  book,  that  they  may  be 
able  to  answer  unto  the  questions  that  shall  be  propounded  to 
them  out  of  such  catechism  by  their  parents  or  masters,  or  any 
of  the  Selectmen,  when  they  shall  call  them  to  a  trial  of  what 
they  have  learned  in  that  kind."  49  And  although  the  Court  had 
occasion,  about  thirty  years  after,  viz,  1671,  to  complain  of  the 
neglect  of  this  and  other  legal  provisions  on  behalf  of  children 
and  youth,  which  had  resulted,  they  say,  in  the  increase  of  sin 
and  profaneness,  and  proceeded  to  enjoin  upon  the  Selectmen 
anew,  throughout  this  jurisdiction,  to  attend  to  their  duty  in  this 
respect,  yet  there  seems  to  be  no  ground  for  supposing  that 
the  neglect  of  catechising  was  then  extensively  prevalent.  On 
the  contrary,  there  is  abundant  reason  to  believe  that,  by  the 
great  body  of  the  people,  it  was  practised,  even  then,  with 
exemplary  strictness  throughout  the  Colony ;  especially  have  we 
ground  for  this  conclusion  in  regard  to  the  inhabitants  of  this 
town.  The  transmission  of  this  pious  and  laudable  custom  in 
the  great  majority  of  families  in  this  place,  till  within  a  very 
recent  period,  affords,  of  itself,  satisfactory  proof  of  the  high 
esteem  and  general  observance  of  it  by  the  early  inhabitants  of 
Woburn.  Regarding  religion  themselves  as  "the  principal 
thing,"  they  were  earnestly  solicitous  to  inculcate  the  same  great 
truth  on  the  minds  and  hearts  of  their  offspring.  From  a 
principle  of  piety,  as  well  as  from  an  obedient  regard  to  the 
law  of  the  land,  they  were  careful  to  bring  them  up  in  the 
nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord.  They  did  not  abound  in 
books ;  but  whatever  other  books  they  lacked,  they  must  have  a 
Bible  (or,  at  the  least,  a  Testament  and  a  Psalter)  and  a 

«»  Colony  Laws,  published  1672,  p.  26;  Colony  and  Province  Laws,  1814,  p.  74. 


68  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

*• 

catechism  in  all  their  houses.  They  were  at  much  pains  to 
teach  their  children  themselves,  or  to  procure  them  to  be  taught 
by  others,  to  read  the  Bible  while  young,  and  early  to  reverence 
and  take  heed  to  it,  as  the  Word  of  God.  Nor  did  they  show 
scarcely  less  solicitude  early  to  initiate  their  children  into  an 
acquaintance  with  the  great  truths  of  the  Bible,  both  doctrinal 
and  practical,  as  laid  down  in  the  Assembly's  Catechism.  And 
lest  there  might  possibly  be  some  families  who  were  negligent 
of  the  catechetical  instruction  of  those  under  their  care,  the 
Selectmen  of  the  town  appear  to  have  been  accustomed,  after 
the  injunction  of  the  Court  in  1671,  to  go  round  among  the 
several  families,  from  time  to  time,  with  a  view  to  ascertaining 
and  rectifying  what  was  amiss  in  any  on  this  head.  One 
instance  of  their  care  in  this  matter  we  have  upon  record  in 
their  Day  Book,  as  follows :  "  The  Selectmen  mette  the  5.  day 
of  Octob.  1674,  and  agreed  on  the  15  day  of  this  instant  mo.  to 
goe  throo  the  Towne,  and  ecsamin  the  familys  about  Cati- 
chisingV 50  The  object  of  this  visitation  was  doubtless  the 
same  as  that  which  the  law  of  that  day  suggested,  viz,  to 
question  children  whom  they  thought  proper,  out  of  their 
catechism ;  to  reprove  any  heads  of  families  whom  they  found 
negligent  of  it ;  and  to  use  their  influence  and  authority  to  induce 
them  either  to  teach  it  their  children  themselves,  or  to  employ 
others  to  do  it  for  them. 

By  the  time  Woburn  had  been  incorporated  thirty  years,  a 
large  proportion  of  its  first  settlers  had  left  the  world.  Within 
that  period  especially,  those  seven  commissioners,  who  had  been 
intrusted  with  the  care  of  laying  its  foundations,  and  had  led 
the  way  in  its  settlement,  had  all  rested  from  their  labors.  And 
here  some  brief  notices  of  these  worthies,  to  whom  Woburn  is 
so  much  indebted,  may  not  be  unacceptable. 

1.  The  first  of  their  number  I  shall  mention,  Mr.  Thomas 
Graves,  distinguished  in  the  "  History  of  Charlestown "  as 

»Town  Records,  Vol.  n.,  p.  1W. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  69 

Rear  Admiral  Graves  51  was  born  at  Ratcliff,  England,  June  6th, 
and  baptized  at  Stepney,  June  16th,  1605.51  He  became  a  sea- 
faring man,  and  was  master  of  several  ships ,  sailing  between 
England  and  this  country  1632,  and  the  three  years  following. 
He  married  in  Charlestown  Miss  Catharine  Coytmore,  a  daugh- 
ter of  the  noted  Capt.  Thomas  Coytmore,  to  whom  a  grant  of 
five  hundred  acres  within  the  bounds  of  Woburn  was  made  by 
the  Court  in  1640.51  He  and  his  wife  Catharine  were  admitted 
into  the  church  of  Charlestown,  October  7,  1639.52  In  1640, 
he  was  made  a  freeman  of  the  Colony,  as  his  namesake,  the 
Engineer,  had  been  in  1631  j  ^  and  being  appointed  the  same 
year  as  a  suitable  person,  with  the  aid  of  others,  to  build  up  a 
distinct  church  and  town  in  the  then  recent  grant  of  Charlestown 
Village,  he  appears,  for  a  while,  to  have  been  actively  engaged 
in  promoting  that  design.  It  was  at  his  house  in  Charlestown, 
the  commissioners  held  their  first  meeting,  December  1640,  and 

51  The  family  manuscripts,  preserved  by  the  descendants  of  this  gentleman 
in  Charlestown,  represent  him  as  identical  with  Mr.  Thomas  Graves,  the 
celebrated  Engineer  and  Surveyor,  who  laid  out  Charlestown  in  1629.51 
And  this,  till  recently,  was  the  prevalent  opinion  on  this  subject.  But  it 
is  now,  for  various  reasons,  generally  given  up,  particularly  on  account  of 
the  apparent  difference  in  their  respective  ages,  and  of  the  wide  and  strik- 
ing dissimilarity  of  their  handwriting.  The  Engineer,  in  1G29,  the  year  of 
his  arrival  in  this  country,  had  left  behind  him  in  England  a  wife  and  five 
children,  an  indication  that  he  was  a  considerably  older  man  than  the  Admi- 
ral, born  in  1605.  Moreover,  in  the  subscription  of  his  name  to  the  contract 
which  he  made  March  1629,  with  the  Massachusetts  Company  in  London, 
previously  to  his  embarking  for  New  England  in  their  service,  the  Engi- 
neer left  a 'specimen  of  his  handwriting,  as  did  the  Admiral  of  his,  in  sign- 
ing his  will.  Copies  of  these  autographs  are  presented  to  view  in  the 
History  of  Charlestown,  by  Richard  Frothingham,  Esq.,  page  140:  and  so 
great  is  the  obvious  difference  between  the  two,  that  it  can  hardly 
be  supposed  that  they  were  both  written  by  the  same  hand. 

61  History  of  Charlestown,  by  Richard  Frothingham,  Esq.,  pp.  139,  140. 
"  Ratcliff  Hamlet,  Camden  says  'twas  in  his  time  a  little  town  inhabited, 
with  sailors ;  and  that  here  was  a  red  Cliff,  from  whence  it  had  the  Name. 
Since  the  Houses  taken  from  it,  and  added  to  St.  Anne's,  Limehouse,  it 
contains  about  1380.  Stepney  Church  and  Village  are  properly  situate  in 
this  Hamlet."  —  Complete  System  of  Geography.  London:  1747;  Vol.  I., 
p.  116;  England,  County  of  Middlesex. 

81  Frothingham's  Ilistory,  p.  26. 

w  Records  of  1st  Church,  Charlentown.  »  Colony  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  366,  376. 


70  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

agreed  upon  town  orders  for  the  contemplated  settlement :  and 
it  was  he  who  accompained  Edward  Johnson  in  his  journey  to 
Dorchester,  in  the  final  attempt  made  to  procure  Mr.  Burr  for 
their  minister.  But  at  Mr.  Burr's  declining  eventually  to  come 
to  Woburn,  Mr.  Graves  seems  to  have  become  utterly  discouraged 
from  making  any  further  effort  to  build  up  Woburn.  He  resumed 
his  old  occupation  of  following  the  seas,  and  as  Johnson  expresses 
it  in  his  verses  prefixed  to  the  Town  Records  of  Woburn,  with 
apparent  allusion  to  him : 

—  "  He  did  Me 
To  foren  lands,  Free  from  the  Baby's  crye," 

which  he  had  undertaken  with  his  associates  to  nurse  and  bring 
up. 

In  1643,  he  was  master  of  the  "Trial,"  the  first  ship  built  in 
Boston,  and  which  had  been  under  the  command  of  Capt. 
Coytmore.  And  while  sailing,  during  the  Protectorship  of 
Cromwell,  as  master  of  a  merchantman  upon  a  mercantile 
voyage,  he  met  and  captured  a  Dutch  privateer  in  the  English 
channel.  For  this  instance  of  his  bravery,  the  owners  of  the 
vessel  rewarded  him  with  a  present  of  a  silver  cup ;  and  Crom- 
well raised  him  to  the  command  of  a  ship  of  war,  with  the  title 
of  Rear  Admiral. 51  He  died  at  Charlestown,  July  31,  1653,  in 
the  49th  year  of  his  age,  sustaining  the  character  of  "  an  able  and 
godly  man."  51 

Woburn  Town  Book,  in  recording  the  laying  out  of  Richard- 
son's Row  in  1647,  describes  it  as  leading  "from  the  three 
Richardsons  to  the  town  meeting  house  one  way,  and  to  Mr. 
Thomas  Graves  the  other  way."  54  By  the  house  of  Mr.  Graves 
here  referred  to,  could  hardly  be  intended  a  dwelling  within  the 
limits  of  Woburn,  which  he  made  his  ordinary  residence.  As 
his  name  does  not  occur  in  the  Woburn  tax  list  of  1646,  or  in 
any  list  of  town  officers,  or  in  any  of  the  numerous  allotments 
of  meadow  and  other  laud  to  the  inhabitants  of  Woburn  previous 
to  1653,  the  year  of  his  death,  it  is  probable  that  he  never 
occupied  any  dwelling-house  within  its  limits ;  but  that  before 

•»  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  12. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBTJRN.  71 

its  settlement  was  fully  accomplished,  he  had  taken  up  his  resi- 
dence in  some  house  on  the  road  from  Woburn,  within  the 
bounds  of  Charlestown.  The  people  of  Woburn,  however,  appear 
to  have  always  held  in  grateful  remembrance  his  early  efforts  for 
the  settlement  of  the  town  in  its  infancy ;  and  in  all  the  exten- 
sive divisions  of  their  common  lands  made  subsequently  to  his 
death,  his  widow  had  assigned  her  a  liberal  proportion. 

2,  3,  4.  The  three  Richardsons,  —  Ezekiel,  Thomas,  and 
Samuel,  —  were  brothers,  born  in  England,  and  for  some  tune 
after  their  arrival  were  in  this  country,  resident  in  Charlestown, 
where  they  had  children  born  to  them.  Ezekiel,  who  was  prob- 
ably the  eldest,  was  early  admitted  into  First  Church,  Boston, 
which  was  gathered  at  Charlestown  in  1630.  From  this  church, 
he  was  dismissed  October  14,  1632,  with  his  wife  Susanna  and 
thirty-three  others,  and  was  embodied  with  them,  November  2, 
1632,  into  a  distinct  church  at  Charlestown,  now  the  First  Church 
in  that  place.52  His  brothers,  Thomas  and  Samuel,  were  both  ad- 
mitted as  members  of  Charlestown  Church,  February  18, 1637-8,52 
and  they  were  all  three  dismissed  from  it,  June  1642,  to  help  form 
the  church  at  Woburn.  Upon  their  removal  to  Woburn,  they  lived 
near  each  other  in  the  same  street,  which,  from  its  having  been 
the  place  of  their  residence,  and  of  many  of  their  posterity,  has 
been  known,  from  time  immemorial,  as  Richardson's  Row.  They 
were  members  of  Woburn  church  at  its  foundation ;  men  highly 
respected  in  their  day,  and  much  employed  in  the  business  of 
the  town.  Their  descendants  bearing  the  name  of  Richardson, 
long  have  been,  and  still  are  more  numerous,  than  persons  of 
any  other  name  in  Woburn ;  and  among  them  have  been  found 
some  of  the  most  valued  members  of  the  church  and  citi- 
zens of  the  place.  Ezekiel  died  October  21,  1647;  Thomas, 
August  28,  1651 ;  and  Samuel,  March  23,  1657-8. 

5.  John  Mousall  was  a  brother  of  Ralph  Mousall,  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  present  First  Church,  Charlestown,  in  1632. 
He  was  himself  admitted  into  that  church  with  his  wife  [Jo- 
anna?] Aug.  23,  1634;  was  one  of  the  seven  male  members 
who  constituted  the  church  of  Woburn  at. its  gathering,  Aug.  14, 
1642 ;  and  afterwards  one  of  its  two  original  deacons  till  his 


72  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

decease.  He  was  also  much  honored  in  the  town,  being  uniformly 
one  of  the  "  Commissioners  to  end  small  causes,"  in  Woburn,  and 
one  of  the  Selectmen  for  twenty-one  years  in  succession.  He 
died  March  27,  1665,  leaving  his  widow,  Joanna,  a  son,  John 
Mousall,  who  was  likewise  a  distinguished  citizen  in  his  day, 
and  a  daughter,  Eunice,  wife  of  John  Brooks ;  but  the  name  of 
Mousall,  as  a  surname,  is  now  extinct  from  the  place. 

6.  Edward  Convers  was  born  in  England,  arrived  in  New 
England  in  the  fleet  with  Winthrop,  1630,  and  settled  in  Charles- 
town.  In  1631,  grant  was  made  to  him  of  the  first  ferry  be- 
tween Boston  and  Charlestown,  and  of  this  he  had  the  management 
several  years,  under  the  authority  of  the  General  Court.  He 
was  made  a  freeman  of  the  Colony,  1631 ;  served  Charlestown 
as  Selectman  from  1635  to  1640;  and  was  early  admitted  a  mem- 
ber of  First  Church,  Boston  (gathered  at  Charlestown,  1630). 
From  Boston  Church  he,  his  wife  Sarah,  and  thirty-three  other 
members  were  dismissed  Oct.  14,  1632,  to  be  embodied  into  the 
present  First  Church,  Charlestown,  entering  into  mutual  cove- 
nant for  this  purpose  Nov.  2,  1632.55  His  name  stands  at  the 
head  of  the  seven  commissioners  appointed  by  that  church  for 
effecting  the  settlement  of  Woburn :  he  appears  to  have  been 
ever  zealous  and  persevering  in  his  labors  for  this  end,  and  after 
the  incorporation  of  the  town,  in  1642,  he  became  one  of  its  most 
popular  and  useful  citizens.  He  was  a  member  of  Woburn 
Church  from  the  beginning,  and  a  deacon  in  it,  one  of  the  first 
two,  till  his  death.  In  the  civil  affairs  likewise  of  the  town,  he 
was  much  employed,  serving  uniformly  as  one  of  the  Board  of 
Commissioners  for  the  trial  of  small  causes,  and  being  chosen 
annually  as  one  of  the  Selectmen  without  interruption  from  the 
first  choice  in  1644  till  his  decease.  He  died  Aug.  10,  1663, 
aged  seventy-three  years.  His  place  of  residence  in  Woburn 
was  at  the  mill  once  called  by  his  name  in  "the  South  Village, 
now  Winchester,  and  there,  and  in  the  vicinity,  several  of  his 
numerous  posterity  continued  to  dwell  for  many  years.  Among 
his  descendants,  there  ever  have  been  and  still  are  individuals 

85  Church  Records  of  Charlestown. 


HISTORY  OP  WOBURN.  73 

highly  honored  and  respected ;  and  one  of  their  number,  Major 
James  Convers,  a  gentleman  of  much  distinction  in  the  Common- 
wealth as  well  as  in  the  town,  there  will  be  occasion  particularly 
to  notice  hereafter. 

By  his  first  wife,  Sarah,  who  accompanied  him  from  England, 
Deacon  Convers  had  three  sons,  viz :  Josiah,  James  and  Samuel 
(see  genealogy),  and  a  daughter,  Mary,  who  first  married  Simon 
Thompson,  19th  Dec.  1643,  and  he  dying  in  May  165 8,  she  mar- 
ried John  Sheldon,  of  Billerica,  Feb.  1,  1659.  —  Woburn  and 
Billerica  Records  of  Marriages,  Deaths,  etc. 

Deacon  Edward  Convers'  wife  dying,  14th  Jan.  1662,  after  he 
had  made  his  will  (in  which  he  mentions  her,  and  which  is  dated 
in  Aug.  1659,  and  recorded  Oct.  7,  1663),  he  married  a  second 
wife,  Mrs.  Joanna  Sprague,  of  Charlestown,  relict  of  Ealph 
Sprague,  Sept.  9,  1662.  —  See  Woburn  Records,  and  Will  of 
Edward  Convert. 

7.  Last  of  all,  but  not  least  of  this  worthy  band,  died  Edward 
Johnson.  He  originated  from  Kent  in  Old  England ;  in  a  parish 
within  which  county,  called  in  his  Will,  Heron  Hill,  that  is 
"Herne  Hill,"  or  "Herne,"56  and  at  a  place  in  that  parish,  called 
"Waterham,"  he  left  behind,  at  coming  to  New  England,  both 
houses  and  lands,  which  he  retained  in  possession  during  life, 
and  divided  by  his  will  to  six  of  his  grandchildren,  when  he 
should  be  removed  by  death.  According  to  statements  of  Hon. 
James  Savage,  in  his  Genealogical  Dictionary,  he  doubtless  came 
to  this  country  in  the  fleet  with  Winthrop,  1630;  requested  ad- 
mission as  a  freeman  of  the  Colony,  19  October  of  that  year, 
and  took  the  Freeman's  Oath,  18  May  following;  and  thus  after 
living  some  time  at  Charlestown,  Salem,  or  other  plantation  to 
satisfy  himself,  he  went  back  to  England,  to  bring  away  his  wife 
and  children,  in  1636,  or  7.  Upon  his  return  voyage,  his  name 
is  registered  as  follows,  in  a  list  of  those  who  embarked  from 

66  "Herne,  a  town  of  Kent,  6  miles  from  Canterbury"  etc.,  etc. —  Brookes's 
Gazetteer. 

"  Sir  John  Fineux died  about  the  year  1526,  and  lies  buried  in 

Christ's  Church  in  Canterbury ;  who  had  a  fair  habitation  in  this  City,  and 
another  in  Herne  in  this  County"  etc.,  etc. —  Fuller's  Worthies,  Kent, p.  76. 


74  HISTORY   OP  WOBURN. 

the  port  of  Sandwich  for  the  American  plantations,  in  June 
1637. 

"Edward  Johnson,  of  Canterbury,  joiner,  and  Susan  his  wife, 
7  children,  3  servants."  57 

He  arrived  in  New  England  in  the  course  of  that  summer,  or 
early  in  the  autumn  of  1637,  and  took  up  his  abode  at  Charles- 
town,  where  grants  of  land  were  repeatedly  made  to  him  for  his 
accommodation  in  1637,  and  in  April  1638.58  In  the  settlement 
of  Woburn,  for  which  he  was  one  of  the  commissioners  appoint- 
ed by  the  church  of  Charlestown,  he  seems  to  have  taken  the 
leading  part.  At  the  first  meeting  of  those  commissioners,  held 
at  Charlestown,  December  18,  1640,  he  presented  a  plot  of  the 
contemplated  town,  and  was  chosen  its  Recorder,  or  Clerk;  an 
office  he  continued  to  sustain  till  death.  He  took  a  lively  in- 
terest in  the  establishment  of  its  church,  of  which  he  was  a  dis- 
tinguished member  from  the  beginning ;  and  in  the  settlement  of 
its  first  minister.  His  influence  in  the  management  of  town 
affairs  was  great.  He  was  put  on  almost  all  important  com- 
mittees for  the  distribution  of  the  town's  lands ;  and  was  uni- 
formly appointed  one  of  its  Board  of  Commissioners  for  trials 
of  small  causes;  and,  with  but  few  interruptions,  one  of  its  Select- 
men till  his  decease.  He  was  also  captain  of  its  military 
company,  no  small  honor  in  that  age  of  martial  spirit  and 
prowess.  And  accordingly,  in  mustering  the  forces  of  the 
Colony  in  that  day,  in  his  History  of  New  England,  having 
mentioned  the  bands  of  Concord  and  Cambridge,  as  being  under 
two  Kentish  soldiers,  (  Captains  Willard  and  Gookin, )  he 
modestly  notices  "the  band  of  Wooburn,"  as  being  commanded 
by  "another  Kentish  Captain,"  meaning  himself. 

Captain  Johnson  was  likewise  deputy  from  Woburn  to  the 
General  Court  almost  every  year  from  the  first  choice  of  one,  in 
1646,  till  his  death.  And  by  that  Honorable  Body  he  was  much 
distinguished,  being  chosen  Speaker  pro  tern,  for  a  short  session 
in  1655;  and  appointed  repeatedly  on  important  committees.  In 

«  Gleanings  for  New  England  History,  by  James  Savage,  Esq.,  in  Collections  of  Mas- 
sachusetts Historical  Society,  Vol.  VIII.,  Series  III.,  p.  276. 
M  Charlestown  Towu  Records. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBUBN.  75 

1643,  before  he  became  a  member,  he  was  sent  by  the  Court 
with  Capt.  George  Cooke  and  Lieut.  Humphrey  Atherton  to 
Rhode  Island,  to  apprehend  the  seditious  Samuel  Gorton.  They 
had  military  commissions  given  them;  and  were  attended  by 
forty  men. 59  At  the  restoration  of  King  Charles  II.,  to  the 
throne  of  England,  when  the  Charter  of  the  Colony  and  all  its 
privileges  and  liberties  were  apprehended  to  be  in  danger,  he 
was  one  of  an  important  committee,  appointed  by  the  General 
Court,  in  May  1661,  consisting  of  eight  laymen  and  four  clergy- 
men, to  consider  what  was  expedient  to  be  done  for  their 
preservation,  and  to  make  report  at  the  next  session. 60  In  June 
1661— 2,  he  was  on  a  committee  of  the  Court,  with  Deputy 
Governor  Bellingham,  Daniel  Gookin,  Esq.,  Thomas  Danforth, 
Esq.,  and  others,  for  the  directing  and  despatching  of  Simon 
Bradstreet,  Esq.,  and  Rev.  Mr.  John  Norton  to  England,  as 
agents  to  plead  the  cause  of  the  Colony  there.60  And  in  1664, 
he  was  one  of  a  committee  of  four  (Hon.  Richard  Bellingham, 
Major  General  Leverett  and  Capt.  Thomas  Clark  being  the  other 
three)  to  whom  the  Colony  Charter  was  delivered  by  the  Gen- 
eral Court  for  safe  keeping. M 

He  was  the  undoubted  author  of  the  early  history  of  New 
England,  styled,  "The  Wonder  Working  Providence  of  Sion's 
Saviour,  in  New  England,"  which  has  already  been  often  quoted 
or  referred  to  in  this  work.  That  history  was  published  in 
England  in  1654,  without  the  writer's  name  in  the  title  page; 
and  although  it  abounds  in  errors  of  the  press,  and  has  been 
noted  for  the  indefiniteness  or  inaccuracy  of  many  of  its  dates 
and  statements,  it  still  contains  a  large  amount  of  authentic  and 
valuable  information,  the  want  of  which  could  hardly  be  supplied 
elsewhere.  In  it,  the  author  frequently  discovers  a  mind  exceed- 
ingly embittered  against  the  English  prelates,  in  consequence,  not 
improbably,  of  having  suffered  much  from  their  arbitrary  pro- 
ceedings either  in  his  own  person,  or  in  his  friends.  But  at  the 
same  time,  his  work  furnishes  numerous  and  strong  indications 
on  his  part,  of  a  sincere,  warm  zeal  for  God  and  religion,  an 

»<Jolony  Records,  Vol.  H.,  p.  44.    «>  Colony  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  Part  II.,  pp.  24, 39, 102. 


76  HISTORY   OP  WOBURN. 

earnest  desire  for  the  prevalence   of  piety  and  virtue,  and  a 
hearty  love  of  his  country  and  good  men. 

Capt.  Johnson  died  April  23,  1672. 61  In  his  last  will  and 
testament,  dated  May  15,  1671,  and  written  with  his  own  hand, 
he  expresses,  in  view  of  his  approaching  dissolution,  a  lively 
hope  "  through  faith  in  Christ  Jesus,"  "  to  have  the  sight  of 
(his)  Saviour  to  all  eternity."  From  this  instrument  (still 
extant  in  the  Probate  Office  of  this  County)  it  appears  that  he 
left  a  widow,  Susanna,  and  seven  children ;  viz :  five  sons, 
Edward,  George,  William,  Matthew  and  John;  and  two 
daughters,  Susan,  (?)  wife  of  James  Prentice,  and  Martha,  wife 
of  John  Ames  ( ?)  or  Eaines ;  and  grandchildren  by  them  all. 
Of  his  children,  only  three,  William,  Matthew  and  John,  appear 
to  have  been  then  resident  in  Woburn.  William  and  Matthew 
were  his  executors.  Matthew  was  a  carpenter  by  trade,  and  a 
much  esteemed  citizen,  chosen  repeatedly  one  of  the  Selectmen, 
and  deputy  from  Woburn  to  the  General  Court.  John  was  pro- 
prietor of  a  saw-mill ;  but  having  in  his  old  age  become  poor, 
lame  and  helpless,  he  and  his  wife  Bethiah  were  taken,  in  1712, 
to  Canterbury,  Ct,  by  their  sons,  William  and  Obadiah,  of  that 
town,  to  maintain  for  life  at  Woburn's  expense.  William,  sou 
of  Capt.  Edward,  was  a  man  of  superior  talents  and  extensive 
usefulness  in  his  day ;  and  sustained  for  several  years  a  very 
honorable  station  in  the  Commonwealth.  And  from  him  sprang 
a  numerous  posterity,  who  were  long  distinguished  by  their 
general  respectability  of  character,  and  by  the  great  influence 
they  had  in  the  affairs  both  of  Woburn,  and  of  its  precinct,  now 
Burlington ;  and  some  do  yet  survive,  who  maintain  the  ancient 
credit  of  their  family.  But  more  may  be  expected  of  William 
Johnson  and  his  descendants  hereafter. 

«  Woburn  Records  of  Births,  Deaths,  etc.,  etc. 


CHAPTER   IH. 

Second  Meeting-House  —  Erection  of,  1672  —  Description  of—  Settlement 
in,  of  Rev.  Jabez  Fox,  1679  —  a  Sabbath  day's  services  in,  1680. 

THE  year  1672  is  memorable  in  Woburn,  as  being  the  year 
in  which  Capt.  Edward  Johnson,  the  father  of  the  town,  died ; 
and  also  as  that  in  which  the  second  house  for  public  worship 
was  erected.  The  precise  time  when  the  first  meeting-house  was 
built,  has  not  been  transmitted.  It  was  certainly  completed 
before  September  14th,  1646,  when  the  Selectmen  agreed  to  call 
a  meeting  of  the  town  to  reckon  about  its  expense.1  And  the 
probability  is,  that  it  was  begun  not  long  after  the  house  lots 
and  place  for  the  meeting-house,  originally  laid  out  on  the  East 
end  of  the  plantation,  were  transferred,  February  1640-1,  by 
advice  of  Hon.  Increase  Nowell  and  other  gentlemen  of  Charles- 
town,  to  the  present  centre  of  the  town ;  and  that  it  was  finished 
about  the  time  of  Rev.  Mr.  Carter's  ordination  in  1642.  The 
memory  of  the  place  where  it  stood,  has  been  better  preserved. 
This,  as  one  of  the  most  intelligent  citizens  of  Woburn,  Mr. 
Batholomew,  Senr.,  now  deceased,  once  told  me,  was  distinctly 
marked  out  by  a  slight  banking,  which  was  raised  originally 
about  the  foundations  of  the  house,  and  which  was  plainly  visible 
till  about  1788,  when  the  ground  was  levelled  for  the  accommo- 
dation of  a  military  muster.  According  to  his  report,  moreover, 
this  bank  was  erected  on  the  common  in  the  centre  of  the  town, 
about  opposite  the  middle  of  the  space  between  the  town-house 
and  the  late  Mr.  John  Fowle's  store ;  and  at  such  a  distance 
northwardly  from  that  interval,  as  would  be  sufficient  for  a  road 
to  pass  between.  And  this  description  of  the  situation  of  the 
first  meeting-house  in  this  town  agrees  well  with  that  which  John- 
son gives  of  it,  in  his  "  Wonder-working  Providence,"  etc.  In 

1  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  9. 


78  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

that  History  of  New  England,  published  in  1654,  he  observes 
that  the  meeting-house  in  Woburn  stood  in  "  a  small  plain  where 
four  streets  meete."2  These  four  streets  could  have  been  no  other 
than  "  Hilly  Way,"  or  the  road  over  the  hill  east  of  the  common, 
where  Deacon  Mousall  and  other  early  settlers  erected  their 
habitations ;  "  South  Street,"  leading  to  Convers's  mill  and 
Mistick  bridge,  now  the  main  road  from  Woburn  to  Medford ; 
"Up  Street,"  or  "High  Street,"  on  which  Rev.  Mr.  Carter's 
house  then  stood,  now  Mr.  Silvanus  Woods' ;  and  "  Military 
Lane,"  an  ancient  way,  of  which  not  a  vestige  now  remains,  but 
which  is  described  in  the  Records,3  as  late  as  1732,  as  coming 
down  from  the  then  meeting-house  on  Hilly  Way,  and  as  crossing 
the  training  field,  (now  the  common  in  the  centre)  into  Up  Street 
or  the  most  ancient  road  to  the  Shawshin.  Now  these  several 
streets  or  ways,  did  meet  together,  as  Johnson  says,  upon  or 
near  the  "  Small  Plain,"  or  common,  now  in  the  centre  of  the 
town :  Hilly  Way  with  South  Street  and  Military  Lane  at  or 
near  the  southeastern  corner  of  the  Plain ;  and  Military  Lane 
with  Up  Street,  or  High  Street,  upon  or  near  its  southwestern 
corner.  And  they  all  thus  came  together  within  a  few  rods  dis- 
tance from  the  banking  described  by  Mr.  Richardson,  and  so 
indisputably  designate  the  site  of  the  first  meeting-house  in 
Woburn. 

But  the  earliest  meeting-houses  in  New  England,  erected  com- 
monly by  the  people,  in  their  zeal  for  the  worship  and  ordinances 
of  God,  before  they  had  scarcelyTprovided  a  comfortable  shelter 
for  themselves  and  families,  were  of  necessity  but  frail,  temporary 
edifices ;  buildings  more  noted  for  the  beauty  of  holiness  within, 
than  for  external  adorning,  or  skill  in  their  construction.  Con- 
cerning the  first  house  for  public  worship  in  Boston,  built  in 
1632,  we  are  told  by  the  Reverend  historian  of  the  First  Church 
in  that  city,  that  "its  roof  was  thatched,  and  its  walls  were  of 
mud." 4  And  it  cannot  be  reasonably  supposed,  that  this  of 
Woburn,  erected  but  about  ten  years  after,  was  any  better  than 
that,  or  even  hardly  so  good.  The  highly  respectable  gentle- 

» "Wonder  Working  Providence,  Book  II.,  Chapter  XXII.,  pp.  175, 181. 

8  Town  Kecords,  Vol.  I.,  p.  69,  inverted.  4  Emerson's  History. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBTJRN.  79 

man,  referred  to  by  name  in  the  beginning  of  this  chapter,  once 
informed  me,  that,  judging  of  its  dimensions  by  those  of  the 
banking  at  its  foundations,  it  was  a  much  smaller  building  than 
the  second  meeting-house;  and  that  its  posts,  instead  of  being 
firmly  mortised  into  substantial  sills,  according  to  the  present 
mode,  were  made  fast  by  their  ends  being  driven  into  the  ground. 
To  such  an  humble  house  of  prayer,  and  mean  to  look  to,  did 
your  fathers  love  to  resort  weekly  for  the  worship  of  their 
Maker :  and  they  were  notified  of  the  hour  by  a  bell  hung  on  a 
hill  in  the  neighborhood,  ( probably  that  back  of  the  old  Fowle 
tavern  stand,)  which  was  called  from  this  circumstance  many 
years  after,  Bell  Hill.5 

When  this  first  meeting-house  in  Woburn  had  stood  about 
thirty  years,  its  visible  decay,  or  its  contracted  dimensions  making 
it  too  straight  for  the  people  to  assemble  in  with  convenience, 
rendered  evident  the  necessity  of  another.  At  a  general  meeting 
of  the  inhabitants,  Nov.  1,  1671,  a  committee  was  appointed  to 
confer  with  several  carpenters  on  the  subject,  and  to  report  at 
another  meeting,  to  be  held  on  the  20th  day  of  the  same  month. 
On  that  day,  the  town  voted  to  build  a  new  meeting-house,  forty 
feet  square,  and  of  proportionate  height,  by  contract.  In  pur- 
suance of  this  vote,  they  chose  Lieut.  John  Carter,  William 
Johnson,  John  Wyman,  and  Thomas  Peirce,  for  a  Building  Com- 
mittee, and  appointed  the  Selectmen  and  five  other  respectable 
citizens  as  a  committee  to  contract  with  the  Building  Committee 
on  behalf  of  the  town,  for  raising  and  completing  the  house,  to 
see  them  paid,  and  to  engage  to  them  £320  of  town  property, 
as  security.6  The  meeting-house  thus  contracted  for,  the  under- 
takers soon  commenced  building ;  and  it  was  so  far  finished  dur- 
ing the  autumn  of  1672,  as  to  be  then  ready  for  occupation  as  a 
place  for  public  worship.  Accordingly,  it  was  doubtless  used 
for  this  purpose  immediately,  without  previous  ceremony ;  the 
present  laudable  custom  of  solemnly  dedicating  meeting-houses, 
before  assembling  in  them  for  the  ordinary  services  of  the  Sab- 
bath, not  having  then  been  introduced  into  New  England,  nor 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  80.  «  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  3«. 


80  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

for  many  years  after.7  To  defray  the  expense  of  building  this 
house  of  God,  a  tax  was  levied  upon  all  the  polls  and  estates  in 
Woburn  in  1672.8  And  at  a  final  settlement  with  the  under- 
takers, the  town  allowed  them  £334,  which  was  a  little  more 
than  was  originally  pledged  them,  in  full  satisfaction  of  all  their 
cost  and  charge.9  Reckoning  the  value  of  New  England  silver 
currency  at  that  period  (for  paper  money  was  then  unknown)  to 
have  been  what  it  seems  from  good  authority  it  actually  was, 
twenty-five  per  cent  less  than  sterling  money,  just  what  it  is 
now,  the  sum  paid  for  the  meeting-house  was  nominally  equal  to 
$1,113.33.  But  as  the  usual  price  of  Indian  corn  and  other 
necessaries  of  life  was  then  but  just  about  half  of  what  it  is  now, 
the  real  cost  of  the  meeting-house  to  the  town  must  have  been 
equivalent  to  $2,226.67  at  the  present  day. 

Above  a  century  has  elapsed  since  this  meeting-house,  erected 
in  1672,  was  taken  down,  with  the  design  of  building  a  town- 
house  of  smaller  size  out  of  its  remains.  Hence,  there  is  no  one 
now  living  in  Woburn  who  remembers  it  when  used  for  a  place 
of  public  worship,  or  can  give  any  information  respecting  either 

7  The  first  settlers  of  New  England,  and  their  posterity  for  several  gen- 
erations after  them,  as  they  did  not  observe  Christmas,  so  they  did  not 
consecrate  burying-grotmds,  or  dedicate  their  meeting-houses,  by  any 
special  religious  services.  When  a  house  for  public  worship  was  built 
and  made  ready  for  its  intended  use,  they  noticed  the  occurrence,  generally 
speaking,  only  by  an  appropriate  discourse  on  the  first  Sabbath  they  occu- 
pied it.  For  instance,  when  the  present  Old  South  Church,  Boston,  was 
first  opened,  on  Sabbath  day,  April  26,  1730,  for  public  worship.  Rev.  Mr. 
Sewall,  the  senior  pastor,  preached,  A.  M.,  from  Haggai  ii.  9,  "  The  glory 
of  this  latter  house,"  etc. ;  and  Rev.  Mr.  Prince,  his  colleague,  P.  M.,  from 
Psalm  v.  7,  "  I  will  come  into  thy  house,"  etc.  The  first  meeting-house  in 
Brattle  Street  was  first  opened  for  public  worship  on  Lord's  day,  Dec.  24, 
1699,  on  which  occasion,  Rev.  Dr.  Colman,  its  first  minister,  preached  from 
2d  Chron.  vi.  18,  "  But  will  God  in  very  deed  dwell  with  men  on  the  earth  ?  " 
etc.  And  so  late  as  1773,  when  the  present  house  of  that  society  was  first 
opened  on  Sabbath  day,  July  25th,  Dr.  Cooper  preached  in  the  morning  from 
Gen.  xxviii.  17,  "  This  is  none  other  than  the  house  of  God,"  etc. ;  and  Rev. 
Dr.  Chauncy  (with  whose  people  the  Brattle  Street  Society  had  met  while 
their  own  house  was  building)  preached  in  the  afternoon  from  Psalm  xxvi. 
8,  "  Lord,  I  have  loved  the  habitations  of  thy  house,"  etc.  — See  Palfrey's 
Historical  Discourse,  Appendix,  Notes,  pp.  39,  63. 

•  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  38,  »  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  41. 


HISTORY  OP  WOBUBN.  81 

its  external  appearance  or  its  internal  structure,  from  his  own 
recollection.  On  both  these  topics,  however,  numerous  particu- 
lars may  be  gleaned  from  the  Town  Records ;  some  have  been 
handed  down  by  credible  tradition,  and  a  few  may  be  very 
plausibly  conjectured,  in  view  of  other  ancient  meeting-houses 
which  were  erected  about  the  same  time  with  this,  and  which 
were  left  standing  till  within  a  recent  date,  the  striking  memo- 
rials of  the  customs  and  fashions  of  olden  times.  Availing 
myself  of  all  these  several  sources  of  information,  especially  of 
the  two  named  first,  I  have  attempted  to  draw  up  a  description 
of  this  forgotten  house  of  worship,  as  like  the  original  as  possi- 
ble, and  which  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  the  present  inhab- 
itants of  Woburn  to  read. 

The  second  meeting-house  of  Woburn  stood,  it  is  well  known, 
upon  the  hill  on  the  southeast  side  of  the  common.  Around  it 
grew  a  number  of  shade  trees,  which  the  prudent  care  of  the 
fathers  of  the  town  had  saved  from  the  axe  in  felling  the  sur- 
rounding forest,  and  which  now  served  both  for  ornament  and 
for  use.10  Beneath  the  pleasant  shade  of  these  trees,  or  close 
by  them,  were  successively  erected,  with  the  leave  of  the  town, 
and  under  the  direction  of  the  Selectmen,  some  thirty  or  forty 
sheds,  for  the  accommodation  of  the  horses  of  numerous  individ- 
uals on  Sabbath  days  and  other  occasions  of  public  assembly.10 
The  meeting-house  itself  was  an  edifice  forty  feet  square,  facing 
south,  and  having  the  pulpit  on  the  north  side.11  Its  frame  was 
of  solid,  massive  oak,  some  portions  of  which  were  long  pre- 
served in  the  town,  and  are  still,  or  were  recently,  to  be  seen. 


10  The  Selectmen,  Dec.  25,  1712,  laid  out  to  Robert  Convers,  Josiah  Con- 
vers,  Jr.,  William  Johnson,  Jr.,  and  Thomas  Reed,  a  spot  of  ground  on  the 
south  side  of  the  Meeting-House  Hill,  thirty-six  feet  in  length,  "for  Stables 
to  set  horses  in  on  Saboth  dayes  and  such  like  occasions."    By  direction 
of  the   Selectmen,  these  stables  were  to  be  erected  nine  feet  square, 
adjoining  each  other,  and  in  a  range  with  one  another,  about  six  feet 
"  South  of  the  most  Southerly  Shade  Tree,"  and  not  to  be  extended  west- 
ward within  sixteen  feet  "of  the  now  Horse  Block,"  etc.,  etc.  —  Town 
Records,  Vol.  F.,  p.  242.  Numerous  other  grants  of  ground  for  stables,  for 
the  same  purpose,  are  upon  record. 

11  Zebadiah  Wyman,  Esq.;  Mr.  William  Fowle. 


82  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

Its  roof,  like  that  of  its  venerable  contemporary,  taken  down  a 
few  years  since  upon  Lynn  plain,  was  surmounted  by  a  small 
cupola  or  turret,™  in  which  was  hung  a  bell  that  was  rung, 
probably,  as  at  Lynn,13  by  a  rope  attached  to  it,  and  descending 
through  a  hole  in  the  roof  into  the  centre  of  the  broad  aisle.13 
And  that  the  hour  for  ringing  the  bell  and  commencing  divine 
service  might  be  known,  a  sun-dial  was  procured  shortly  after 
the  building  of  the  meeting-house,  which  being  set  upon  or  near 
it,  supplied  the  place  of  a  clock  in  fair  weather.14  The  windows 
were  casements  hung  like  doors  upon  iron  hinges,  and  otherwise 
well  fortified  with  iron; 15  and  the  lights  were  set  with -lead,  and 
probably  of  the  diamond  shape,  as  is  the  case  with  windows  still 
to  be  seen  at  the  back  of  several  of  the  most  ancient  dwelling- 
houses  of  the  town.  Galleries  there  were  on  the  sides  of  the 
meeting-house,  within ;  yet  not  all  built  at  once,  but  as  circum- 
stances rendered  them  expedient.  At  a  general  meeting,  Feb. 
27,  1677-8,  the  town  granted  leave  to  the  young  men  of  the 
place,  upon  certain  conditions,  to  build  a  gallery  for  their 
accommodation  on  the  east  side.16  The  same  year,  (26  August, 


18  "Joseph  Richardson  Sen."  Cr.  "  By  Gills  [Sills]  for  the  Meeting  hous 
territt  &  door  cill,  as  money  00 :10  :00."  —  Town  Records. 

13  Letter  of  Rev.  Parsons  Cooke,  of  Lynn.     1674.  The  Town  Dr.  to  John 
Tead  for  ringing  the  bell  £1 :10 :00.  —  Town  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  22.    In  a 
reckoning  with  Gershom  Flagg,  Oct.  2,  1676,  he  was  allowed  by  the  Select- 
men for  "  the  belrope,"  etc.  —  Town  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  48. 

14  Town  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  31.    The  Town  Dr.  in  1675,  To  Gershom 
Flagg,  "  for  the  dyall  post."  —  Town  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  23. 

16  March  8,  1699-1700.  Th*e  Selectmen  "  agreed  with  Simon  Tompson  to 
ring  the  bell,  sweep  the  Meeting  hous,  see  to  shut  the  Casements  and 
doors,  as  need  requires,"  etc.,  etc.  —  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  158. 

Feb.  9,  1701-2.  The  Town  Dr.  to  "  Daniel  Baldwin  for  Iron  work  for  a 
Casement  for  y«  Meeting  house :  £00 :02  :06."  —  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV., 
p.  1%. 

"  To  Serjt  Sara1  Waters  for  a  Casement  for  ye  Meetinghouse,  £00  :03  :00." 
—  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  197. 

"  Novbr  1729.  For  mendiu  of  the  meetnes  [meeting-house]  glas  : 

"  For  maken  of  2  foot  of  new  glas  00 :04 :04." 

"For  new  leden  [leading]  3  foot  of  old  glas  :         00 :04  :00." 
etc.,  etc.,  etc.  —  An  old  Account  on  file. 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  73,  93. 


HISTOKY   OF   WOBURN.  83 

1678,)  one  instruction  given  by  the  town  to  a  committee  for 
repairing  the  meeting-house  was,  to  build  what  galleries  might 
seem  to  them  convenient.16  In  1707,  "the  hinde  seat  in  the 
East  galery  next  the  staiers,"  was  granted  to  eight  young  men 
to  sit  in,  they  to  repair  it  at  their  own  charge.17  And  in  1694, 
mention  is  made  in  the  Records  of  an  "  upper  gallery/' 18  which 
was  doubtless  built  over  one  of  the  others,  and  designed  for  the 
negroes,  who  were  then  far  more  numerous  in  Woburn  than  they 
are  now.  The  floor  of  the  house  was  not  originally  covered 
with  pews,  as  was  recently  the  universal  practice.  For  upwards 
of  forty  years,  only  two  of  these  aristocratic  privileges  (as  they 
were  probably  deemed)  were  to  be  seen  in  Woburn  meeting- 
house,—  one  the  minister's  pew,  the  other  for  the  deacons' 
wives,  the  deacons  themselves  having  an  appropriate  seat  of 
their  own.19  In  1713,  the  town,  by  special  favor,  allowed  Col. 
Jonathan  Tyng,  a  gentleman  from  Boston,  who  had  been  one  of 
Governor  Sir  Edmund  Andros's  Council,  and  who,  more  recently, 
had  married  the  widow  of  Rev.  Jabez  Fox,  of  Woburn,  and  come 
home  to  reside,  to  erect  a  pew  in  the  meeting-house,  at  his  own 
cost,  which  was  to  be  the  town's  property  after  his  own  and  his 
lady's  decease.19  Three  years  after,  viz,  March  1716,  leave 
was  given  by  the  town  to  the  daughters  of  four  principal  fami- 
lies to  build  a  pew  to  sit  in,  with  the  proviso  that  it  was  to  be 
the  town's,  whenever  they  saw  fit  to  leave  it.20  But  so  much 
disturbance  did  tha  grant  of  this  privilege  excite,  that  the  town 
within  six  months  revoked  their  grant.20  And  in  1738,  upon 
the  petition  of  Nathaniel  Saltonstall,  Esq.,  Jonathan  Poole,  Esq., 
and  Capt.  Isaac  Dupee,  gentlemen  of  distinction  in  the  town 
from  abroad,  that  they  might  each  of  them  be  allowed  to  build 
pews  for  themselves,  the  town  voted  liberty  to  the  former  gen- 
tleman to  sit  in  the  pew  once  occupied  by  Col.  Tyng;  but 
denied  all  of  them  liberty  to  build  any  more.21  Only  three 
pews,  then,  were  ever  permitted  to  be  erected  and  to  stand  per- 
manently in  this  second  meeting-house  in  Woburn,  as  the  seats 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  V.,  p.  43.  »  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  41. 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  V.,  p.  254.  *>  Town  Records,  Vol.  V.,  pp.  336,  864. 

«  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  97. . 


84  HISTORY   OP  WOBURN. 

of  individual  families,  in  distinction  from  the  rest  of  the  congre- 
gation. The  remainder  of  the  lower  floor,  as  likewise  the  whole 
of  the  gallery  floors,  was  taken  up  by  seats,  which  were  under 
the  control  and  at  the  disposal  of  the  whole  town.  Under  the 
windows  by  the  wall  on  the  east  and  west  ends,  there  ran  two 
long  benches,  which  at  one  time  were  the  appointed  seats  of  the 
boys.22  The  rest  of  the  ground  on  each  side  of  the  broad  aisle 
was  taken  up  with  ranges  of  seats  facing  the  pulpit,  and  having 
backs  to  them,  like  those  of  the  old-fashioned  settles,  though  not 
so  high ;  those  on  the  east  side  being  for  the  male,  and  those  on 
the  west  side  for  the  female  portion  of  the  congregation.23  And 
that  each  individual  might  know  and  take  his  own  place  without 
confusion  in  time  of  public  worship,  the  town  at  a  general  meet- 
ing, October  8,  1672,  as  soon  as  the  meeting-house  was  ready 
for  occupation,  chose  five  men  of  character  and  influence  as  a 
seating  committee,  to  appoint  to  all  the  other  inhabitants  their 
respective  seats  in  the  house  of  God ;  and  at  the  same  time  was 
appointed  another  committee  of  two,  to  seat  the  seating  com- 
mittee themselves  with  their  wives.24  To  aid  the  seating 
committee  in  the  discharge  of  their  perplexing  duty,  they  were 
on  this  occasion  expressly  instructed  by  the  town  to  have 
respect  in  it  to  three  things,  viz :  estate,  office,  and  age.24  And 
as  death  and  other  causes  were  continually  operating  to  break 
up  the  arrangements  of  this  committee,  and  to  make  new  ones 
necessary,  the  town  was  accustomed  in  after  years,  to  choose 
from  time  to  time  a  new  seating  committee,  whose  business  it 
was  to  repeat  the  invidious,  difficult  task  of  their  predecessors ; 
the  doing  of  which  was  often  the  source  of  much  bitterness,  and 
in  some  instances  of  hot  contention  among  the  inhabitants,  as 
there  may  be  occasion  to  notice  hereafter. 

At  the  head  of  the  broad  aisle,  there  once  stood  a  table, 
designed  no  doubt  for  the  communion  service ;  and  that  so  large 
a  one,  that  it  was  found  necessary,  in  order  to  make  room  for 
it,  to  crowd  the  seats  back  towards  the  front  of  the  house.25 
Before  the  pulpit  and  adjoining  to  it,  were,  I  presume  to  say, 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  EL,  p.  36.  »  Town  Records,  Vol.  V.,  pp.  219,  254. 

<"  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  37,  38.  «  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  93. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  85 

two  seats ;  of  which  the  lower  and  front  one  of  the  two  was 
occupied  by  the  deacons.26  The  other  and  more  elevated  one 
was  styled,  like  a  corresponding  seat  to  be  seen,  till  within  a  few 
years,  in  the  Congregational  meeting-house  in  South  Reading,  the 
elders'  seat,  because  designed  originally  for  ruling  elders  of  the 
church.  For  although,  from  some  cause,  neither  the  church  in 
Woburn,  nor  that  in  South  Reading,  is  known  to  have  been  ever 
served  by  officers  of  this  denomination,  yet,  doubtless,  both  these 
churches  formerly  recognized  the  office  as  of  divine  institution.27 
In  ascending  the  pulpit  stairs,  there  rose,  fixed  to  that  end  of  the 
pulpit,  or  of  the  elders'  seat  adjoining  it,  a  tall,  slender  iron  rod, 
with  a  little  enclosure  of  iron  or  wooden  painted  balusters  at 
the  top,  in  which  rested  an  hour  glass ;  placed  there,  not  to  show 
the  preacher  how  soon  he  might  with  decency  leave  off,  but  to 
be  a  silent  monitor  to  warn  him  how  long  without  offence  he 
might  hold  on.28  At  the  head  of  the  pulpit  stairs,  against  the 
wall,  there  was  probably  a  narrow  seat,  where  sat  in  service 
time  the  sexton,  that  he  might  be  at  hand  to  turn  the  hour-glass 
when  its  sands  had  run  out,  and  also  to  receive  any  communica- 
tions from  the  minister  for  which  there  might  be  occasion.  In 
the  pulpit  itself,  there  was  a  cushion  in  front,  as  in  modern 
pulpits,  which  served  as  a  convenient  resting-place  for  the 
preacher's  notes.29  But  no  Bible  in  folio  was  to  be  seen  there, 
from  which  a  portion  might  be  read  in  the  regular  services  of 
the  sanctuary.  For  though  our  Puritan  fathers  accounted  the 
Holy  Scriptures  as  a  complete  and  sufficient,  as  well  as  the  sole 
rule,  not  only  of  faith  and  practice,  but  likewise  for  the  worship 

26  Town  Dr.  1681.  "  To  Joseph  Richardson  in  timber  and  pay  to  Houlton 
for  worke  he  did  on  the  deacons'  seate,  £00 :12  :00." —  Town  Records,  Vol. 
III.,  p.  19. 

27  See  "Proposals,"  or  Declaration  of  the  Church  of  Woburn,  1703; 
copied  in  Chapter  V. 

28  Town  Di.  1673.    "To  Josiah   Conuers  for  the  Iron  for  the  houer 
glasse  £00  :04  :00." 

"  At  Selectraens  meeting  3  :12  :1678  [Feb.  8,  1678-9] 

Due  to  decon  Conuers  '  for  the  by  ing  an  houer  glas ' "  etc..  etc.     00 :02  :00. 

Town  Records,  Vol.  II.,  pp.  4,  114. 

K  1677  Town  Dr.  "  to  Matthew  Johnson  for  a  eushen.        -        £01- :9  :4." 

Town  Records,  Vol.  IL,  p.  75. 


86  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

of  the  Lord's  house,  yet  by  a  strange  inconsistency,  and  it  is  to 
be  feared  from  a  measure  of  prejudice  against  the  usage  of  the 
Church  of  England,  from  which  they  had  separated,  they  esteemed 
the  simple  reading  of  the  Word  of  God  in  public  worship  as  an 
unedifying  practice,  unless  it  were  accompanied  with  some  expo- 
sition of  man.30 

At  the  time  this  meeting-house  was  finished,  it  was  unques- 
tionably capacious  enough  to  seat  all  the  inhabitants  of  Woburn 
with  ease.  But  so  fast  did  the  population  increase,  that  it 
speedily  became  necessary  to  increase  its  accommodations.  As 
early  as  1678,  it  was  found  expedient  to  make  to  it  certain 
additions.31  And  subsequently  to  this  period,  much  labor  and 
cost  were  bestowed  on  repairing  and  enlarging  this  house  of 
God.  In  1694,  for  instance,  the  town  voted  at  March  meeting, 
that  their  meeting-house  should  be  repaired  withinside  and 
without;  seats  mended,  and  new  ones  erected,  at  the  discretion 
of  a  committee  then  chosen  for  the  purpose.32  And  this  vote 
appears  to  have  been  punctually  executed.  And  again  in  1709, 
the  meeting-house  was  not  only  repaired  anew,  but  an  addition 
made  to  it  of  twenty  feet  on  the  East  end.33  And  it  deserves  to 
be  mentioned,  as  a  testimony  to  the  zeal  for  God's  house  with 
which  a  large  proportion  of  the  inhabitants  of  Woburn  at  that 
day  were  animated,  that  the  expense  of  the  repairs  in  1694  was 
defrayed  chiefly,  and  that  of  the  addition  just  spoken  of  in  1709, 
entirely,  by  a  voluntary  subscription.33  And  thus,  through  a 
constant  care  bestowed  on  its  preservation  and  keeping  it  in 
good  repair,  this  second  meeting-house  in  Woburn,  which  I  have 
been  endeavoring  so  much  at  length  to  describe,  stood  eighty 

30  "In  Boston, ^fter  prayer  and  before  singing,  it  was  the  practice  for 
several  years  for  the  minister  to  read  and  expound  a  chapter.  Whether  it 
was  because  this  carried  the  service  to  too  great  a  length,  or  any  other 
reason  could  be  given  for  it,  in  a  fe\y  years  it  was  laid  aside,  except  when 
it  came  in  place  of  a  sermon.  Exceptions,  may  we  not  say  cavils,  have 
been  made  by  some  learned,  serious  ministers,  against  reading  the  Scrip- 
tures, as  part  of  the  divine  service,  without  an  exposition."  —  Hutchinson's 
History  of  Massachusetts,  Vol.  /.,  Chap.  iv.,pp.  427,  428. 

si  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  93.  »*  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  pp.  19,  21,  25. 

ss  Town  Records,  Vol.  V.,  p.  120. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  87 

years.  Fifty-eight  years  of  this  period,  it  served  as  the  house 
of  worship  for  the  whole  of  the  then  town,  comprehending 
Wilmington,  Burlington  and  Winchester  with  what  is  now 
Woburn  within  its  bounds;  and  then  as  the  place  of  solemn 
assembly  for  the  first  parish,  till  the  erection  of  the  third  meeting- 
house in  1752.  Concerning  its  subsequent  demolition,  with  a 
view  to  making  a  town-house  of  its  materials,  and  the  eventual 
failure  of  that  scheme  after  the  building  was  raised  anew,  there 
may  be  occasion  of  speaking  hereafter. 

It  has  often  been  observed,  that  the  building  of  a  new  meeting- 
house is  quickly  followed  by  the  settlement  of  a  new  minister. 
But  in  the  present  case,  the  remark  was  not  verified.  After  the 
meeting-house  I  have  so  long  been  speaking  of  was  completed, 
instead  of  treating  their  aged  minister,  Rev.  Mr.  Carter,  with 
unkindness  or  neglect,  or  manifesting  impatience  to  see  a  succes- 
Bor  in  his  room,  the  people  of  Woburn  gave  him  substantial  evi- 
dence of  increased  attachment.  At  a  general  meeting,  Nov.  16, 
1674,  called  expressly  to  confer  about  Mr.  Carter's  maintenance, 
it  was  agreed  by  a  major  vote,  say  the  Records, "  that  the  Towne 
wold  yerly  bringe  Mr.  Thomas  Carter,  our  Reuerant  Pastor, 
twenty  Cord  of  wood,  and  deliuere  it  at  his  dore,  ouer  and  aboue 
his  fower  score  pound,  prouided  that  those  that  will,  may  haue 
leaue  to  take  the  said  wood  off  his  own  land."  M  The  singular 
proviso  annexed  to  this  vote  was  doubtless  added  on  behalf  of  a 
few,  who  were  ready  enough  to  do  their  part  in  this  act  of  gen- 
erosity to  their  pastor,  by  giving  their  labor  in  drawing  his  wood 
to  his  house,  but  whose  poverty,  or  distance,  or  both,  might  make 
it  too  burdensome  to  take  it  from  their  own  lots,  if  they  had  any. 

At  length,  however,  Mr.  Carter's  advanced  years  and  growing 
infirmities  rendered  it  evident  that  aid  was  needed  by  him,  and 
would  probably  be  welcome.  At  a  general  meeting,  Aug.  26, 
1678,  the  town  voted  unanimously,  that  they  would  procure  a 
minister  to  help  Mr.  Carter.  They  also  granted  four  single  rates, 
amounting  to  about  .£120,  (one  quarter  part  of  which  was  to  be 
paid  in  silver)  for  the  maintenance  of  the  ministry :  viz.  ,£50  for 

*  Town  Record*,  Vol.  I.,  p.  54. 


88  HISTORY    OF    WOBURN. 

Mr.  Carter's  assistant,  and  X70  for  Mr.  Carter  himself,  who,  in 
view  of  the  increased  burdens  of  his  people  on  his  account,  con- 
sented to  be  satisfied  with  that  sum,  and  with  his  wood,  as 
agreed  upon  in  1674,  instead  of  £80,  his  original  compensation. 
At  the  same  time,  they  appointed  a  committee  to  wait  on  Mr. 
Jabez  Fox,  a  graduate  of  Harvard  College,  and  then  a  resident 
licentiate  at  Cambridge,  and  to  invite  him  to  Woburn,  as  an 
assistant  to  Mr.  Carter  for  one  year.35  Mr.  Fox  accepted  the 
invitation.  And  so  well  satisfied  were  the  people  with  his  ser- 
vices, that  before  the  term  of  his  engagement  expired,  they 
unanimously  agreed  and  voted  at  a  town  meeting,  July  16,  1679, 
that  they  would  give  him  "  a  call  to  the  ministry,  with  an  intent 
he  may  be  called  to  office,  in  time,  if  God  make  waye ;  and  also 
agreed  that  for  this  yeare  they  will  allow  him  fiuety  pounds,  one 
quarter  of  it  in  silver ;  his  house  rent  and  his  firewood,  and 
afterward  inlarge,  as  God  shall  inable  them."  36  This  invita- 
tion to  a  temporary  engagement  in  the  work  of  the-  Ministry  was 
soon  followed  by  a  call  to  the  pastoral  office  in  the  church,  and 
to  a  permanent  settlement  as  a  minister  of  the  Gospel  in  the 
town.  The  proceedings  of  the  church  on  this  occasion  cannot  be 
specified,  as  its  ancient  Records  have  long  been  missing.  But 
at  a  meeting  of  the  town,  Nov.  5, 1679,  it  was  voted  "that  they 
wold  giue  the  Reuerant  Mr  Jabiz  ffoxe  a  Call  to  be  their  minis- 
ter for  his  life  time  " :  and  the  Town,  on  that  consideration, 
agreed  to  give  him  half  of  several  pieces  of  land,  which  they  had 
prudently  reserved  for  the  benefit  of  the  future  officers  of  the 
church,  in  the  general  distribution  of  their  common  lands  a  few 
years  before;  and  the  use  of  the  whole,  till  the  town  should  need 
the  other  half  for  another  officer'.36  And  to  crown  the  indubi- 
table tokens  of  esteem  and  affectionate  regard  which  they  had 
already  given  for  this  minister  of  their  choice,  the  people  at  a 
meeting,  called  Nov.  10,  1679,  agreed,  it  seems,  to  build  a  house 
for  him,  and  to  present  it  to  him  as  a  gift.  &  And  Mr.  Fox 
wishing  for  some  alterations  in  the  dimensions  of  this  house  as 
then  determined,  to  gratify  his  wishes  in  this  respect,  another 

M  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  93.  *»  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  98, 101, 102. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  89 

meeting  was  called  a  month  after,  Dec.  8th,  when  they  voted  as 
follows : 

"  Whereas  the  Town  had  formerly  agreed  to  buld  the  Reuerant 
Mr  foxe  a  dwelling  hows  twenty  foure  feet  in  laneth,  eaighteene 
feet  wide,  and  thurteene  feet  stud,  a  stack  of  three  brick  chimnies, 
a  cellar  under  it,  and  a  leanetwo  at  the  chimney  end,  and  so  to 
finish  the  said  hows  and  giue  it  him :  now  the  Towne  did  agree, 
upon  Mr  Foxe's  desire,  to  build  the  said  hows  fourty  feet  long, 
eaighteene  feet  wide  and  thurteene  feet  stud,  a  stack  of  three 
chimnys  and  cellar  and  finish  it ;  Mr  foxe  being  willing  to 
allow  toward  the  worke  twenty  and  fiue  pounds,  and  fiue  pounds 
more,  in  case  that  be  not  suffistiant  for  what  is  expended  for  the 
making  the  said  hows  sixteene  feet  longer  than  was  agreed  of  by 
the  Towne  in  the  first  place  :  and  decon  Josiah  Conuars,  Ensigne 
James  Conuars  and  William  Johnson  are  appiointed  a  Committee 
to  oursee.  the  worke  and  order  the  same  till  it  be  finished,"  etc.36 

According  to  minutes  preserved  in  the  records,  the  materials 
of  this  house,  and  the  labor  in  framing,  erecting  and  completing 
it,  cost  about  <£133,  of  the  then  currency  of  Massachusetts.37 

To  meet  this  expense,  the  town  granted  in  December  1679, 
four  single  rates,  amounting  to  £122.15*.38  They  also  ordered, 
at  the  meeting  Dec.  8,  1679,  just  referred  to,  "that  the  pece  of 
land  reserued  for  an  officer  near  Tottingham's  should  be  sould 
to  carry  an  end  the  bulding  of  Mr.  Foxes  hows."  39  The  sum 
which  Mr.  Fox  agreed  to  give  toward  it  was  never  actually  paid 
into  the  town  treasury ;  but  was  allowed  in  a  settlement  with  the 
Selectmen,  May  9th,  1698,  toward  the  payment  of  certain  arrears 
for  salary  that  had  long  been  due.40  The  house  thus  built  by  the 
town  and  given  their  minister  is  known  to  have  stood  where  the 
house  of  Jonathan  B.  Winn,  Esq.,  now  stands,  and  was  occupied 
by  Rev.  Mr.  Jabez  Fox,  and  by  Rev.  Mr.  John  Fox,  his  son  and 
successor  in  the  ministry,  for  about  seventy-six  years.  The  pre- 
cise time  of  the  ordination  of  Rev.  Jabez  Fox,  as  colleague  with 


»  Town  Records,  Vol.  HI.,  pp.  167, 168, 169.  »*Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  104,  5. 

38  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  101.  ««  Town  Records,  Vol.  III.,  p.  117. 


90  HISTORY    OP   WOBTTRN. 

Rev.  Mr.  Carter,  is  not  stated  in  the  Town  Records ;  but  is 
supposed  to  have  been  not  far  from  November  15,  1679.a 

Thus  were  the  inhabitants  of  Woburn  provided  with  a  house 
for  God's  worship  in  the  room  of  that  wherein  their  fathers  kept 
Sabbath  at  the  first  in  this  then  wilderness ;  and  with  a  man  to 
conduct  the  services  of  the  sanctuary,  when  their  aged  pastor 
should  be  taken  away.  And  now,  that  I  may  present  a  more 
vivid  display  of  the  interesting  peculiarities  of  their  public  wor- 
ship, for  which  all  these  means  and  instrumentalities  were  pro- 
cured, may  I  be  permitted  to  relate  the  particulars  of  a  visit 
which  I  once  paid  them  in  imagination,  to  keep  Sabbath  with 
them  in  their  new  meeting-house,  and  to  hear  their  new  minister. 

Borne  then  aloft  on  the  wings  of  fancy  over  the  current  of 
time,  and  retracing  its  stream  with  an  indescribable  velocity,  I 
suddenly  alighted  one  fine  Sabbath  morning,  about  the  20th  of 
June,  Old  Style,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  six  hun- 
dred and  eighty,  at  New  Bridge  in  Woburn;  and  taking  by 
instinct,  as  it  were,  the  road  which  led  to  the  centre  of  the 
town,  I  began  at  once  slowly  to  wend  my  way  thither.  The  sky 
was  serene,  the  air  warm,  and  the  surface  of  the  meadows  and 
grass-g-  ounds  was  clad  in  the  richest  green.  But  a  solemn  still- 
ness presided  over  the  bright  scene  which  nature  had  spread 
around  me.  Neither  man  nor  beast  was  to  be  seen  at  work  in 
the  field.  No  sound  of  the  hammer,  or  of  the  woodman's  axe 
saluted  my  ear ;  no  rumbling  carriage  of  travellers  on  business 
or  pleasure  met  my  eye.  Almost  the  only  tokens  of  animal 
life  abroad,  that  I  perceived  in  my  walk,  were  the  motions  and 
notes  of  hundreds  of  birds,  whose  songs,  together  with  the  fragrant 
odors  diffused  by  the  blossoms  and  a  rich  variety  of  flowers  in  the 
gardens  and  orchards  I  passed,  seemed  like  a  morning  offering 
of  praise  and  sweet  incense  to  the  great  Lord  of  the  Sabbath, 
by  whose  decree  summer  and  winter,  seed-time  and  harvest 
never  cease.  Nor,  amidst  the  homage  paid  by  the  inanimate 


a  In  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  105,  Major  Johnson,  the  then  Town  Clerk, 
makes  the  following  remark  in  the  margin :  "  The  midle  of  the  10th.  mo. 
1680,  apeered  a  uery  great  blazing  starr,  to  the  wonder  of  the  world." 


HISTORY   OP   WOBUBN.  91 

and  by  the  irrational  portions  of  the  creation,  was  man  their 
lord  insensible  to  the  claims  of  the  Creator.  As  I  went  by  the 
low  and  thinly  scattered  dwelling-houses  of  this  then  humble 
village,  whose  doors  and  windows  the  warmth  of  the  morning 
had  caused  to  be  opened,  I  heard,  before  some,  the  voice  of 
prayer  from  within ;  and  at  the  windows  of  others,  I  observed 
flocks  of  little  boys  and  girls  reading  to  their  pious  mothers  in 
the  Testament  or  Psalter,  or  answering  the  questions  of  that  far- 
famed  compend  of  Christian  truth  and  duty,  the  Assembly's  Cate- 
chism. While  I  thus  proceeded  along,  endeavoring  to  compose 
my  mind  into  a  suitable  frame  for  the  exercises  of  a  day,  to 
whose  sacredness  all  that  I  saw  and  heard,  as  well  as  all  that  I 
did  not,  seemed  to  bear  witness,  I  was  suddenly  overtaken  on 
the  common  by  a  man,  who  afterwards  made  himself  known  to 
me  as  goodman  Jonathan  Thompson,  the  sexton  for  that  year,41 
who  had  just  been  at  the  minister's  to  receive  from  him  certain 
directions  before  the  hour  of  prayer  arrived,  and  was  now  on 
his  way  to  open  the  meeting-house.  Perceiving  me  to  be  a 
stranger,  he  civilly  accosted  me ;  and  learning  that  I  wished  to 
worship  with  them  that  day,  he  kindly  offered  to  conduct  me  to 
the  house,  and  find  me  a  seat.  We  went  by  the  way  of  Military 
Lane  r42  and  as  we  walked  up  the  hill,  several  honest  couples 
passed  us  on  horseback,  who  severally  eyed  me  with  a  keen 
look  of  yankee-like  inquisitiveness,  but  said  nothing ;  and,  nod- 
ding respectfully,  jogged  on.  These,  my  guide  told  me,  were  the 
Jaquiths,  and  the  Butters's  from  Goshen,  and  the  Reeds,  and  the 
Walkers  and  the  Wilsons  from  Shawshin ;  who,  he  shrewdly  re- 
marked, though  farthest  from  the  Sanctuary,  were  always  first  to 
be  there. 

Having  reached  the  meeting-house,  as  I  stood  in  front  of  it  a 
few  minutes,  admiring  the  beauty  of  the  lofty  trees  with  which 
it  was  surrounded,  numerous  other  couples  arrived  on  horse- 
back, a  large  proportion  of  whom,  I  observed,  drove  up  to  a 
stone  horse-block,  about  a  rod  from  the  southernmost  shade,43 

«  The  Town  Dr.,  In  the  year  1680,  "  To  Jonathan  Tompson  for  ringing  the  Bell,  and 
sweeping  the  meeting  hows,  £01 :  10 :  00."  — Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  107. 
•  See  Chapter  I.,  note  31. 

43  See  note  10.    This  horse-block  is  still  preserved. 


92  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

and  there  successively  alighting,  tied  their  horses  to  a  long  row 
of  stakes  set  in  the  ground,  and  then  leisurely  advanced  toward 
the  meeting-house.  As  they  overtook  one  another  in  their 
approach  to  where  I  stood,  they  saluted  each  other  with  a 
friendly  smile  and  a  cordial  shake  of  the  hand.  But  I  overheard 
in  their  conversation  not  a  word  dropped  upon  politics  or  the 
prospect  of  crops ;  scarcely  anything,  in  fact,  but  certain  obser- 
vations and  questions  which  seemed  to  be  dictated  by  pious 
gladness,  or  by  a  spirit  of  benevolence  and  affectionate  sym- 
pathy for  their  neighbors  or  one  another.  "  What  a  beautiful 
Sabbath  'tis!"  exclaimed  one  to  another;  "and  how  thankful 
ought  we  to  be  for  such  a  lovely  morning  as  this,  to  come  to 
meeting ! "  "  What,"  inquired  another,  "  does  the  doctor  say  to 
Brush's  child,  poor  thing ;  does  he  think  he'll  ever  get  well  of 
his  fall  ?  "  "Are  the  neighbors,"  asked  a  third,  with  an  anxious 
pitiful  look,  — "  Are  the  neighbors  attentive  to  visit  poor 
goody  Gilson  in  her  trials,  and  to  carry  her  in  supplies  ? " 
"How,"  questioned  a  fourth,  with  much  solemnity  of  counte- 
nance, — "  How  did  goodman  Farrar  appear  in  his  last  moments  ? 
Did  his  faith  and  patience  hold  out  to  the  end  ?  Did  he  give 
evidence  to  the  minister  of  a  good  hope  ?  "  and,  "  When,  good 
man,  will  he  be  buried  ?  " 

And  thus,  having  finished  the  few  brief  remarks  and  inquiries 
of  this  sort  which  they  had  occasion  to  make,  they  tarried  no 
longer  at  the  door ;  but  uncovering  their  heads  the  instant  they 
stepped  on  the  threshold,  they  reverently  entered  the  house  of 
God,  and  quietly  took  their  appointed  seats.  And  now  my 
friend,  the  sexton,  pointing  to  the  dial,  which  showed  it  was 
almost  nine  o'clock,  and  saying  it  was  time  to  ring  the  bell,  I 
followed  him  in  to  a  seat,  where  I  had  good  view  both  of  the 
ministers  and  hearers,  and  where,  while  the  people  were  gather- 
ing, I  improved  the  opportunity  to  look  around,  and  survey  the 
novel,  interesting  scene. 

In  the  front  row  of  seats  facing  the  pulpit,  on  the  east  side  of 
the  broad  aisle,  were  the  Selectmen.  At  the  head  sat  William 
Johnson,  whom  I  knew  by  his  open,  ingenuous  countenance 
and  robust,  vigorous  frame,  such  as  I  have  seen  in  some  of  his 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  93 

posterity.  Next  came  Ensign  James  Convers,  grave,  thoughtful 
and  attentive  in  his  looks,  resolute  and  energetic  in  his  whole 
demeanor.  At  his  side  sat  Sergeant  Matthew  Johnson,  a  brother 
of  William ;  and,  next  to  him,  John  Wright,  Jr.,  and  Francis 
Kendall  —  all  honored  names  in  their  day.  In  the  opposite 
row  of  seats,  on  the  west  side,  were  the  wives  of  the  Selectmen, 
all  fair  in  appearance  and  becoming  in  behavior ;  and  yet  whose 
silk  dresses,  or  the  addition  of  a  few  extra  ribbons  to  their 
attire,  showed  that  they  had  not  forgotten  the  lessons  touching 
the  necessity  of  maintaining  distinctions  of  rank  by  distinctions 
of  dress,  which  their  mothers  had  taught  them  on  the  other  side 
of  the  Atlantic.  The  second  and  third  ranges  of  seats  on  the 
east  side  were  occupied  by  men  whose  hoary  locks  and  bending 
forms  proclaimed  them  to  be  the  surviving  few  of  those  who 
had  come  up  to  Woburn  at  the  first  to  take  possession  of  the 
land ;  but  wnose  fixed  eyes  and  laboring  ears  and  solemnity 
of  air  were  strong  indications  that  their  thoughts  were  now 
set  on  a  better  country,  and  that  they  had  come  to  the  Lord's 
house  to-day,  seeking  direction  and  encouragement  in  their  pil- 
grimage to  it.  As  my  eyes  ran  from  this  interesting  class  of 
men  across  the  aisle,  and  surveyed  for  a  moment  the  venerable 
matrons,  the  wives  of  their  youth,  or  the  widows  of  their  early 
associates  now  deceased,  who  filled  the  two  opposite  rows  of 
seats,  methought  I  saw  a  striking  exemplification  of  the  Apostle's 
counsel,  "  Whose  adorning  let  it  not  be  that  outward  adorning  of 
plaiting  the  hair  and  of  wearing  of  gold,  or  putting  on  of  apparel ; 
but  let  it  be  the  hidden  man  of  the  heart,  in  that  which  is  not 
corruptible,  even  the  ornament  of  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit,  which 
is,  in  the  sight  of  God,  of  great  price."  Next  to  the  aged  men's 
seats  came  those  appropriated  to  the  substantial  farmers  and 
tradesmen  of  the  town,  who  were  all  arranged  in  them  with 
some  regard  both  to  their  years  and  to  the  proportion  they  paid 
of  the  public  taxes.  There,  in  dense,  crowded  ranks  sat  the 
Converses  and  Johnsons,  the  Richardsons  and  Thompsons ;  the 
Mousalls  and  the  Winns,  the  Wrights  and  the  Baldwins ;  the 
Kendalls  and  the  Carters,  the  Russells  and  the  Walkers ;  the 
Peirces  and  the  Wymans,  the  Fowles  and  the  Simonds;  the 


94  HISTORY   OP  WOBURN. 

Brooks  and  the  Teeds,  the  Flaggs  and  the  Reeds ;  the  Snows 
and  the  Cutlers,  the  Lockes  and  the  Butters's,  and  many  other 
respected  names,  all  or  most  of  which  are  borne  to  this  day  by 
descendants  in  Woburn  and  vicinity.  There,  too,  were  to  be 
seen  the  Brushes,  now  turned  into  Bruces ;  and  there,  too,  the 
Pollys  and  the  Greenes,  the  Henshaws  and  Berbeanes,  the 
Cleavelands  and  the  Farravs,  the  Lepingwells  and  Bakers,  — 
names  once  familiar  to  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  Woburn,  but 
which,  with  others,  are  now  quite  extinct  in  the  town,  having 
long  since  given  place  to  the  Parkers  and  the  Cummings's,  the 
Tays  and  the  Skeltons, — names  common  here  in  succeeding  gen- 
erations, and  now  better  known.  In  the  corresponding  seats  on 
the  west  side  of  the  aisle  sat  the  wives  of  these  worthy  men, 
—  helps  meet  for  them  indeed,  —  who,  arrayed  in  plain  home- 
spun garments  of  the  most  perfect  neatness,  defended  from  soil- 
ing by  tidy  aprons  of  the  purest  white,  carried  evidence  in  their 
dress  that  they  came  to  the  house  of  God  to  pray  and  to  praise, 
rather  than  to  see  and  be  seen. 

In  the  remotest  seats  on  the  floor  of  the  house,  and  in  the 
east  and  west  galleries,  sat  the  young  men  and  women,  —  the 
flower  of  Woburn.  And,  last  of  all,  upon  the  two  long  benches 
against  the  wall,  on  the  east  and  west  sides  of  the  broad  aisle, 
were  seated  the  boys  of  the  congregation,  whom,  full  of  life  and 
playfulness  as  they  were,  a  grave  overseer,  with  a  rod,  and  a 
constable,  with  a  staff  of  office  in  his  hand,  at  the  end  of  each 
seat,  made  out  to  keep  in  tolerable  restraint ;  although  some  of 
them,  I  observed,  as  they  looked  or  winked  at  one  another, 
could  hardly,  at  times,  suppress  a  whisper  or  a  rising  smile.  In 
the  deacons'  seat  sat  John  Wright,  Sen.,  one  of  the  earliest  set- 
tlers of  the  town,  but  now  stooping  under  the  weight  of  three 
score  years  and  ten;  and  Josiah  Convers,  a  brother  of  the 
ensign,  and  like  him,  of  a  grave,  intelligent,  and  active  appear- 
ance. The  elders'  seat  was  empty  j  for,  though  the  church  of 
Woburn  held  to  the  Cambridge  platform,  which  represents  the 
office  of  ruling  elder  in  the  church  as  of  divine  institution,  yet 
no  one  of  her  sons,  whom  she  may  have  thought  worthy  of  the 
office,  was  ever  found  willing  to  accept  it.  In  the  pulpit,  at  the 


HISTORY   OF   WOBUBN.  95 

left  band,  sat  Mr.  Fox,  the  recently  ordained  colleague  of  the 
senior  pastor,  now  in  the  vigor  of  manhood,  a  sedate,  solid 
preacher,  and  much  beloved  by  his  flock,  both  old  and  young. 
At  the  head  of  the  pulpit  was  Mr.  Carter,  the  senior  pastor 
himself,  whose  furrowed  cheeks  and  hoary  locks  signified  to  all 
that  his  work  was  almost  done ;  and  who,  as  with  placid  eye 
and  benevolent  countenance  he  looked  round  upon  the  people 
of  his  charge,  seemed  to  be  bidding  them  all,  one  after  another, 
farewell ;  as  though  he  thought  that  the  present  might  possibly 
be  the  last  time  he  should  ever  meet  them  there.  But  while  my 
eyes  had  thus  been  moving  over  this  numerous  assembly,  and 
were  fixed  for  a  moment  on  their  venerable  senior  minister,  the 
congregation  had  all  collected,  the  bell  had  ceased  tolling,  and 
the  sexton  had  taken  his  wonted  seat  at  the  head  of  the  pulpit 
stairs.  Divine  service  was  presently  commenced  by  Mr.  Carter 
with  a  short  invocation ;  praising  God  for  the  light  and  privi- 
leges of  another  of  his  holy  days,  and  fervently  imploring  his 
presence  and  aid  in  the  prayers  and  praises  now  to  be  offered, 
and  his  blessing  upon  his  Word  now  to  be  dispensed.  The 
introductory  prayer  being  over,  I  was  expecting  to  hear  the  Scrip- 
tures read,  as  I  had  been  used  to.  But  after  waiting  a  few 
moments,  looking  for  this  portion  of  Divine  service  to  begin, 
Deacon  Wright  arose  to  announce  singing ;  and,  holding  in  his 
hand  the  Collection,  entitled  the  "  New  England  Psalms,  Hymns 
and  Spiritual  Songs,"  that  now  forgotten,  but  once  favorite  ver- 
sion of  our  fathers,  both  in  their  private  and  public  devotions, 
he  read  five  stanzas  of  the  5th  Psalm,  as  follows : 

"Jehovah,  to  my  words  give  ear, 

My  meditation  weigh ; 
My  King,  my  God,  my  cry's  voice  hear, 

For  I  to  thee  will  pray. 

"  Thou  in  the  morn  my  voice  si i alt  hear ; 

Lord,  in  the  morning  I 
Will  unto  thee  direct  my  prayer, 

And  will  look  up  on  high. 

"  For  thou  art  not  a  God  that  will 

In  wickedness  delight ; 
Nor  shall  with  thee  dwell  any  ill, 

Nor  fools  stand  in  thy  sight. 


96  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

"  Craftsmen  of  sin,  thou  hat'st  all  them, 

Thou  shalt  him  '  stroy  that  lies  : 
The  Lord  will  loath  the  bloody  man, 

And  them  that  guile  devise. 

"  But  I  will  to  thy  house  draw  near 

In  thine  abundant  grace ; 
And  I  will  worship  in  thy  fear 

Towards  thy  holy  place." 

When  he  had  finished  reading,  I  was  right  glad  to  hear  him 
give  out  Windsor,  as  the  tune  to  be  sung ;  for  that  is  a  tune, 
which,  like  others  of  the  same  class,  such  as  plaintive  Canter- 
bury an  1  Little  Marlborough,  and  mournful  Bangor  and  Isle  of 
Wight,  and  stately  Rochester  and  Wells,  grave  Colchester  and 
Wantage,  sweet-toned  Barby  and  Mear,  cheerful  York  and  St. 
Martin's,  and  majestic  Winchester  and  Old  Hundredth,  I  am 
always  delighted  to  hear  sung  on  suitable  occasions ;  but  which, 
from  the  general  change  cf  the  public  taste  in  Sacred  Music,  I 
am  seldom  or  never  likely  to  hear  again.  The  deacon,  having 
announced  the  tune,  read  the  first  line  again,  and  then,  with  a 
tremulous  voice  commenced  singing,  in  which  he  was  instantly 
joined  by  almost  the  whole  of  the  congregation,  sitting,  both  by  old 
and  young,  males  and  females.  These,  as  he  read  severally  a  line 
of  the  portion  he  had  given  out,  would  catch  the  words  from  his 
lips,  and  fall  in  with  him  in  singing  it.  And  never,  thought  I, 
had  I  heard  singing,  that  was  on  the  whole  quite  equal  to  this. 
There  was  no  exact  harmony  in  it,  no  perfect  keeping  of  time, 
and  much  otherwise,  at  which  a  critical  ear  might  justly  take 
offence.  And  yet  there  was  in  it  that,  which  to  me  was  exceed- 
ingly interesting  and  impressive.  The  sound  coming  from  such 
a  multitude  of  voices,  seemed  as  the  roar  of  thunder  and  the 
voice  of  many  waters.  And  then,  there  was  such  a  seriousness 
in  the  appearance  and  manner  of  the  great  majority,  such  an 
evident  engagedness  in  this  act  of  praise  to  the  Most  High,  as 
caused  a  deep  solemnity  to  pervade  the  whole  congregation,  and 
in  my  humble  opinion  much  more  than  compensated  for  all  the 
musical  faults  and  deficiences  of  the  performance.  Here, 
thought  I,  if  anywhere,  is  a  specimen  of  singing  to  the  Lord 


HISTORY   OP   WOBTTRN.  97 

with  the  Spirit  and  with  the  understanding  also,  of  that  melody 
of  the  heart  which  makes  even  the  meanest  attempts  at  melody 
with  the  voice  an  acceptable  offering  to  God  through  Jesus 
Christ,  and  insures  his  favorable  presence  in  the  assemblies  of 
his  saints. 

To  singing  succeeded  what  is  commonly  termed  with  us  the 
long  prayer.  And  it  might  very  significantly  be  called  so  in  the 
present  case ;  for  it  occupied,  as  it  seemed  to  me,  at  least  three- 
quarters  of  an  hour.  And  yet  it  was  made,  I  am  confident,  from 
better  motives  than  the  long  prayers  of  the  Pharisees,  and 
without  any  visible  signs  of  weariness  or  impatience  on  the  part 
of  the  congregation.  It  was  offered  by  Mr.  Carter,  who,  previ- 
ously to  commencing  it,  read  a  large  collection  of  little  bills,  or 
notes,  as  they  were  called,  expressive  either  of  thanksgiving  to 
God  on  the  part  of  sundry  individuals  for  various  mercies  which 
he  had  recently  vouchsafed  them,  or  of  desire  on  the  part  of 
others  for  the  prayers  of  the  congregation,  that  the  Lord  would 
be  pleased  to  grant  help  or  relief  in  sundry  exigencies  of  trouble 
or  suffering  there  particularly  enumerated.  Nor  did  I  under- 
stand that  the  notes  read  this  day  were  more  numerous  than 
common,  but  only  a  fair  sample,  in  this  respect,  of  what  used  to 
be  presented  every  Sabbath.  For  the  first  planters  of  New 
England,  and  in  a  good  degree  their  immediate  successors,  were 
eminent  for  their  practical  belief  in  a  particular  Providence ; 
such  as  extends  not  merely  to  the  general  interests  and  concerns, 
but  to  the  minutest  affairs  and  events  of  this  lower  world. 
They  had  a  firm,  realizing,  ever  present  persuasion  of  the  truth 
of  those  declarations  of  the  Saviour,  that  the  very  hairs  of  our 
heads  are  all  numbered  with  God,  that  not  a  sparrow,  much  less 
an  individual  of  his  human  family,  falls  to  the  ground  without  his 
direction  or  permission.  And  they  were  well  assured,  too,  of  the 
efficacy  of  humble,  fervent  prayer  for  obtaining  relief  in  any 
exigence  into  which  the  hand  of  his  Providence  might  bring 
them,  so  far  as  would  be  consistent  with  his  infinite  rectitude, 
wisdom  and  goodness.  Hence  their  aptness  to  make  almost 
every  event  of  life  a  foundation  of  prayer  or  praise,  both  in  pri- 
vate and  in  public.  And  hence,  too,  a  wonderful  minuteness  in 


98  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

the  devotional  exercises  of  the  sanctuary  in  this  place,  on  the 
occasion  I  am  speaking  of. 

The  prayer  then  offered  by  Mr.  Carter,  as  mentioned  above, 
differed  not  materially  from  such  as  we  are  accustomed  to  hear 
from  orthodox  pulpits  at  the  present  day,  in  its  general 
acknowledgments  of  dependence,  guilt  and  spiritual  necessity, 
and  in  the  leading  spiritual  mercies  which  it  implored.  But 
when  he  came  to  present  the  various  special  cases  and  circum- 
stances of  his  people  at  the  throne  of  grace,  he  became  minute 
and  particular,  far  beyond  what  is  now  commonly  witnessed. 
Here  he  grew  very  fervent  in  spirit  j  and  from  the  fulness  of 
his  heart,  showed  great  fulness  as  well  as  plainness  of  speech. 
His  mouth  was  filled  with  arguments ;  and  he  seemed  hardly  to 
know  when  he  had  said  enough,  and  where  to  make  a  stop.  He 
spread  all  the  wants,  all  the  trials  and  temptations  and  prevail- 
ing sins  of  his  people  before  the  Lord.  Scarcely  anything 
could  be  conceived  having  a  bearing  upon  their  present  or  future 
well-being,  but  he  made  it  a  matter  of  supplication  to  the  Most 
High.  And  while  he  fervently  deprecated  the  Divine  judgments, 
he  earnestly  implored  for  his  people  all  manner  of  blessings, 
both  spiritual  and  temporal;  or,  as  he  quaintly  termed  them, 
"blessings  of  the  upper,  and  blessings  of  the  nether  springs." 
He  praised  the  Lord  for  granting  to  his  people  of  this  place  a 
favorable  seed-time  the  present  spring  thus  far ;  and  besought 
him  to  perfect  his  mercy  in  this  kind  toward  them ;  to  give  them 
due  measures  of  sunshine  and  of  the  rain  of  heaven  in  due  time ; 
to  suffer  no  blight  or  mildew,  locust  or  caterpillar  to  blast  their 
expectations ;  but  to  bless  the  springing  of  the  earth,  to  cause 
their  grass  to  grow,  and  their  land  to  yield  its  increase,  and  to 
give  them  their  corn,  and  their  flax,  and  the  wine  of  their 
orchards  in  their  season.  He  made  devout  acknowledgments  of 
God's  hand  in  certain  melancholy  casualties,  and  in  all  the  signal 
occurrences,  whether  of  sorrow  or  of  joy,  which  had  taken  place 
in  the  town  the  week  preceding ;  and  prayed  that  God  would 
sanctify  to  all  concerned  the  visitations  of  his  providence, 
whether  in  judgment  or  mercy.  He  presented  with  special 
minuteness  of  description  the  thanksgivings  and  the  requests  of 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  99 

those,  who  had  expressly  desired  particular  mention  in  the 
prayers  of  the  sanctuary  that  day.  He  besought  God  to  accept 
the  thank-offerings  of  all  those,  whom  he  was  permitting,  after 
long  restraint  by  sickness,  to  visit  that  day  with  recovered 
health  the  courts  of  his  house  once  more ;  of  his  handmaids  to 
whom  he  had  recently  granted  safe  deliverance  in  childbirth ; 
and  of  his  servants,  whom,  in  their  distant  journeys  by  land  or 
by  sea,  he  had  protected  from  enemies  and  from  the  perils  of  the 
great  deep,  had  prospered  them  in  the  way  they  went,  and  had 
now  restored  them  in  peace  to  their  homes  and  families  again ; 
and  to  vouchsafe  to  all  and  to  each  of  them  a  deep  and  abiding 
sense  of  their  obligations  to  the  Divine  favor;  that  so  they 
might  glorify  him  in  the  lives  which  he  had  preserved,  and  with 
the  mercies  which  he  had  bestowed.  Finally,  he  prayed  the 
great  Lord  of  Life,  that  he  would  sanctify  all  bereavements 
by  death  in  this  place  to  those  who  had  lately  been  afflicted 
therewith,  and  had  now  expressly  implored  in  the  assembly  of 
his  people  support,  consolation  and  grace  from  above :  that  he 
would  spread  the  everlasting  arm  beneath  all  who  were  sick ; 
make  their  bed  in  their  sickness ;  abate  the  violence  of  their 
respective  diseases,  allay  the  fever  in  their  veins,  make  whole 
the  bones  that  were  broken ;  send  healing  mercy  to  them  all ; 
and  above  all,  if  the  sickness  of  any  of  them  who  had  asked  the 
prayers  of  the  congregation  that  day  was  unto  death,  that  he 
would  give  them  grace  to  be  prepared  for  the  solemn  change 
that  awaited  them ;  that  so  they  might  meet  it  in  peace,  sus- 
tained with  the  blessed  hope  of  pardon  and  acceptance  with  Him 
through  the  Divine  Redeemer,  and  of  eternal  life  and  felicity 
beyond  the  grave. 

The  prayer  was  followed  by  singing  the  loth  Psalm  from  the 
same  obsolete  version  as  at  the  first  singing. 

Then  came  the  sermon  by  Mr.  Fox.  While  he  was  announcing 
his  text,  there  was  a  most  profound  stillness.  But,  immediately 
after,  I  heard  a  slight  rustling  noise  from  different  quarters  of 
the  house ;  and  looking  round  to  discover  the  cause,  I  spied  the 
deacons,  selectmen  and  others,  who  seemed  to  carry  for  that  day 
the  pens  of  ready  writers,  preparing  to  take  down  the  texts  and 


100  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

prominent  heads  of  the  discourse.  This  reminded  me,  it  might 
be  well  for  me  to  do  the  same ;  and  I  now  copy  from  the  entries 
then  made  in  my  note-book  as  follows : 

The  text  was  2  Tim.  ii :  19.  "  And  let  every  one  that  nameth 
the  name  of  Christ  depart  from  iniquity."  After  observing  that  by 
those  who  name  the  name  of  Christ  must  here  be  understood,  those 
who  professedly  believe  in  Christ,  the  preacher  went  on  to  deduce 
from  these  words  of  the  Inspired  Apostle  the  following  doctrine : 
viz,  "That  it  is  the  duty  of  all  that  profess  themselves  to  be  Chris- 
tians to  depart  from  iniquity."  This  important  doctrine  was  then 
explained  and  made  intelligible  to  the  lowest  capacities  by  answers 
to  three  pertinent  questions,  was  confirmed  by  several  Scriptural 
and  convincing  reasons,  and  applied  to  the  spiritual  benefit  of  his 
hearers  by  a  single  use  for  information,  which  was  still  further 
enlarged  upon,  under  four  distinct  considerations.  The  questions, 
by  way  of  explication,  were,  briefly,  1,  "What  is  meant  by  ini- 
quity?" 2,  "What  is  meant  by  departing  from  iniquity?"  3, 
"  Why  is  it  so,  that  every  one  that  names  the  name  of  Christ  must 
depart  from  iniquity?"  Among  the  seven  "  reasons,"  in  confirma- 
tion of  the  doctrine  deduced  from  the  text,  and  implied  in  the  last 
question,  were  briefly,  1,"  Because  God  is  a  holy  God,  and  of 
purer  eyes  than  to  behold  iniquity."  2,  "Because  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  himself  is  holy,  and  therefore  will  not  suffer  any  to  live 
in  the  profession  of  his  name,  and  not  depart  from  iniquity."  5, 
"  Because  Christians  are  called  with  a  holy  calling."  6,  "  Because 
of  the  great  dishonor  and  reproach  that  sin  casts  upon  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ."  7,  "Because  it  is  the  will  of  God  that  those  that 
name  the  name  of  Christ  depart  from  iniquity."  The  use  "  for 
information  "  was,  "  Hence  learn  the  folly  of  those  that  make  a 
profession  of  the  name  of  Christ,  and  (depart  not)  from  iniquity." 
"  Let  such  consider,  1,  '  that  they  have  not  as  yet  taken  one  true 
step  towards  a  true  reformation  ;'"  2,  "  that  neither  their  persons 
nor  services  are  accepted  before  God  ;  "  3,  "  that  it  is  a  bold  and 
daring  presumption  to  name  the  name  of  Christ,  and  not  to  depart 
from  iniquity."  From  all  which  considerations,  the  preacher 
deduced  one  more  by  way  of  "  conclusion,"  viz :  "  Whoever  are 
found  under  a  profession  of  the  name  of  Christ,  and  depart  not 
from  iniquity,  Christ  w^Jl  one  day  not  think  them  worthy  to  be 
named  among  professors.  They  shall  not  be  found  to  be  sealed 
ones,  that  day." 


HISTORY   OF   WOBUBN.  101 

44  Such  is  a  brief  specimen  of  the  mode  in  which  one  of  the 
earliest  pastors  of  this  church  used  to  feed  the  flock  of  Christ 
committed  to  his  charge.  The  spiritual  food  ministered  by  him 
on  this  occasion  was  plain  food,  served  up  in  a  homely,  and,  as 
some  may  think,  in  too  precise  and  starched  a  style.  Still  it  was 
wholesome  food,  the  pure  milk  of  the  Word,  and  adapted,  with 
the  Divine  blessing,  to  nourish  the  souls  of  his  flock  unto  eternal 
life.  The  doctrine  inferred  from  the  text,  and  inculcated  in  this 
discourse,  was  sound  and  important;  the  reasons  advanced  in 
support  of  it  were  clear  and  sufficient;  the  use  or  application 
ever  seasonable ;  and  if  there  were  any  of  his  hearers  who  were 
not  profited  by  it,  the  fault  was  not  the  preacher's,  but  their  own. 

Sermon  being  over,  a  short  prayer  by  the  preacher  for  the 
blessing  of  God  on  his  Word  dispensed,  and  a  solemn  benedic- 
tion, closed  the  services  of  the  forenoon. 

In  the  afternoon,  they  were  commenced  with  singing  a  portion 
of  the  148th  Psalm,  H.  M.,  to  the  tune  expressly  adapted  to  that 
Psalm,  and  thence  called  the  "  Old  148th."  In  the  prayer  by 
Mr.  Fox  which  followed,  was  observed  the  same  particularity  of 
enumeration,  and  minuteness  of  description  of  the  mercies 
implored,  as  that  by  which  the  prayer  of  the  morning  was  dis- 
tinguished. After  reverend,  adoring  acknowledgments  of  the 
Divine  perfections  and  works,  love  and  mercy  to  the  children  of 
men,  and  after  a  more  minute  confession  of  prevailing  sins 
(especially  among  his  own  people)  than  is  now  common,  and 
earnest  supplications  for  pardon  and  spiritual  healing  through 
the  grace  of  God  in  Christ,  he  commended  anew  the  special 
cases  and  wants  of  his  people,  and  the  interests  of  Zion  among 
them,  to  Him  that  heareth  prayer.  And  then,  giving  his  thoughts 
a  wider  range  than  Mr.  Carter  had  extended  his  in  the  morning, 
so  as  to  take  in  all  the  proper  subjects  of  prayer  which  his 
senior  colleague  had  omitted,  he  began  to  offer  earnest  inter- 
cessions for  his  country,  for  all  mankind,  for  the  church  of  God 
throughout  the  world.  He  prayed  that  the  inhabitants  of  New 


44  See  skeleton  of  a  discourse  by  Rev.  Jabez  Fox,  delivered  at  Cam- 
bridge, July  1678,  in  Alden's  Collection  of  Epitaphs,  Vol.  I.,  No.  236,  p.  225. 
9* 


102  HISTORY   OF   WOBTJRN. 

England,  especially  of  the  Bay,  might  never  forget  the  errand 
upon  which  their  fathers  crossed  the  ocean  to  this  then  dreary 
wilderness,  that  so  they  might  enjoy  the  ordinances  of  God  in 
their  purity,  and  gather  churches  according  to  his  Word :  that 
they  might  still  pursue  the  design  and  work  which  their  progeni- 
tors had  begun,  still  adhere  to  the  Holy  Scriptures  in  doctrine, 
worship  and  practice,  neither  adding  to  nor  taking  aught  from 
the  Divine  requirements  therein  laid  down,  either  by  word  or 
example :  that  so  New  England  might  continue  New  England, 
and  that  the  Lord  God  might  still  condescend  to  dwell  among 
them,  and  defend  them,  and  multiply  them,  and  build  them  up, 
as  he  had  hitherto,  forevermore.  He  thanked  God  for  the 
endeavors  of  the  Synod  of  the  Elders  and  Messengers  of  these 
churches,  lately  convened  in  the  city  of  our  solemnities,45  with  a 
view  to  the  reformation  of  those  manifest  declensions  and  crying 
sins,  for  which,  it  was  to  be  feared,  God  had  a  controversy  with 
the  people  of  this  land ;  and  earnestly  prayed,  that  the  means 
and  measures  which  the  Synod  had  recommended  for  promoting 
reformation,  and  averting  the  Divine  displeasure,  might  be 
prospered  and  blessed.  And  to  this  end,  he  earnestly  besought 
of  God,  that  he  would  pour  out  his  Spirit,  and  rain  down  right- 
eousness upon  the  whole  Colony  (especially  upon  this  town  of 
Woburn) :  that  so  this  and  all  the  churches  of  our  land  might 
awake  from  their  slumbers,  return  to  their  first  love,  and  do 
their  first  works;  that  godly  discipline  according  to  their 
Scriptural  Platform  might  be  kept  up  in  them,  the  truth  of  the 
gospel  be  maintained  in  them,  holiness  and  peace  abound: 
that  ministers  might  cry  aloud,  and  spare  not  to  show  the  people 
their  transgressions,  and  the  house  of  Jacob  their  sins ;  that  our 
honored  Magistrates  might  diligently  attend  the  execution  of  the 
salutary  laws  and  orders  of  the  Government  for  the  suppression 
and  punishment  of  profaneness,  Sabbath  breaking,  drunkenness, 
oppression,  and  all  manner  of  wickedness  and  vice  j  and  be 
themselves  examples  of  piety  and  virtue :  that  the  religion  of  the 
gospel  might  revive  in  power  and  purity  among  all  ranks  and 

15  Synod  assembled  in  Boston,  1679,  1680. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  103 

conditions  of  men :  that  so  God  might  lift  on  us  once  more  the 
light  of  his  countenance :  that  righteousness  might  dwell  in  our 
land ;  that  mercy  and  truth  might  here  meet  together,  righteous- 
ness and  peace  kiss  each  other. 

He  prayed  for  God's  direction  and  blessing  upon  our  honored 
Governor,  Deputy  Governor  and  the  Magistrates  of  this  juris- 
diction ;  that  he  would  at  all  times  aid  and  prosper  them  in  all 
their  consultations  and  measures  for  preserving  unimpaired  the 
then  threatened  liberties  of  the  country.  He  praised  the  Lord 
for  inclining  the  Great  and  General  Court  of  this  Colony  in  their 
recent  session  to  countenance  the  proceedings  of  the  late  Synod, 
by  ordering  the  Confession  of  Faith  drawn  up  by  it,  together 
with  the  Platform  of  Discipline  agreed  upon  in  1648,  to  be 
printed  "  for  the  benefit  of  these  Churches,  in  present  and  after 
Times ;  "  46  and  prayed,  that  as  Moses  and  Aaron  kissed  each 
other  in  the  Mount  of  God,  so  the  Lord  would  direct  and  dis- 
pose our  civil  and  our  spiritual  fathers  always  to  act  in  concert 
.with  each  other  in  all  designs  for  the  reformation  of  the  people, 
and  the  furtherance  of  the  common  welfare.  And  now,  extend- 
ing his  views  to  the  mother  country,  (or,  as  our  ancestors  were 
accustomed  to  call  it,-  their  home,)  he  prayed  God  to  preserve 
and  bless  our  dread  Sovereign  Lord,  King  Charles ;  that  he 
would  effectually  incline  him  to  remove  from  his  presence  all 
Popish  and  maliciously  affected  counsellors,  who  were  laboring 
fo*  the  destruction  of  these  his  Majesty's  Colonies  by  suggesting 
to  his  royal  ear  false  and  malicious  insinuations  against  them; 
that  he  would  move  his  princely  heart  to  favor  his  poor  but  loyal 
subjects  in  these  goings  down  of  the  sun,  and  to  bestow  on  them 
his  promised  protection  j  and  that  so  his  Majesty  ruling  in  right- 
eousness and  mercy,  God  would  clothe  all  his  adversaries  with 
shame ;  but  cause  upon  him  and  his  royal  house  the  crown  of 
these  kingdoms  to  flourish,  so  long  as  the  sun  and  the  moon  shall 
endure.  He  implored  too  the  Divine  benediction  upon  the  High 
Court  of  Parliament,  the  Legislature  of  the  realm  of  England  ; 
that  by  their  laws,  and  by  all  their  proceedings  and  measures, 

"Resolve  of  Court,  May  19, 1680. 


104  HISTORY   OP   WOBUEN. 

they  might  not  only  maintain  justice,  mercy  and  truth  at  home, 
but  also  approve  themselves  the  zealous  and  successful  defenders 
of  British  rights  and  liberties,  and  of  their  common  Protestant 
religion  in  all  lands  where  the  dominion  of  Britain  was  acknowl- 
edged, and  over  which  its  sceptre  was  swayed.  And  finally,  he 
earnestly  besought  the  Lord  that  he  would  protect  and  deliver 
his  persecuted  churches  and  people  throughout  the  world ;  that 
he  would  hasten  the  end  of  all  idolatry,  superstition  and  impos- 
ture ;  restrain  the  violence  and  defeat  the  crafty  counsels  of  the 
man  of  sin  and  his  abetters ;  that  he  would  everywhere  extend 
the  triumphs  of  the  cross,  and  give  efficacy  to  the  word  of  his 
grace,  and  speed  the  accomplishment  of  the  blessed  time  foretold 
in  his  lively  oracles,  when  Babylon  should  fall  to  rise  no  more ; 
when  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  should  become  the  kingdoms 
of  our  God  and  of  his  Christ. 

After  prayer,  succeeded  the  second  singing,  which  was  followed 
by  a  sermon  from  Mr.  Carter.  But  this  was  not  a  written,  but, 
in  considerable  measure  at  least,  an  extempore  discourse,  founded 
upon  the  same  text  that  was  treated  of  in  the  morning.  As  then, 
Mr.  Fox  displayed  to  all,  especially  to  the  members  of  his 
church,  their  obligations  to  depart  from  all  iniquity;  so  now, 
Mr.  Carter  enforced  those  obligations.  In  a  kind,  affectionate 
exhortation,  he  earnestly  charged  all  his  hearers,  especially 
professors  of  religion,  to  forsake  all  sin,  to  practise  holiness  of 
heart  and  life :  thus  happily  illustrating  the  distinction  anciently 
made  by  our  ancestors  between  the  teacher  and  the  pastor  of  a 
church;  assigning  to  the  former  officer  the  explanation  and 
defence  of  the  truth;  to  the  latter,  the  enforcement  of  it  upon 
the  conscience  and  the  heart.47 

When  the  good  man  had  ceased  from  this  labor  of  love, 
Deacon  Wright  arose  and  said, "  Brethren,  if  any  one  among 
you  have  a  word  of  exhortation  to  offer,  let  him  say  on."  All 
eyes,  I  perceived,  were  instantly  turned  toward  me ;  and  I  felt 
myself  constrained,  in  a  manner,  to  get  up,  and,  after  making 
my  respects  to  the  ministers,  to  address  the  people  briefly  as 
follows : 

47  See  Cambridge  Platform,  Chap.  VI.,  §  5. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  105 

My  Christian  friends  :  you  conclude,  I  presume,  from  the  singu- 
larity of  my  dress,  that  I  am  a  stranger  in  this  region  ;  and  indeed, 
I  am  a  stranger,  come  from  a  land  of  many  days  journey  hence. 
And  yet  it  sometimes  seems,  as  if  I  were  acquainted  here :  for 
there's  a  surprising  resemblance  in  many  respects  between  your 
country  and  mine.  The  climate  is  the  very  same.  The  natural 
scenery  of  both  places  is  almost  exactly  alike.  Your  town  bears 
the  same  name  as  one  next  to  that  I  live  in,  when  at  home.  The 
names  of  Charles  River,  Shawshin  River,  Horn  Pond,  and  other 
waters,  so  common  I  find  among  you,  are  also  perfectly  familiar  to 
me.  Nay,  your  own  names,  which  have  been  oft  repeated  in  my 
hearing  to-day,  are  the  very  same  as  those  most  prevalent  in  the 
town  just  referred  to,  and  within  whose  ancient  limits  I  myself 
dwell.  In  view  of  all  these  circumstances,  I  have  at  times  to-day 
been  almost  forced  into  the  conclusion,  that  I  have  been  travelling 
ever  since  I  left  home  in  a  circle  ;  and  now  that  I  have  come  round 
again  to  the  place  I  started  from,  some  great  alterations  in  the 
fashions  of  our  dress,  which  have  occurred  in  the  interval  of 
my  absence,  prevent  me  and  my  old  friends  and  neighbors  from 
recognizing  one  another.  And  yet,  on  the  other  hand,  this  suppo- 
sition seems  at  once  rendered  inadmissible  by  the  striking  differ- 
ences, which  are  everywhere  apparent  between  your  Woburn,  and 
the  Woburn  in  my  vicinity.  Here,  in  the  midst  of  your  village,  I 
see  no  academy,  as  I  do  there,  seated  like  a  city  on  a  hill  which 
cannot  be  hid.  Here  the  dwelling-houses  are  comparatively  few, 
and  scattered  and  unadorned ;  there  the  houses  in  the  principal 
village  are  very  numerous,  and  many  of  them,  large  and  elegant  to 
look  to.  Here,  I  see  but  one  house  of  public  worship  ;  and  hear  of 
but  one  denomination  of  worshippers  ;  there,  in  the  centre  alone, 
there  are  at  least  three  or  four  meeting-houses,  appropriated  to  the 
use  of  Christians  of  as  many  different  names.  So  that  considering 
these  and  other  points  of  difference,  I  am  driven  to  the  conclusion 
after  all,  that  I  stand  now  in  a  very  different  Woburn  from  that  I 
have  been  long  acquainted  with.  And  yet  it  is  a  satisfaction  to  find, 
that  great  as  the  interval  is  between  us,  we  still  worship  the  same 
God,  acknowledge  the  same  Saviour,  and  profess  to  take  the  same 
Holy  Scriptures  for  our  guide,  both  in  faith  and  practice.  Let  us 
all  then  only  adhere  to  that  Sacred  Rule,  and  live  up  to,  and  act 
out  our  profession  of  submission  and  obedience  to  it,  and  both  you 
and  I  and  the  people  I  dwell  among,  cannot  fail  of  being  finally 
happy  together  forever. 


106  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

Brethren,  it  has  been  highly  gratifying,  and  I  hope  will  be  last- 
ingly profitable  to  me,  to  have  spent  this  holy  Sabbath  with  you. 
I  have  been  edified,  I  trust,  by  the  prayers  in  which  I  have  joined 
with  you.  I  have  been  edified  by  the  dispensation  of  God's  Word 
in  this  his  house  ;  by  the  plain  and  forcible  exposition  of  truth  and 
duty  therefrom,  to  which  we  all  have  had  opportunity  of  listening 
to-day  ;  and  certainly,  if  our  hearts  are  right  with  God,  we  none  of 
us  can  miss  of  being  benefited  by  what  we  have  heard.  Particu- 
larly have  I  been  pleased  with  your  singing.  It  has  forcibly 
brought  back  to  mind  the  days  of  my  childhood  and  youth,  when  I 
was  accustomed  to  hear  sung,  from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath,  by  the 
congregation  generally,  the  very  same  or  the  like  simple  tunes  that 
I  have  heard  to-day  ;  though  then  by  fewer  voices,  and  sometimes 
with  the  aid  of  an  organ,  which  I  am  aware  you  abhor,  or  at  least 
much  dislike.  Concerning  those  days,  I  well  remember  what  feel- 
ings of  awe  and  devout  reverence  the  sight  and  hearing  of  my 
elders,  and  of  my  elders'  elders,  all  singing  the  high  praises  of 
God,  though  with  unequal  time  and  occasionally  with  somewhat 
discordant  voices,  used  to  excite  in  my  breast.  Of  late,  I  have  but 
seldom  had  an  opportunity  of  hearing  the  songs  of  Zion  sung  after 
this  sort.  Hence,  I  have  enjoj'ed  listening  to  them  to-day,  as  a 
feast,  and  I  regret  that  it  may  be  long  before  I  am  gratified  in  the 
same  way  again.  But  you,  my  friends,  who  are  favored  with  this 
privilege  every  Sabbath,  do  prize  it  highly,  I  trust,  and  will  not 
lightly  give  it  up.  And  that  you  may  long  retain  it,  beware  of 
multiplying  the  tunes  to  be  sung.  By  adhering  constantly  to  the 
use  of  a  few  plain,  substantial  tunes,  which  are  easily  learnt,  you 
are  all  capable,  in  one  degree  or  other,  of  sounding  forth  the  praises 
of  the  God  of  Heaven. 

Do  not  render  then  this  delightful  duty  impossible  to  a  large 
majority  of  your  fellow-worshippers  (as  I  have  known  it  done  in 
my  own  country),  by  the  introduction  of  a  multitude  of  new  and 
difficult  tunes,  or  by  changing  singing  books  once  a  year.  And 
should  your  present  aversion  to  instrumental  music  ever  give  way 
(as  I  doubt  not  it  eventually  will),  and  should  you  begin  to  use  the 
harp,  the  viol  and  the  organ  in  the  worship  of  the  sanctuary,  let  no 
one,  capable  of  singing,  be  willing  on  this  account  to  excuse  himself 
from  the  duty,  and  shift  it  off  upon  a  few  paid  individuals,  with 
their  instruments,  in  the  gallery.  For  if  singing  the  praises  of 
Jehovah  be  a  duty  to  any,  it  is  to  all  who  have  a  voice  and  an 
ear,  and  any  tolerable  skill  to  sing  in  concert  with  others.  A 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  107 

select  choir  may  be  a  great  help  in  singing.  Still  its  members 
cannot  be  supposed  capable  of  doing  the  work  of  praise  for  others, 
so  well  as  others,  who  have  any  ear  for  sacred  music,  can  do  it  for , 
themselves.  Excuse,  I  pray  you,  the  freedom  of  these  remarks  by 
a  stranger,  proceeding,  as  I  trust  they  do,  from  a  disinterested 
desire  for  your  good.  A  few  improvements  I  might  here  suggest 
in  your  present  mode  of  singing  ;  but  I  forbear.  For  in  changing 
there  is  always  risk,  I  am  sensible,  of  doing  harm  instead  of  good  ; 
and  I  fear,  that  in  attempting  to  make  good  in  some  measure  better, 
I  should,  as  often  happens  in  other  cases,  mar  or  spoil  the  whole. 
Brethren,  I  must  repeat  the  high  satisfaction  I  have  taken  in  the 
services  of  this  sanctuary  this  day.  The  onty  deficiency  I  have 
felt  worth  mentioning  is,  the  omission  to  read  the  Holy  Scriptures 
without  comment ;  an  exercise  that  is  common  in  my  own  country, 
and  one,  it  seems  to  me,  that  has  a  Divine  warrant  for  it,  and  is 
both  profitable  in  itself,  and  in  accordance  with  the  practice  of  the 
church  in  every  age.  But  I  will  add  no  more  on  this  point ; 
assured  that  your  own  good  sense  and  pious  regard  to  the  will  of 
God,  will  eventually  lead  you,  on  reflection,  to  correct  the  error,  if 
it  be  one.  As  to  all  other  things,  I  can  with  truth  express  my 
entire  approbation.  As  I  have  sat  here  this  day,  and  attended  to 
the  several  exercises  of  Divine  worship,  and  witnessed  the  pro- 
priety and  fervor  and  engagedness  with  which  they  have  all  been 
performed,  I  have  been  ready  to  exclaim,  as  did  Jacob  of  old, 
"  How  dreadful  is  this  place  !  this  is  none  other  but  the  house  of 
God,  and  this  is  the  gate  of  heaven  !  "  May  you  ever  find  it  to  be 
so,  by  your  own  happy  experience  !  And  so  may  every  house  of 
worship  that  your  posterity  may  hereafter  erect  in  this  place,  prove 
to  them  and  their  children !  I  rejoice  in  seeing  you  do  so  much  as 
you  do,  to  teach  the  rising  generation  the  truths  and  duties  of  the 
Gospel  of  Christ,  and  to  lead  them,  both  by  precept  and  example, 
to  prize  the  institutions  of  God's  worship. 

In  particular,  I  was  glad  to  perceive  in  the  intermission  that  you 
are  in  the  habit  of  catechising  your  children,  —  a  good  old  custom, 
warranted  by  Scripture  authority,  and  recommended  by  early  Chris- 
tian usage,  but  now  (I  regret  to  own  it)  much  neglected  in  my  own 
land  !  But  there  seems  to  be  no  need  of  exhorting  you,  brethren, 
to  see  that  it  be  not  neglected  among  you.  I  am  confident  that 
you  will  keep  up  the  practice  with  the  same  diligence  that  it  was 
transmitted  to  you  by  your  fathers  ;  and  that  you  will  enjoin  upon 
your  children  likewise  to  do  so  hereafter,  for  the  benefit  of  those 


108  HISTORY  OP  WOBURN. 

who  shall  arise  after  them.  You  will  charge  them,  whatever  other 
means  and  methods  of  instruction  they  call  in  to  their  aid  for  the 
religious  education  of  their  children,  on  no  account  to  let  this  be 
overlooked  or  slightly  performed ;  that  they  will  never  leave  it 
entirely  even  to  their  ministers,  much  less  to  other  friends  of  less 
knowledge  and  experience  than  they  ;  that  they  will  keep  the  mat- 
ter in  their  own  hands,  though  they  admit  others  to  share  in  the 
labor  of  it  with  them  ;  and  discharge  it  faithfully  according  to  the 
light  and  skill  and  experience  which  God  severally  gives  them  ;  and 
then  the  result,  through  the  Divine  blessing,  they  may  reasonably 
hope  will  be,  that  there  shall  ever  be  a  generation  in  this  place  who 
shall  be  taught  of  God  to  acknowledge,  love  and  serve  him,  and 
whom  he  will  own  and  build  up  and  rejoice  in,  —  a  people  for  his 
praise. 

Dear  Christian  friends,  this  is  the  first  time  I  was  ever  with  you, 
and  it  will,  doubtless,  be  the  last.  I  must  presently  leave  you, 
and  we  shall  meet  no  more  on  this  side  the  grave.  But  sure  I  am 
that,  if  I  am  ever  prepared  myself  through  grace  for  a  part  in  the 
resurrection  of  the  just,  I  shall  meet  many,  very  many,  of  this 
congregation  again  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Son  of  Man ;  and 
shall  be  admitted  to  praise  and  rejoice  with  you  in  that  better 
temple  above,  whence  there  is  no  more  going  out,  and  where  we 
shall  dwell  forever  with  the  Lord.  The  Lord  grant  that  we  may 
all  of  us  find  mercy  of  the  Lord  in  that  day !  and  till  then  I  bid 
you,  one  and  all,  a  cordial  farewell. 

Upon  my  saying  these  words,  which  were  heard  with  atten- 
tion, and  were  apparently  welcome,  Mr.  Carter  offered  a  short 
prayer,  in  which  he  implored  a  blessing  upon  the  services  of  the 
day,  and  upon  the  words  uttered  by  their  unknown  friend 
according  to  God's  Word :  and  then,  with  singing  four  stanzas 
of  the  119th  Psalm,  long  metre,  to  the  tune  of  "Hundredth," 
and  with  a  Scripture  benediction  by  Mr.  Carter,  the  public 
worship  for  that  day  was  ended.  As  for  me,  as  soon  as  I  could 
conveniently  after  leaving  the  house,  I  took  the  conveyance  by 
which  I  came,  and  was  instantly  transported  over  the  current  of 
one  hundred  and  eighty  years  afd  upwards,  from  Hilly  Way,  in 
Woburn,  in  his  Majesty's  Colony  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  in  New 
England,  to  my  own  quiet  home,  near  Vine  Brook,  and  within 
the  ancient  bounds  of  the  Second  Precinct  of  Woburn,  Massa- 
chusetts, one  of  the  Independent  United  States  of  America. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Philip's  "War.  — Persons  murdered  by  Indians  in  Woburn  during  that  War. 
—  Small-Pox  in  Woburn,  1G78.  —  Arbitrary  proceedings  of  Sir  Edmund 
Andros  in  Woburn,  1687-88.  —Death  of  Rev.  Thomas  Carter.  —  Medford 
Bridge.  —Death  of  Rev.  Mr.  Fox. 

SHORTLY  after  the  second  meeting-house  in  Woburn  was 
finished  (the  building,  accommodations  and  weekly  worship  of 
which  form  a  prominent  subject  of  the  Chapter  foregoing),  broke 
out  that  scourge  of  New  England,  Philip's  War.  It  is  so  called 
from  Philip,  the  Indian  chief,  who  was  its  principal  instigator. 
It  began  in  Plymouth  Colony,  June  24,  1675,  and  quickly  ex- 
tending itself  into  Massachusetts,  it  spread  its  horrors  and 
devastations  in  every  direction,  and  seemed  to  threaten  at  times 
the  utter  ruin  of  the  country. 

In  this  destructive  contest,  Woburn  was  not  assaulted  by  the 
enemy  in  great  numbers  at  any  one  time.  Nor  was  it  burnt, 
pillaged  and  laid  waste,  either  totally  or  in  part,  as  Marlboro '> 
Sudbury  and  Groton  in  the  same  county  were.  Still,  it  was  not 
exempt  from  a  large  share  of  the  common  burdens  and  suffer- 
ings of  that  gloomy  period. 

Its  proportion  of  the  public  taxes,  necessary  to  sustain  the 
warfare  undertaken,  was  oppressive  in  the  extreme.  In  1674, 
the  Colony  tax  for  Woburn  was  but  a  trifle  over  X30.1  But 
within  fourteen  months  from  the  commencement  of  hostilities  to 
the  death  of  Philip,  which  occurred  August  12,  1676,  and  which 
was  virtually  the  conclusion  of  the  war  called  by  his  name,2  no  less 

~~  »  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  55,  56. 

2  But  war  with  the  Eastern  Indians,  however,  continued  many  years 
after.  It  was  distinguished  as  King  William's  War,  and  cost  much  treas- 
ure and  many  lives  to  bring  it  to  an  end.  In  the  course  of  it,  the  following 
instance  occurred,  in  which  Woburn  people  were  involved.  On  the  6th  of 
July,  1690,  as  two  companies  of  English  were  scouting,  under  Captains 
Floyd  and  Wiswall.  they  came  upon  a  party  of  Indians  at  Wheelwright's 
Pond  in  Lee,  N.  H.  A  bloody  engagement  ensued,  in  which  Capt.  Wiswall, 
his  Lieutenant,  Gershom  Flagg,  of  Woburn,  Sergeant  Edward  Walker,  a  son 
of  the  elder  Dea.  Samuel  Walker,  of  Woburn,  and  twelve  others,  were  killed 
and  several  wounded.  —Belknap's  New  Hampshire,  in  one  volume,  p.  134. 
10 


110  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

than  twenty  single  rates  were  ordered  by  the  Court  to  be  levied 
for  the  prosecution  of  the  contest  on  the  part  of  the  Colonists, 
viz:  three  rates  at  their  Session,  July  9,  1675;  seven,  October 
13,  1675,  and  ten,  May  3,  1676.3  But  burdensome  as  these 
large  and  quickly  repeated  demands  by  the  Legislature  were,  for 
money  to  carry  on  the  war  in  which  the  country  was  involved, 
the  inhabitants  of  Woburn,  from  patriotic  motives,  appear  to 
have  submitted  to  them  all,  without  murmuring  or  complaint,  and 
to  have  made  ample  and  timely  provision  for  answering  them. 

On  the  "23:  6  mo:"  (23  August)  1675,  the  Selectmen  met 
with  the  commissioner,  and  assessed  "a  rate  for  the  Country"; 
and  in  giving  it,  on  the  4th  of  the  month  following,  to  the 
constables  to  collect,  they  ordered  them  to  gather  it  of  every 
inhabitant  "  twice  over,"  thus  making  it  equivalent  to  two  single 
rates.  They  also  directed  them  to  "  demand  of  the  old  troopers 
two  shillings  and  a  penny  upon  each  rate,  as  the  Court  hath 
ordered " ; 4  and  likewise  "  to  demand  and  gather  of  every 
person  one  fourth  part  of  a  single  rate,  for  to  provide  ammu- 
nition with  for  a  Town's  stock ;  and  to  demand  of  every  old 
trooper  sixpence  farthing  more  than  what  is  set  down  in  the 
said  rate."5 

»  Colony  Records,  Vol.  V.,  pp.  46,  65,  56, 81. 

4  At  their  session  in  July  1675,  the  Court  passed  the  following  resolve : 
"Whereas  the  troopers  and  their  trooping  horses  are  wont  to  be 
exempted  in  ordinary  country  rates,  it  is  heereby  declared,  that  they  are 
not  to  be  freed  in  the  rates  granted  by  this  Court  for  the  defraying  the 
charge  of  the  present  expedition  against  the  Indians. "a  In  the  foregoing 
order  of  the  selectmen,  by  "  old  troopers  "  are  meant  those  who  belonged 
to  some  troop  before  the  present  war  began,  in  distinction  from  new 
troopers,  who  had  enlisted  since,  and  of  whom,  at  one  time,  there  were 
twelve.b  There  were,  at  this  period,  five  troops  of  horse  within  the  juris- 
diction of  Massachusetts,  viz :  the  Suffolk  troop,  the  Essex  troop,  the 
Middlesex  troop,  the  Norfolk  troop  (belonging  to  the  northerly  part  of 
Essex  County),  and  the  "  Three  County  troop,"  comprehending  all  who 
had  enlisted  from  "  the  county  of  Dover  and  Portsmouth,"  from  the  set- 
tlements "in  and  near  York,  called  Yorkshire,  and  from  the  settlements 
upon  and  near  the  Kennebeck,  erected,  1674,  into  a  county  by  the  name  of 
Devonshire.c  Troopers  from  Woburn  were  attached  to  the  Middlesex 
troop,  commanded  by  Capt.  Thomas  Prentice,  of  Cambridge  Village,  now 
Newton.c 

•  Colony  Records,  Vol.  V.,  p.  45.  b  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  64. 

«  Colony  Records,  Vol.  V.,  pp.  73,  295.      *  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  64,  65,  66,  67,  68,  69. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBUBN.  Ill 

The  amount  of  the  rate  thus  assessed,  and  given  to  the  collec- 
tors to  gather  "  twice  over,"  added  to  what  was  demanded  of 
"  fower  ould  troopers,"  for  their  persons  and  horses,  was 

.£60:19:10 
do.          of  the  quarter  rate  for  ammunition  7  :06  :1 1 

On  the  23:  of  the  9  mo.  (23d  Nov.)  1675,  the 
selectmen  met  and  levied  a  rate  on  the  inhabitants 
"  for  the  charge  of  the  Indian  warr,"  amounting  to  £120 :00  :00 

On  the  18  :11  mo.  1675,  (18th  Jan.  1675-6,)  the 
selectmen  met  again,  and  "  ordered  another  Rate  for 
the  Indian  warr,"  amounting  to  -  -  -  .£119:01:06 

These  last  two  assessments  doubtless  answered 
to  the  seven  single  rates  called  for  by  order  of  the 
court,  Oct.  13th,  1675,  and  also  to  the  third  of  the 
three  single  rates  ordered  July  9,  1675,  but  which, 
it  seems,  had  not  yet  been  assessed.5 

On  the  14:  4  mo.  (14th  June)  1676,  the  select- 
men, to  satisfy  the  ten  single  rates  ordered  in  May 
of  that  year,  levied  what  is  called  in  the  records, 
"  a  Warr  Rate,"  being  a  single  rate  ten  times 
doubled,  amounting  to £325:17:6 


Sum  total       ....         £633 :05 :9 
Of  this  sum,  about  XI 00,  as  nearly  as  can  be  ascer- 
tained, was  reserved  for  the  payment  of  town  debts 
and  expenses,  such  as  schooling,  support  of  poor, 
county  tax,  etc.,  etc.  —  (See  Records.}       -  100 :0 :0 

£533  :05  :9 

The  balance  was  paid  to  the  Colony  Treasurer,  or  to  others, 
with  his  knowledge  and  allowance,  towards  defraying  the 
expenses  of  the  war.5 

To  afford  some  ease  to  the  people  in  the  payment  of  such 
heavy  taxes,  at  a  period  of  great  scarcity  of  money,  they  were 
allowed  by  the  court  to  pay  them  in  various  necessary  commodi- 
ties, and  especially  in  grain,  viz :  in  wheat  at  six  shillings,  rye 


*  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  65,  66,  68. 


112  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

at  four  shillings  and  sixpence,  barley  and  pease  at  four  shillings, 
Indian  corn  at  three  shillings  and  sixpence,  oats  at  two  shillings, 
per  bushel ;  provided  these  articles  were  delivered  to  the  treas- 
urer without  cost  to  the  country.  To  encourage,  however,  the 
payment  of  taxes  in  silver,  the  court  ordered  an  abatement  of 
one-fourth  part  to  such  as  paid  in  money.6 

1675.  "Paid  in  to  the  Treasurer  by  John  Richison,  Constable, 
by  shoose  and  barly £8:11:6." 

1675.  "Paid  by  Jonathan  Tomson  [Constable]  in 

oats  and  Dtherways      .....  l  :5  :8."  7 

In  settling  for  taxes  during  this  war,  an  allowance  was  made 
for  what  were  called  "debentors";  that  is,  certificates  from 
some  acknowledged  authority,  of  wages  due  to  soldiers  for  their 
services.  Whenever  a  constable  presented  a  debentor  to  the 
Colony  Treasurer,  in  payment  of  taxes,  he  was  allowed  for  it 
the  same  as  for  silver. 

"  Paid  by  Jona.  Tomson  ....  in  silver  and 

debentors,  the  full  sum  of  all  advanced  -  -  £61 :19  :02." 

"  Paid  in  to  the  Treasurer  by  John .  Richison, 

Constable,  in  silver  and  debenturs,  etc.  -  -  68  :16  :03." 

"  Paid  by  Joseph  Wright  in  his  debentor      -       -     01 :07  :07." 7 

As  to  the  quarter  rate  for  ammunition  spoken  of  above,  the 
Records  inform  how  it  was  disposed  of,  as  follows : 
"  Paid  to  the  Captaine  [John  Carter],  of  the  ammu- 
nition Rate,  the  just  sum  of      -         -         -         -  £6  :02  :6 

Capt.    Carter  paid  Mr.  Richards  for  a  barell  of 

powder,  the  sum  of  -  £5  :0 :0 

By  musket  bullets  and  pistoll  bullets     -         -         -  0:17:0 
By  to  [two]  Runlets  to  put  these  bullets  in  -         -       0 :1 :4 

By  the  porterige  and  ferridge  [ferryage]       -         -  0 :02  :0 

To  Capt.  Carter  for  buying  powder      ...  0 :04 :0 
For  flints  by  Capt.  Carter             -         -         -         -00:00:1 1."8 

«  Colonial  Records,  Vol.  V.,  p.  55.  1  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  64. 

•  Town  Records,  Vol.  H.,  p.  23. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBUBN.  113 

But  the  pecuniary  cost  of  this  war,  incurred  by  taxation  and 
in  other  ways,  burdensome  as  it  was  to  the  inhabitants  ot 
Woburn,  was  nothing  compared  with  the  risk  and  loss  of  life 
which  it  occasioned  many  of  them,  the  various  and  grievous 
hardships  to  which  it  subjected  them,  and  the  consternation  and 
terror  which  it  caused  to  prevail  in  the  midst  of  them,  as  well  as 
throughout  the  Colony,  both  by  day  and  by  night,  lest  they 
should  be  waylaid  or  suddenly  assaulted,  their  houses  burned 
or  plundered,  and  themselves  and  families  either  killed,  or  cap- 
tivated and  reserved  for  future  torture  by  their  savage  foes. 

August  2,  1675,  an  order  came  from  Edward  Rawson,  Secre- 
tary of  the  Colony  to  the  constable  of  Woburn,  "  to  impresse  five 
able  and  sufficient  horses,  well  shod  and  furnisht  with  bridles  and 
saddles,  fitt  for  the  service  of  the  Country ;  and  bring  them  to 
Capt.  Davis'  9  house  in  Boston  by  eight  of  the  clock  in  the  morn- 
ing."10 About  December  1st,  1675,  when  preparations  were 
making  for  the  Narraganset  expedition,  thirteen  soldiers  were 
impressed  from  Woburn,  viz :  John  Baker,  John  Baldwin,  Peter 
Bateman,  John  Berbeane,  John  Cutler,  Thomas  Hale,  Jeremiah 
Hood,  William  Peirce,  John  Polly,  John  Preist,  John  Sheldon, 
Caleb  Simonds  and  Zechariah  Snow.10  February  24,  1675-6, 
nine  horses  more,  with  suitable  equipments,  were  ordered  to  be 
impressed  from  Woburn.10  And,  March  22d  following,  Woburn 
was  directed  to  furnish  six  draught  horses  and  three  men  by  way 
of  impressment 10  "  to  carry  provisions  and  ammunition  to  the 
garrison  at  Brookfield."  10 

In  addition  to  the  thirteen  men,  expressly  named  above,  as 
forced  into  the  war  from  Woburn  by  impressment,  this  town 
appears  from  its  Records,  from  the  Records  of  Hon.  John  Hull, 
Esq.,  Treasurer  of  the  Colony  in  1676,11  and  from  other  reliable 
authorities,  to  have  furnished  for  the  war  forty-five  others,  who 
voluntarily  enlisted  in  the  service,  or  who  were  drafted  for  it  by 
lot,  viz :  John  Bateman,  Isaac  Brooks,  John  Brooks,  William 


•  William  Davis,  Capt.  of  the  Suffolk  troop  of  horse,  who  died  shortly  after. 
10  Letters  of  Rev.  Joseph  B.  Felt,  from  the  State  archives. 

"  A  folio,  once  in  possession  of  Nathaniel  Q.  Snelling,  Esq.,  Boston,  but  now,  it  is  under- 
stood, in  the  rooms  of  the  Historical  and  Genealogical  Society. 

10* 


114  HISTORY   OF   WOBTJRN. 

Butters,  Jacob  Chamberlin,  Moses  Cleaveland,  Jr.,  Samuel 
Cleveland,  Josiah  Clopson  (or  Cloyson),  John  Coddington,  Jon- 
athan Crisp,  Paul  Fletcher,  William  Green,  John  Kendall, 
Benoni  McDonald,  John  Moloony,  Richard  Nevers,  Abraham 
Parker,  n  Thomas  Parker,  Joseph  Peirce,  Thomas  Peirce, 
Jr.,  William  Reed,  Samuel  Read,  John  Richardson,  Joseph 
Richardson,  Nathaniel  Richardson,  Samuel  Richardson,  David 
Roberts,  John  Seirs,  Benjamin  Simonds,  James  Simonds,  Joseph 
Simonds,  Robert  Simpson,  Eliah  Tottingham,  John  Walker, 
George  Wilkinson,  Joseph  Waters  [or  Wallis],  John  Wilson,  Jr., 
Increase  Winn,  Joseph  Winn,  John  Wyman,  Jr.,  Francis  Wyman, 
Jr.,  and  Joseph  Wright.  To  these  may  be  added  three  other 
soldiers  in  that  war,  named  by  the  Treasurer,  viz :  William 
Dean,  Thomas  "  Hincher  "  (Henshaw),  and  Benjamin  Wilson, 
who  may  be  confidently  presumed  to  have  been  the  three 
well  known  citizens  of  Woburn  answering  to  those  names 
respectively. 

Of  the  fifty-eight  persons  above  expressly  named,  as  enlisted 
from  Woburn  in  Philip's  War,  it  may  be  remarked  of  fourteen 
of  them,  viz :  of  Peter  and  John  Bateman,  Chamberlin,  Clop- 
son,  Coddington,  Crisp,  Fletcher,  Hood,  the  two  Parkers, 
Roberts,  Simpson,  Wallis,  and  Wilkinson,  that  they  were  prob- 
ably not  citizens  of  Woburn  at  the  commencement  of  the  war, 
but  servants,  or  hired  laborers  from  abroad,  who  were  persuaded 
to  enlist  for  this  town  in  the  service  of  the  country.  Simpson 
was  apparently  a  Scotchman,  one  of  those  who,  for  espousing 
the  cause  of  Charles  II.,  were  sent  over  to  this  country  by 
Cromwell  to  be  sold,  after  he  had  defeated  them  at  the  battle 
of  Dunbar,  1650,  or  of  Worcester,  1651 ;  and,  being  a  tanner 
by  trade,  was  bought  by  Lieut.  John  Wyman,  tanner,  of  Woburn, 
"  on  purpose  for  the  management  of  his  tan  yard."  Mr.  Wyman, 
his  master  (having  had  his  son  slain  in  the  fight  at  Narraganset) 
petitioned  the  General  Court,  May  16,  1676,  that  his  servant, 

11  An  Abraham  Parker,  according  to  the  Records,  was  married  in  Wo- 
burn, in  1644,  and  had  children.  A  son,  Abraham,  was  born  to  him,  March 
8,  1650,  but  died  Oct.  20,  1651.  No  mention  is  made  subsequently  of  the 
father  in  the  records,  nor  is  his  name  on  the  tax  lists  of  1666,  1672,  1074, 
'75,  '76,  whence  it  is  inferred  that  he  had  removed  from  the  town. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  115 

Simpson,  then  a  garrison  soldier  at  Hadley,  and  needing  clothes, 
might  be  released  and  come  home,  that  "  so  his  lether  now  in 
the  fatts  may  not  be  spoyled.10  Of  the  other  thirteen,  Peter 
Bateman,  originally  from  Concord,11  died  at  Woburn,  Feb.  13, 
1675—6,  not  improbably  of  sickness  contracted  at  Narraganset 
the  December  before.  Chamberlin,  Coddington,  Crisp,  Fletcher, 
Hood,  Abraham  and  Thomas  Parker,  do  not  appear  to  have 
returned  to  Woburn  to  remain  there  after  the  war  was  over. 
John  Bateman  (a  brother,  perhaps,  o£  Peter:  See  Savage's 
Genealogical  Diet.}  came  back,  married,  and  reared  up  a  family 
in  Woburn.  Clopson,  also  Roberts,  Wallis,  and  Wilkinson 
returned,  and  were  taxed  here  after  the  war  had  ended ;  Wil- 
kinson died  in  the  place,  a  pauper,  1683;  and  Roberts  married 
and  had  a  family  in  Woburn,  lived  much  respected  in  the  place, 
and  died  as  late  as  1724. 

The  other  forty-four  soldiers  in  Philip's  War  from  Woburn, 
named  above,  were  all  citizens  of  the  town,  or  the  minor  sons 
of  citizens,  when  the  war  began ;  were  most  of  them  here  born 
and  brought  up ;  descendants  of  a  majority  of  them,  are  still  re- 
membered, or  yet  live  in  the  place,  and  they  constituted  almost 
a  third  part  of  all  the  male  ratable  persons  in  the  town  in 
1675,  who  were  then  in  number  only  140.12 

December  19, 1675,  was  fought  that  memorable  battle  between 
the  English  and  the  Indians,  called  the  Swamp  Fight,  or  Narra- 
ganset Fort  Fight,  from  the  circumstance  of  its  being  fought  at 
a  fort  in  the  midst  of  a  swamp  in  the  Narraganset  country, 
within  the  present  bounds  of  South  Kingston,  Rhode  Island. 
As  all  the  soldiers  impressed  about  the  first  of  that  month  from 
Woburn,  and  also  a  considerable  proportion  of  the  others 
enlisted  in  the  war  from  the  same  place,  appear  to  have  taken 
part  in  that  bloody  engagement,  a  brief  account  of  it  here  may 
not  be  amiss. 

The  Commissioners  of  the  United  Colonies  of  New  England 
(viz.,  Massachusetts,  Plymouth  and  Connecticut)  having  deter- 
mined, in  November  1675,  to  undertake  an  expedition  in  the 

11  Savage's  Genealogical  Dictionary. 

i*  Woburn  i  own  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  62,  68. 


116  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

midst  of  winter  into  the  enemy's  country,  they  ordered  a  thou- 
sand men  to  be  raised  for  this  service  with  all  possible  despatch. 
Of  this  army,  Massachusetts  furnished  527  men,  viz,  six  com- 
panies of  foot,  containing  465  men,  under  the  command  of  Major 
Appleton,  and  Captains  Mosely,  Gardener,  Davenport,  Oliver 
and  Johnson,  and  a  troop  of  horse  led  by  Capt.  Prentice. 
Plymouth  found  158  men,  in  two  companies  under  Major  Brad- 
ford and  Capt.  Gorham.  Connecticut's  quota  was  originally  set 
at  315  men,  but  she  sent,  eventually,  into  the  field  300  English, 
and  150  Mohegan  and  Pequot  Indians,  distributed  into  five 
companies  commanded  by  Major  Treat,  and  by  Captains  Seely, 
Gallop,  Mason,  Watts  and  Marshall.  The  whole  army,  now 
amounting  to  1,135  men,  English  and  friendly  Indians,  was  com- 
manded by  Major  Josiah  Winslow,  Governor  of  the  Colony  of 
Plymouth.  The  Massachusetts  forces  marched  from  Boston, 
Dec.  8th,  and  from  Dedham,  Dec.  9th,  and  were  joined  by  those 
of  Plymouth  soon  after,  and  by  those  of  Connecticut,  Dec.  18th, 
about  evening.  After  spending  that  night,  which  was  cold  and 
stormy,  in  the  open  air,  they  moved  on  at  break  of  day,  Dec. 
19th,  wading  through  the  snow,  fourteen  or  fifteen  miles,  "with- 
out either  fire  to  warm  them,  or  respite  to  take  any  food,  save 
what  they  could  chew  in  their  march." 

At  one  o'clock,  P.  M.,  they  arrived  at  the  edge  of  the  swamp, 
the  place  of  their  enemy's  retreat,  whither  they  were  conducted 
by  Peter,  a  disaffected  Indian,  who  told  them  that  here  "  they 
should  find  Indians  enough  before  night."  In  the  midst  of  this 
swamp,  which  was  large,  the  Indians  had  made,  upon  a  rising 
ground  of  five  or  six  acres,  a  fort,  or  an  enclosure  of  palisades, 
surrounded  by  a  hedge  of  about  a  rod  in  thickness.  The  only 
way  by  which  our  forces  could  venture  to  attempt  an  entrance 
into  it,  with  any  chance  of  safety  and-  success,  was  over  a  long 
tree  elevated  four  or  five  feet  from  the  ground ;  and  even  this 
had  a  log  house  erected  over  against  it,  in  which  many  Indians 
were  stationed,  ready  to  defend  the  passage  against  all  who 
should  approach  it.  By  this  passage,  the  Massachusetts  men, 
who  were  in  advance  of  the  rest  upon  entering  the  swamp,  made 
a  bold  effort  to  throw  themselves  into  the  fort :  but  two  of  their 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  117 

captains,  Johnson  and  Davenport,  were  instantly  shot  down 
mortally  wounded ;  the  former  upon  the  tree,  the  latter  upon 
getting  within*  the  palisades.  And  here  commenced  a  long  and 
sharp  conflict  between  the  English  and  Indians.  For  a  consid- 
erable time,  the  former  were  obstinately  resisted  by  the 
Indians,  who  fought  with  a  desperate  resolution  against  their 
assailants,  as  they  attempted  an  entrance  into  their  fort,  or 
when  they  had  succeeded  in  throwing  themselves  into  it.  But 
nothing  could  daunt  the  English,  or  repress  the  ardor  of  their 
attack.  As  fast  as  one  company  was  driven  back,  another 
stood  ready  to  take  its  place,  and  to  renew  its  efforts.  At 
length,  while  the  main  body  of  the  Connecticut  forces  (who  had 
been  stationed  in  the  rear)  were  strenuously  fighting  their  way 
over  the  tree  and  before  the  block  house,  into  the  fort,  another 
party  passed  unobserved  to  the  rear  of  the  fort ;  and  there  find- 
ing a  vacancy  in  th^palisades,  they  clambered  over  the  high  and 
thick  hedge,  and,  rushing  along  through  the  opening,  "  they 
poured  a  heavy  and  well  directed  fire  upon  the  back  of  the 
enemy."  And  now  the  Indians,  attacked  both  in  front  and 
rear,  were  gradually  compelled  to  give  up  resistance,  and  by  one 
way  or  another  to  make  their  escape  from  the  fort.  In  the 
mean  while,  the  English  fired  their  wigwams,  in  which  were  col- 
lected not  only  their  stores  of  corn  for  their  subsistence  during 
the  winter,  but  also  many  of  their  old  men,  women  and 
children :  and  then,  having  completed  this  work  of  destruction, 
they  commenced  at  dusk  marching  to  their  head-quarters  fifteen 
or  sixteen  miles  off,  taking  with  them  their  wounded,  and  the 
greater  part  of  their  dead. 

But  who  can  describe  the  horrors  of  that  night !  The  groans 
of  the  dying  warriors,  as  they  lay  thickly  strewed  on  the  ground 
in  the  fort ;  the  hideous  yells  of  those  who  escaped,  enraged  at 
their  defeat,  and  at  the  loss  of  all  that  was  dear  to  them ;  the 
heart-rending  shrieks  of  old  men,  women  and  children  perishing 
in  the  flames  of  about  six  hundred  wigwams :  all  concurred  to 
render  the  scene  inexpressibly  shocking,  and  deeply  affected,  it 
is  said,  the  hearts  of  some  of  the  victors  themselves.  The  loss- 
of  the  Indians  by  this  battle  has  been  differently  estimated.. 


118  HISTORY   OP   WOBDRN. 

According  to  the  confession  of  one  eminent  among  them,  who 
was  afterwards  taken  in  Rhode  Island,  and  put  to  death  in 
Boston,  there  fell  that  day  seven  hundred  warriors ;  and  three 
hundred  were  wounded,  who  subsequently,  the  most  of  them, 
died  of  their  wounds.  "It  was  supposed,"  saith  Rev.  Dr.  Trum- 
bull,  concerning  the  Indians,  —  "It  was  supposed  that  three 
hundred  warriors  were  slain,  besides  many  wounded,  who  after- 
wards died  of  their  wounds  and  with  the  cold.  Nearly  the  same 
number  were  taken,  with  three  hundred  women  and  children. 
From  the  number  of  wigwams  in  the  fort,  it  is  probable  that  the 
whole  number  of  the  Indians  was  nearly  four  thousand.  Those 
who  were  not  killed  in  battle,  or  did  not  perish  in  the  flames, 
fled  to  a  cedar  swamp,  where  they  spent  the  night  without  food, 
fire  or  covering."  Of  the  English,  "  six  brave  captains  fell  in 
the  action,  and  eighty  men  were  killed  or  mortally  wounded.  A 
hundred  and  fifty  men  were  wounded,  whj^  afterwards  recov- 
ered." Many  of  the  wounded  died  in  consequence  of  their 
sufferings  from  the  cold,  and  from  the  hardships  they  endured 
in  their  long  fatiguing  march  the  night  after  the  battle.  "  The 
cold  was  extreme,"  saith  Dr.  Trumbull,  "  and  the  snow  fell  so 
deep  that  night,  that  it  was  difficult  the  next  day  for  the  army  to 
move.  Many  of  the  soldiers  were  frozen,  and  their  limbs 
exceedingly  swollen.  Four  hundred  were  disabled  and  unfit 
for  duty." 13  Of  those  returned  after  the  battle  from  the  several 
companies  as  dead  or  wounded,  the  following  six  belonged  to 
Woburn,  viz : 

"Of  Major  Samuel  Appleton's  company,  Illia  Thathane  (or, 
as  the  name  doubtless  should  have  been  recorded,  Elian  Totting- 
ham)  "  wounded  and  left  at  Rhode  Island,  January  6,  1675-6. 

"Of  Capt.  Nathanael  Davenport's  company,  Caleb  Simonds, 
Zechariah  Snow  and  John  Baker,  wounded. 

"  Of  Capt.  Prentice's  troop,  John  Wyman,  jr.,  [son  of  Lieut. 
John  Wyman]  slain,  and  Nathanael  Richardson,  wounded.10 

Beside  these  six  officially  returned,  as  dead  or  wounded,, 
belonging  to  Woburn,  may  be  named  Francis  Wyman,  Jr.,  son 

*»  Trumbull's  Connecticut,  Vol.  I.,  Book  1,  Chap,  xiv.,  pp.  337-40.    See  also  Hutchinson's 
If asBachusetts,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  298-301.    Hubbard's  Indian  Ware,  pp.  100-112. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBUEN.  119 

of  Francis,  tanner,  of  Woburn  ;  and  Peter  Bateman.  They  were 
both  soldiers  in  Philip's  war  from  Woburn;  the  former 
apparently  by  voluntary  enlistment,  the  latter  by  impressment, 
about  Dec.  1st,  when  preparations  were  making  for  the  Narra- 
ganset  expedition ;  they  both  appear  to  have  fought  in  the  Fort 
fight;  and  they  both  died  shortly  after,  Bateman  13  Feb.,  and 
Wyman  26  April,  1676,  not  improbably  from  wounds  received, 
or  sickness  contracted,  in  that  memorable  battle. 

But  the  six  soldiers  from  Woburn,  officially  returned  as  killed 
or  wounded  at  the  Fort  fight  in  Narraganset,  were  not  all  of  its 
inhabitants  whose  blood  was  shed  in  Philip's  war.  The  town 
was  visited  the  following  spring  by  two  or  three  of  their  savage 
enemies  upon  a  work  of  death,  which  they  but  too  successfully 
accomplished.  In  the  afternoon  of  April  10,  1676,  as  Mr. 
Samuel  Richardson,  who  lived  upon  what  has  been  recently 
called  the  Miller  Farm  in  Richardson's  Row,  was  employed  in 
carting  manure  into  his  field,  accompaned  by  his  son  Samuel,  a 
boy  between  five  and  six  years  of  age,  he  was  surprised  in  look- 
ing toward  his  house,  to  see  feathers  flying  about  it,  and  other 
tokens  of  mischief  within.  Apprehending  that  Indians  might  be 
there,  he  hastened  home,  and  there  found  two  of  his  family 
murdered,  viz :  his  wife,  Mrs.  Hannah  Richardson,  who  had  been 
lately  confined ;  and  his  son  Thomas,  twin  brother  to  him  who 
had  been  with  him  in  the  field.  Upon  further  search,  it  was 
ascertained,  that  the  infant  also,  a  daughter  named  Hannah,  had 
been  killed  by  the  same  ruthless  hands.  The  nurse,  it  appeared, 
had  snatched  it  up  in  her  arms,  upon  the  alarm  of  danger,  and 
hurried  away  to  a  garrison  house  in  the  vicinity  for  protection. 
But  so  closely  was  she  pursued  by  the  enemy,  that  finding  she 
could  not  save  herself  and  the  babe  too,  she  let  the  babe  drop, 
and  the  Indians  despatched  it  upon  coming  up.  Mr.  Richardson 
now  rallied  some  of  his  neighbors,  who  went  with  him  in  pur- 
suit of  the  enemy.  After  following  them  some  time,  they  espied 
three  Indians  sitting  together  on  a  rock,  and  discharged  their 
muskets  at  them.  The  Indians  instantly  fled  to  a  piece  of 
woods  hard  by ;  and  it  being  near  night,  their  pursuers  fearing 
that  they  themselves  might  be  waylaid  by  them,  or  decoyed  into 


120  HISTORY   OF    WOBURN. 

danger,  desisted  from  following  them,  and  returned  home. 
Upon  going  afterwards  to  the  place  where  the  Indians  entered 
the  woods,  they  discovered  blood  on  their  track;  and  upon 
further  search,  they  found  an  Indian  buried  under  the  leaves, 
who  was  doubtless  one  of  the  three,  who  had  been  fired  upon  by 
Mr.  Richardson  and  company,  and  who,  being  mortally 
wounded,  had  died  upon  the  spot  where  found,  and  had  been 
buried  there  by  his  associates. 

To  this  period,  too,  may  be  assigned  another  occurrence  of 
the  same  melancholy  character  with  the  foregoing,  which  took 
place  in  the  opposite  quarter  of  the  town.  Hubbard,  in  the 
Preface  to  his  "Narrative  of  the  Indian  Wars,"  edited  in  1677 
(as  quoted  by  Drake  in  his  "Biography  and  History  of  the 
Indians  of  North  America  "),  observes,  "a  murther  was  commit- 
ted at  Farmington,  another  at  Woburn,  by  some  Indians  in 
their  drunken  humors  upon  a  maid  Servant  or  two,  who  denied 
them  drink."  The  murder  here  referred  to  by  Hubbard,  appa- 
rently as  perpetrated  a  little  before  Philip's  War,  was  not 
improbably  the  same  as  one  committed  in  the  West  part  of 
Woburn,  now  Burlington,  the  story  of  which  has  been  transmit- 
ted there  by  creditable,  uninterrupted  tradition  from  time  imme- 
morial. This  story,  which  differs  in  some  circumstances  from 
that  of  the  Reverend  historian  just  named,  is  briefly  as  follows. 
On  a  certain  Sabbath,  an  Indian  concealed  himself  in  a  hop 
house,  the  kiln  of  which  is  still  pointed  out,  about  a  mile  from 
Burlington  meeting-house,  on  the  road  to  Bedford,  between  the 
house  belonging  to  the  Poor  Farm,  and  that  of  Miss  Ruth 
Wilson.  When  he  supposed  the  neighbors  generally  had  gone 
to  meeting,  he  came  out  from  his  lurking  place,  and  went  to  the 
house,  which  stood  on  the  spot  where  Miss  Wilson's  now  is. 
Upon  entering,  he  asked  for  cider  of  a  young  woman  who  had 
been  left  at  home.  In  compliance  with  his  request,  she  went  to 
the  cellar  to  draw  some ;  but  upon  her  return,  he  knocked  her 
in  the  head  with  his  tomahawk.  The  cellar  door  was  dashed 
with  her  blood,  which  was  never  wiped  off;  and  when  the  house 
came  to  be  taken  down,  about  1 760,  to  make  way  for  the  erec- 
tion of  the  present  one  on  its  site,  this  blood-stained  door  was 


HISTORY   OP   WOBtTRN.  121 

removed,  as  it  was,  to  the  barn ;  and  when  the  barn  was  after- 
wards taken  down,  to  make  room  for  a  new  one  in  its  stead,  the 
door  was  transferred  to  another  barn  in  the  vicinity;  and 
thus  continued  to  be  exhibited  in  these  several  places  for  many 
years,  as  a  memorial  of  this  instance  of  savage  cruelty. 

The  period  of  this  war  of  Philip  was  one  of  the  darkest,  if 
not  the  most  so,  in  the  history  of  New  England.  The  thinness 
of  the  English  settlements  in  the  country  at  that  time,  and  the 
thorough  acquaintance  with  their  dwellings,  fields,  roads,  and 
all  their  common  places  and  times  of  resort,  which  the  Indians 
possessed,  gave  the  latter  numberless  opportunities  for  attacking 
them  unawares  to  advantage,  which  they  were  not  slow  to  per- 
ceive or  improve.  They  were  enabled  hereby,  as  Rev.  Dr. 
Trumbull  strikingly  observes,  "  not  only  in  small  skulking  par- 
ties, but  in  great  bodies,  to  make  their  approaches  undiscovered, 
almost  into  the  very  midst  of  them;  and  under  cover  of  the 
night,  to  creep  into  their  barns,  gardens  and  outhouses ;  to  con- 
ceal themselves  behind  their  fences,  and  lie  in  wait  for  them  on 
the  roads  and  in  their  fields.  Sometimes  they  concealed  them- 
selves before  their  very  doors.  No  sooner  did  they  open  them 
in  the  morning,  than  they  were  instantly  shot  dead.  From 
almost  every  quarter,  they  were  ready  to  rise  upon  them.  At 
midnight,  in  the  morning,  or  whenever  they  could  obtain  an  advan- 
tage, they  were  ready  to  attack  them.  While  the  English  were 
hunting  them  in  one  place,  they  would  be  slaying  the  inhabitants 
and  plundering  and  burning  in  another."  ....  And  thus  they 
"  kept  the  whole  country  in  continual  fear  and  alarm.  There  was 
no  safety  to  man,  woman,  nor  child ;  to  him  who  went  out,  nor  to 
him  who  came  in.  Whether  they  were  asleep  or  awake,  whether 
they  journeyed,  laboured  or  worshipped,  they  were  in  continual 
jeopardy."  14  But  happily,  this  dreadful  state  of  consternation 
and  dismay  did  not  last  long.  After  April  1676,  the  affairs  of 
Philip  rapidly  declined ;  and  his  death,  August  12th,  of  that  year, 
put  a  stop  to  the  war  which  he  had  been  the  chief  instrument  of 
exciting,  about  fourteen  months  from  its  commencement.  Within 


«  Trumbull's  Connecticut,  Vol.  I.,  Chap,  xiv.,  p.  333. 
11 


122  HISTORY   OF  WOBURN. 

this  short  period,  according  to  a  statement  in  Trumbull's  His- 
tory of  Connecticut,15  "  About  600  of  the  inhabitants  of  New 
England,  the  greatest  part  of  whom  were  the  flower  and  strength 
of  the  country,  either  fell  in  battle,  or  were  murdered  by  the 
enemy."  ....  "Twelve  or  thirteen  towns  in  Massachusetts, 
Plymouth  Colony  and  Rhode  Island,  were  utterly  destroyed,  and 
others  greatly  damaged.  About  600  buildings,  chiefly  dwelling 
houses,  were  consumed  with  fire."  And  even  this  estimate,  the 
reverend  historian  just  named  considers,  with  reason,  as  falling 
short  of  the  truth. 

Scarcely  was  this  town  delivered  from  the  common  burdens, 
sufferings  and  terrors  of  this  Indian  war,  than  it  was  visited  by 
another  grievous  calamity,  (as  it  was  then  considered,  and  really 
was,)  the  small-pox.  This  loathsome  distemper,  which  our 
ancestors  were  wont  to  regard  with  most  painful  apprehensions, 
whenever  it  appeared  among  them,  before  inoculation  for  it  was 
introduced,  was  brought  at  this  time  into  the  country  by  a  ship 
infected  with  it,  which  arrived  at  Nantasket,  July  10,  1677.16 
Eight  hundred  persons  in  the  whole  are  supposed  to  have  fallen 
victims  to  it  in  different  places  at  this  visitation.16  "  Multitudes  " 
died  of  it  in  Boston  in  1678.  In  Charlestown,  among  other 
valuable  citizens  to  whom  it  proved  fatal,  was  the  elder  Rev.  Mr. 
Thomas  Shepard,  one  of  the  most  talented  and  excellent  ministers 
of  that  town,  who  caught  the  disorder  from  a  parishioner  whom 
he  ventured  to  visit  on  his  death-bed,  and  died  of  it  shortly  after 
himself,  December  22,  1677.  From  Charlestown  or  Boston,  it 
seems  to  have  gradually  spread  to  Woburn.  A  number  here  were 
sick  of  it  at  the  close  of  1678,  which  led  the  selectmen,  alarmed 
by  the  danger  in  which  it  involved  all  the  inhabitants,  to  pass  at 
a  meeting  of  theirs,  January  6,  1678-9,  the  following  order: 

"  Whereas  the  hand  of  God  is  stretched  out  against  many  of  the 
Inhabitants  of  this  Towne  in  the  disease  of  the  small  pocks,  for  the 
prevention  of  the  spreading  of  the  said  disease,  it  is  ordered 
by  the  Selectmen  of  this  towne  of  "Woburne,  that  from  this  time 

15  Trumbull's  Connecticut,  Vol.  I.,  Chap,  xiv.,  p.  360. 

«  "1677,  July  10,  the  Ship  infected  with  the  Small  Pox  (whereof  more  than  800  died,  came 
to  Nantasket."—  Diary  of  Rev.  Peter  Hobart,  Hingham. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  123 

forward  all  and  every  person  that  hath  been  infected  with  the  said 
disease,  shall  not  goe  forth  to  the  Meeting  hows  or  to  their  neighbours 
howses  before  eight  weeks  are  accomplished  after  they  are  first 
taken,  or  into  the  streets,  or  near  any  person,  so  as  to  infect  them, 
and  then  to  have  leave  from  the  Selectmen  to  come  forth  ;  also  all 
watchers  and  tenders  with  the  persons  aforesaid  are,  when  they 
come  to  the  meeting  hows,  to  sit  in  such  seats  as  are  from  time  to 
time  appointed  for  that  end ;  and,  when  meetting  is  done,  to  goe 
forth  first,  and  hasten  awaye,  and  not  mix  with  the  assembly :  and 
that  there  be  care  had  in  the  hanging  out  bedding,  or  cloathes,  or 
throwing  out  excrements  or  any  other  thing,  so  as  may  tend  to  the 
spreading  of  the  said  disease :  and  that  all  persons  that  have  not 
had  this  disease  come  not  at  those  howses  or  persons  infected, 
unless  it  be  those  in  the  same  family :  and  that  all  visitors  be  care- 
ful in  chainging  their  apparel  when  they  come  to  the  meeting  hows  : 
and  all  persons  transgressing  this  Order,  being  legally  convicted 
before  the  Selectmen,  shall  pa}re  to  the  use  of  the  Towne  twenty 
shillings  for  each  offence."  17 

But,  notwithstanding  all  the  precautions  taken  by  the  fathers 
of  the  town  for  preventing  the  spread  of  this  dreaded  disorder, 
it  continued  apparently  to  prevail  here,  more  or  less,  as  late  as 
May  1679.  For  at  a  meeting  of  the  Selectmen  on  the  5th  of 
that  month,  Eliah  Tottingham  was  fined  twenty  shillings  for  a 
breach  of  the  above  Order  respecting  it.17  From  a  memoran- 
dum in  the  Day  Book  of  the  Selectmen,  (i.  e.  Town  Records, 
Vol.  II.,)  it  appears  that  twenty-seven  persons  in  all  were  sick 
of  it  in  Woburn  at  that  time,  viz :  Isaac  Brooks,  three  of  his 
children,  and  John  Cutler,  Senr.,  then  a  resident  in  his  family ; 
Gershom  Flagg;  James  Thompson  and  a  daughter;  three  of 
goodman  Houlten's  [Holden's  ?]  daughters ;  goodwife  Gilson ; 
David  Wyman;  Zechariah  Convers'  wife  and  child;  Edward 
Farmer,  Isabel  Farmer ;  Matthew  Johnson  and  daughter ;  Sal  ah 
Adford;  Craggen's  daughter;  Ephraim  Buck's  wife;  Jacob 
Farrar;  Thomas  Peirce;  George  Reed;  goodwife  Richardson. 
Of  these,  four  died  of  the  disease,  viz :  John  Cutler,  Senr.,  in 
the  family  of  Isaac  Brooks ;  Jacob  Farrar ;  David  Wyman,  and 
goodwife  Convers.18 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  II.,  pp.  112, 120.       "  Town  Records,  Inverted,  Vol.  II.,  p.  163. 


124  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

September  5,  1684,  died  Rev.  Mr.  Thomas  Carter,  first  pastor 
of  the  church  in  Woburn,  in  the  74th  year  of  his  age,19  and 
42 d  of  his  ministry.  He  was  born  in  England,  and  educated 
in  St.  John's  College,  at  the  University  of  Cambridge,  where 
he  received  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts,  1629,  and  of 
Master  of  Arts,  1633.20  He  came  to  this  country,  "  a  young 
man,"  and  while  yet  a  student  in  divinity,  in  1635  r20  and  may 
reasonably  be  supposed  to  be  the  Thomas  Carter,  who  (accord- 
ing to  a  publication  of  Hon.  James  Savage,  entitled  Gleanings 
for  New  England  "  History  ")  was  allowed,  April  2d  of  the  same 
year,  at  the  age  of  twenty-five,  to  embark  with  forty  others  at 
London,  on  board  the  Planter,  Capt.  Nicholas  Travice,  bound  to 
New  England.21  This  Thomas  Carter,  it  is  true,  is  described  in 
the  Register  of  his  permission,  as  being  a  servant  of  Mr.  George 
Giddins,  a  husbandman,  on  board  the  same  ship.  But  then 
such  were  the  difficulties  experienced  at  that  day  by  men  of  edu- 
cation and  influence,  in  obtaining  liberty  to  emigrate  from  Eng- 
land to  this  country,  in  consequence  of  orders  from  the  govern- 
ment, that  many  were  tempted  in  one  way  or  other  to  elude 
those  orders,  especially  by  concealing  their  proper  business  and 
profession,  or  giving  but  an  imperfect  description  of  it.21  And 
it  is  some  confirmation  of  this  conjecture,  that  the  age  of  the 
emigrant  in  the  Planter  above  stated  exactly  agrees  with  the 
age  assigned  to  Rev.  Mr.  Carter  at  his  death.  On  his  arrival  in 
this  country,  Mr.  Carter  was  admitted  an  inhabitant  of  Dedham 
shortly  after  'i^s  incorporation  in  September  1636.22  From 
Dedham,  he  removed  to  Watertown,  where  he  united  himself 
with  the  church  at  that  place ;  and  where  he  was  employed  in 
some  service  by  the  church  or  town  to  good  acceptance.  For, 
when  he  was  first  invited  to  preach  at  Woburn,  Nov.  3,  1641,  it 
is  mentioned  as  a  reason  for  his  not  being  applied  to  sooner, 
that  it  had  been  doubted  whether  Watertown  would  be  willing 
to  part  with  him.23  He  preached  for  the  first  time  in  this  place, 
December  4,  1641;  and  was  ordained,  November  22,  1642.23 

19  Woburn  Records,  Mr.  Boutelle.  *°  Savage's  Gleanings,  pp.  246-248. 

n  Savage's  Gleanings,  pp.  253,  254,  272,  273.    Savage's  Genealogical  Dictionary. 
»  Genealogical  Dictionary.  »  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  4, 5. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  125 

At  his  ordination,  the  town  presented  him  with  a  house,  which 
they  had  built  for  his  use,  on  the  spot  where  the  house  known 
as  the  Coolidge  or  Silvanus  Woods'  house  now  stands.23  They 
also  engaged  to  give  him  a  salary  of  <£SO  annually,  one  fourth  of 
which  was  to  be  in  silver,  the  remainder  in  various  necessaries 
of  life,  at  the  current  price :  a  compensation,  which  was  enlarged 
in  1674  by  the  grant  of  twenty  cords  of  wood  annually,  to  be 
delivered  at  his  door.  From  the  time  of  his  ordination,  he  min- 
istered constantly  to  this  people  without  aid  thirty-six  years, 
till  Rev.  Mr;  Jabez  Fox  was  invited  to  assist  him ;  and  from  that 
time,  in  connection  with  Mr.  Fox,  about  six  years  more,  till  his 
death. 

Mr.  Carter  appears  to  have  lived  secluded  in  great  measure 
from  the  world ;  and  hence  he  is  seldom  if  ever  named  in  history 
among  the  eminent  clergymen  of  his  day.  Still,  there  is  abundant 
evidence,  that  he  was  a  very  pious,  exemplary  man,  an  able  and 
sound  preacher  of  the  gospel,  and  one  whom  God  honored  and 
prospered  in  his  work.  Under  his  ministrations,  the  church  was 
greatly  enlarged  and  built  up,  and  the  town  flourished,  and  was 
for  the  most  part,  in  peace.  Capt.  Edward  Johnson,  one  of  the 
principal  founders  both  of  the  church  and  of  the  town,  speaks  of 
him  in  his  "Wonder-working  Providence"  (published  in  1654) 
as  a  "reverend,  godly  man,  apt  to  teach  the  sound  and  wholesome 
truths  of  Christ " ;  and  one  who  had  "  much  encreased  with  the 
encreasings  of  Christ  Jesus."24  And  in  the  following  lines 
addressed  by  him  in  the  same  work  to  Mr.  Carter,  he  is  repre- 
sented as  a  plain,  but  very  faithful  and  successful  minister ;  a 
pastor  of  distinguished  humility  and  meekness,  and  in  gentleness 
towards  his  flock,  as  rather  exceeding  than  otherwise. 

"  Carter,  Christ  hath  his  wayes  thee  taught,  and  thou 
Hast  not  withheld  his  Word,  but  unto  all 
With's  word  of  power  dost  cause  stout  souls  to  bow, 
And  meek  as  lambs  before  thy  Christ  to  fall : 
The  antient  truths,  plain  paths,  they  fit  thee  best, 
Thy  humble  heart  all  haughty  acts  puts  by ; 
The  lowly  heart,  Christ  learns  his  lovely  hest, 
Thy  meekness  shews  thy  Christ  to  thee  is  nigh. 

*  Wonder-working  Providence,  Book  D.,  Chap,  xxii.,  pp.  17&-181. 
11* 


126  HISTORY   OP   WOBUBN. 

Yet  must  thou  shew,  Christ  makes  his  bold  to  be 

As  lions,  that  none  may  his  truths  tread  down ; 

Pastoral  power  he  hath  invested  thee 

With,  it  maintain,  leest  he  on  thee  do  frown. 

Thy  youth  thou  hast  in  this  New  England  spent, 

Full  sixteen  years  to  water,  plant  and  prune 

Trees  taken  up,  and  for  that  end  here  sent ; 

Thy  end's  with  Christ ;  with's  saints  his  praises  tune."  24 

What  the  last  sickness  of  this  venerable  divine  was,  the 
Records  do  not  specify.  But  two  charges  in  the  bill  for  his 
funeral  expenses,  presented  to  the  Selectmen,  October  6,  1684, 
give  reason  to  conjecture,  that  it  was  some  short  and  violent 
disease,  perhaps  a  putrid  fever.  That  bill  was  as  follows : 

'•''Charges  on  Mr  Thomas  Carter's  funerall  in  1684. 

By  fourteene  gallons  of  wine  at  3" :  6d  per 

gallon £2.09:00 

For  tarr,  two  shillings         .         .         .  0 :  02  :  00 

For  gloves 1:16:00 

For  his  coffin,  money         .         .         .  0 : 06 : 00 

For  his  graue,  in  pay         .         .         .  0 : 05  :  00 
For  manchester,  6  yards,  and  a  jarr  for  tarr  0 :  01 :  06 

£4:  19:  06."  ** 

At  a  General  Meeting  of  the  inhabitants,  October  6,  1684, 
the  same  day  on  which  the  above  bill  of  funeral  expenses  was 
presented  to  the  Selectmen,  they  voted  and  agreed  unanimously 
that  there  should  be  half  a  rate  made  for  defraying  it  and  other 
"  Town's  debts."  They  also  generously  agreed  that  Mr.  Carter's 
rate  for  his  salary'  should  "  be  compleated  and  payd  for  this 
yeare  as  formerly."  25 

By  his  wife,  Mrs.  Mary  (Dalton)  Carter,  whom  he  married  be- 
fore his  settlement  in  Woburn,  and  who  died  March  28, 1687,  Mr. 
Carter  had  eight  children,  viz :  Samuel,  Judith,  Theophilus,  Mary,  *" 
Abigail,  Deborah,  Timothy  and  Thomas.  Theophilus  and  De- 
borah died  young,  before  their  father ;  Samuel,  usually  styled  in 
the  Town  Records,  Mr.  Samuel  Carter,  was  born  August  8, 1640 ; 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  in.,  p.  68. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  127 

had  a  liberal  education,  was  a  graduate  at  Harvard  College,  1660, 
was  admitted  an  inhabitant  and  a  proprietor  of  the  common 
lands  by  vote  of  the  town,  4th  Jan.  1665-6;26  sustained  at 
different  times  several  responsible  offices  in  the  town,  as  Select- 
man, Town  Clerk  and  "  Commissioner  of  the  Rate,"  and  was 
repeatedly  employed  there  as  an  instructor  of  youth.  By  his 
wife,  Eunice  [Brooks],  whom  he  married  1672,  he  had  eight 
children,  and  died  1693. 

Judith  married  Samuel,  son  of  Deacon  Edward  Convers,  June 
8,  [alias  October  14,]  1660,27  and  secondly,  Giles  Fifield,  May  2, 
1672,  and  died  1676.  Mary,  born  July  24,  1648,  married 
John  Wyman,  Jr.,  son  of  Mr.  John  Wyman  of  Woburn,  about 
1671,  and  he  being  killed  by  the  Indians  at  the  Swamp  Fight, 
December  19,  1675,  she  next  married  Nathaniel  Bachiler  of 
Hampton,  N.  H.,  October  31,  1676,  by  whom  she  had  eight 
children,  and  died  1688.28  Abigail,  born  January  10,  1649-50, 
married  May  7,  1674,  John  Smith,  and  died  prior  to  1684. 
Timothy  was  born  June  12,  1653,  married  Anna  Fisk,  daughter 
of  David  Fisk  of  Cambridge  [Lexington]  May  3,  1680,  and 
died  July  8,  1727.28  Thomas  was  born  June  8,  1655,  married, 
1682,  Margery  Whitmore,  daughter  of  Francis  Whitmore  of 
Cambridge,  who  died  October  5,  1734.28  Timothy  and  Thomas 
Carter  were  both  husbandmen,  and  proprietors,  in  their  father's 
right,  of  several  considerable  tracts  of  land  in  Woburn.  Timothy 
was  the  father  of  thirteen  children,  of  whom  three  died  before 
their  parents ;  and  the  descendants  of  Thomas,  who  had  a  family 
of  six  children,  are  still  numerous  in  Wilmington,  and  in  that 
part  of  Burlington  adjoining,  which  is  known  by  the  name  of 
Carter  Row. 

The  «same  year  in  which  Rev.  Mr.  Carter  died,  1684,  the 
Charter  of  the  Massachusetts  Colony,  which  had  long  been 
threatened,  was  vacated  in  England;  and  with  their  Charter, 
the  people  had  taken  from  them,  not  long  after,  the  invaluable 
pjivilege  of  choosing  their  own  rulers.  In  December,  1686,  Sir 
Edmund  Andros  arrived  at  Boston,  as  Governor  of  Massachu- 

*•  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  31.    27  Town  Records.   Savage's  Genealogical  Dictionary. 
»Town  Records  of  Marriages,   Births,   etc.,  etc.    Bavage's  .Genealogical  Dictionary. 
Letter  of  Thomas  B.  Wyman,  Esq. 


128  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

setts,  by  commission  from  King  James  II. :  a  fit  servant  of  a 
Popish  and  arbitrary  master.  Of  this  Governor,  it  has  been 
observed,  that  "  Nero  concealed  his  tyrannical  disposition  more 
years  than  Sir  Edmund  and  his  creatures  did  months."  He 
promised  fairly  at  first :  but  very  soon  exerted  the  great  power 
intrusted  to  him,  for  ruling  as  he  pleased.  He  and  a  few  of  his 
Council  (appointed  also  by  the  King)  who  resided  in  or  near 
Boston,  passed  what  laws  and  raised  what  taxes  they  saw  fit, 
without  check  from  any  assembly  of  representatives  of  the 
people.  They  declared  the  titles  to  the  lands  granted  under  the 
former  Government  to  be  of  no  validity,  under  the  pretence  that 
the  Charter  had  been  vacated,  and  likewise  that  those  grants  had 
been  made  without  the  Colony  Seal;  and  they  required  the 
people,  if  they  would  enjoy  their  possessions  unmolested,  to  come 
to  them,  and  take  out  new  patents  for  them,  at  an  extravagant 
price.  And  when  some  ventured  to  complain  of  oppression, 
they  were  insolently  told  by  one  of  the  Council,  "that  they 
must  not  think  the  privileges  of  Englishmen  would  follow  them 
to  the  end  of  the  world." 

This  tyrannical  government  was  suddenly  put  down,  in  an 
unpremeditated  insurrection  of  the  people,  in  April  1689. 
Previously,  however,  the  people  had  in  general  been  submissive 
to  its  measures,  because  resistance  appeared  to  them  both  pre- 
sumptuous and  vain.  And  yet,  in  some  places,  murmurs  of 
disapprobation  and  uneasiness  would  at  times  arise,  and  a  dis- 
position to  oppose  would  occasionally  manifest  itself.  The 
Selectmen  of  Ipswich,  for  instance,  voted  to  "  petition  the  King 
for  liberty  of  an  assembly  before  they  [made  |  any  rates  " ;  for 
which  daring  act,  they  were  fined  and  imprisoned.  Samuel 
Appleton,  Esq.,  of  the  same  town,  and  Rev.  John  Wise,  one  of 
its  ministers,  were  imprisoned  for  a  like  offence. 

Woburn,  too,  repeatedly  resented  the  privation  of  some  of  its 
ancient  liberties,  which  it  suffered  by  this  government.  A  law 
had  been  passed  by  Sir  Edmund  and  his  Council  forbidding 
town  meetings  to  be  held  at  any  time  or  for  any  purpose  what- 
ever, except  once  a  year  for  the  choice  of  town  officers ;  and 
even  for  this  single  meeting  in  any  year  for  this  one  purpose,  it 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  129 

was  required,  it  seems,  that  it  should  be  called,  not  by  the 
Selectmen  of  any  town,  but  by  warrant  from  certain  Justices  of 
the  County  in  which  the  town  was  located,  or  by  direct  authority 
from  the  government.  But  the  people  of  Woburn  could  not 
brook  this  encroachment  upon  a  privilege  which  they  had 
enjoyed  under  the  old  charter  from  the  beginning.  Their  meet- 
ing, for  the  choice  of  town  officers  for  1687,  was  convened 
February  22d,  the  last  Tuesday  of  that  month,  their  long 
accustomed  day  for  this  business,  when  they  chose  for  Select- 
indh,  William  Johnson,  Esq.  (well  known  for  his  warm  attach- 
ment to  the  old  charter),  Francis  Kendall,  Samuel  Walker, 
William  Lock,  and  Increase  Winn.  But,  within  a  fortnight,  this 
election  was  annulled;  and  the  inhabitants  were  directed  to 
meet,  March  7th,  for  a  new  choice,  by  a  warrant  from  Capt. 
Jonathan  Wade,  of  Medford,  Capt.  John  Brown,  of  Reading 
and  Lieut.  William  Symmes,  of  Medford,  three  Justices  of  the 
Peace  for  the  County  of  Middlesex,  when  they  chose  again 
the  same  persons  for  Selectmen  that  had  been  elected  in  Feb- 
ruary.29 No  other  town  meeting  is  on  record  for  that  year. 
But  the  next  year,  to  show  their  continued  aversion  to  the 
existing  law  respecting  the  calling  of  town  meetings,  they  again 
ventured  to  meet  on  the  day  they  had  been  used  to,  February 
28th,  and  re-elected  the  old  Board  of  Selectmen.  But  again 
their  proceedings  were  nullified  for  being  made  at  a  meeting 
illegally  convened ;  and  the  people  were  required,  by  "  Order  of 
the  Governour  and  Councill,"  to  assemble  anew  for  the  choice 
of  town  officers,  May  21,  1688.  Accordingly,  in  obedience  to 
authority,  they  met  again  on  the  day  appointed  j  when  William 
Johnson,  Esq.,  was  either  purposely  dropped  from  the  office  of 
Selectman,  and  from  that  of  Town  Clerk,  (which  he  had  holden 
uniformly  since  the  death  of  his  father,  in  1672,)  from  fear  of 
the  resentment  of  the  governor  and  his  creatures ;  or  else,  being 
chosen,  he  declined  accepting ;  being  unwilling  to  occupy  a  public 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  III.,  p.  121.  The  name  of  William  Johnson  is  not  mentioned  with 
the  others,  in  the  record  of  the  choice  of  Selectmen,  Feb.  22, 1686-7 ;  but  he  subscribed  his 
name  as  Selectman  with  the  others  to  a  record  of  Feb.  6, 1687-8,  (Town  Records,  Vol.  III.,  p. 
116,)  before  the  next  choice  of  town  officers,  Feb.  28, 1687-8,  wherein  he  is  expressly  named 
as  chosen  one  of  the  Selectmen. 


130  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

station  during  the  existence  of  a  government  that  had  showed 
itself  so  arbitrary,  and  so  hostile  to  the  liberties  of  the  people. 

In  1694,  the  town  was  thrown  into  a  state  of  violent  agitation, 
in  consequence  of  a  summons  to  answer  before  the  County  Court 
the  presentment  of  Mistick  or  Medford  Bridge.  In  1648,  the 
General  Court  had  passed  an  Order,  laying  the  expense  of  mak- 
ing and  repairing  bridges,  upon  the  towns  within  whose  limits 
they  were.30  But  this  Order  was  repealed  in  1655.31  And,  sub- 
sequentl}7",  for  a  series  of  years,  it  became  an  established  custom 
to  assess  the  repairs  of  Medford  Bridge  not  on  the  town '  of 
Medford  alone,  nor  on  the  whole  county  of  Middlesex,  but  jointly 
upon  the  towns  of  Charlestown,  Woburn,  Reading,  Maiden  and 
Medford ;  even  as  the  great  bridge  over  Concord  river  at  Bille- 
rica  was  wont  to  be  maintained  at  the  united  expense  of  Billerica, 
Chelmsford  and  Groton.  Woburn,  however,  had  long  been 
growing  weary  of  the  incurnb ranee.  As  early  as  October  8, 
1672,  the  town  directed  the  Selectmen  to  address  the  General 
Court  by  their  deputies,  or  by  petition,  for  granting  them  "  some 
ease  of  their  burden  at  Mistick  Bridge ; "  and  also  authorized 
them  to  make  an  agreement  with  the  other  towns  united  in  the 
support  of  it,  if  they  saw  fit,  with  the  understanding,  "  that  if 
there  come  to  be  County  Bridges,"  their  agreement  to  this  end 
should  be  void.32  But  no  relief  was  obtained  of  the  General 
Court,  and,  apparently,  no  agreement  with  the  other  towns,  in 
pursuance  of  this  vote.  The  repairs  of  the  bridge  being 
neglected,  it  was  presented  in  1675,  and  from  that  time  Woburn 
quietly  did  its  part  towards  keeping  it  in  passable  order  till 
1690.  October  16th,  of  that  year,  the  Selectmen  of  Woburt, 
Reading  and  Maiden,  met  in  this  town,  and  agreed  to  petition 
the  General  Court  concerning  Mistick  Bridge.33  The  result  of 
this  petition  appears  to  have  been  the  appointment  by  the  Court 
of  a  committee  to  confer  with  committees  of  the  above  named 
towns,  and  then,  a  reference  of  the  whole  subject  to  the  County 
Court  for  settlement.  But  the  result  of  this  conference  is  not 
known.  In  1691,  the  several  towns  above  named  were  cited  to 

*>  Colony  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  2fl3.  »  Colony  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  Part  1,  p.  231. 

s2  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  37.  »Town  Records,  Vol.  III.,  p.  39. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  131 

appear  before  the  County  Court,  to  answer  a  presentment  of  the 
bridge  in  question.  And  now  the  Selectmen  of  Woburn  held  a 
meeting  in  May  1691,  with  those  of  Reading  and  Maiden,  to 
consult  with  one  another  how  they  should  conduct  their  defence.34 
They  also  chose  Sergeant  Matthew  Johnson  to  appear  before  the 
Court  on  behalf  of  Woburn,34  and  appointed  a  committee  of 
three  to  measure,  previously  to  the  Sessions,  all  the  bridges  in 
the  country  highways  in  town,  with  a  view,  doubtless,  to  exhibit 
to  the  Court  a  statement  of  the  cost  they  were  liable  to,  for 
maintaining  bridges  within  their  own  bounds.35  And,  to  crown  all, 
the  inhabitants  at  a  General  Meeting,  December  7, 1691,  voted  as 
follows :  "  That  the  Selectmen  of  said  towne  [of  Woburn]  should 
withstand  the  said  town's  allowing  anything  more  to  the  repair- 
ing of  Mistick  Bridge ;  and  if  they  withstand  it  in  law,  that  the 
town  shall  bear  all  the  charge  thereof."  36 

In  consequence  of  this  bold  resolution,  nothing  seems  to  have 
been  done  by  the  town  for  the  support  of  the  bridge  at  Medford 
for  two  years.  But  it  did  not  clear  them  of  their  responsibility 
in  this  matter.  December  22,  1693,  the  Selectmen  received  a 
summons  from  the  Clerk  of  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions 
to  send  men  before  said  Court  on  the  26th  of  that  month,  "to 
answer  the  presentment  of  Mystick  Bridge."  In  obedience  to 
this  citation,  Samuel  Blogget,  one  of  the  Selectmen,  and  James 
Convers  2d  (afterwards  known  as  Major  James  Convers), 
appeared  before  the  Court  on  the  given  day,  and  made  answer, 
"  that  Woobourne  was  not  concerned  in  the  presentment  of  Mis- 
tick  Bridge;  neither  would  they  do  anything  in  order  to  the 
repairing  thereof,  except  by  Law  they  were  forced  thereto ;  and 
that  they  referred  themselves  to  the  law  in  that  case ;  and  so  left 
the  case  for  that  time."  37  But  this  resolute  stand  was  easier 
taken  than  kept.  For,  immediately  after,  came  a  new  citation 
from  the  clerk  of  the  sessions,  ordering  the  Selectmen  or  others 
on  behalf  of  Woburn  to  appear  before  the  Court  at  their 

**  Town  Records,  Vol.  in.,  p.  149. 

ss  »  Town  Dr.  to  Mr  Carter  [Samuel]  the  4th.  month  1691  for  a  daye's  work  taking  a  Sur- 
vey of  all  the  Bridges  £0 :02 :10."  Town  Records,  Vol.  HI.,  p.  149.  Charges  for  the  same 
service  on  the  same  page,  by  Matthew  Johnson  and  Thomas  Peirce. 

*> Town  Records,  Vol.  III.,  p.  154.  «  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  p. 


132  HISTORY   OP  WOBURN. 

adjournment,  January  23,  1693-4,  and  then  "  to  make  returne  to 
said  Court  of  the  repairing  of  Mistick  Bridge,  on  the  penalty  of 
five  pounds  fine  to  their  Majesties  for  the  town's  default  in  that 
matter."  38  The  receipt  of  this  summons  threw  the  whole  town 
into  a  ferment.  The  Selectmen  immediately  called  a  meeting  of 
the  town,  January  10,  1693-4,  at  which  they  made  known  to 
them  the  above  order  of  Court.  Whereupon  "  the  Inhabitants 
of  Woobourne  joyntly  declared,  that  what  they  had  formerly 
done  towards  the  repairing  of  Mistick  Bridge,  was  only  an  act 
of  Charity  to  help  Medford  when  they  were  low  and  poore,  and 
to  help  those  men  that  had  engaged  themselves  to  help  repaire 
the  same ;  and  now  Medford  was  much  increased  both  in  num- 
ber and  in  estate,  and  those  gentlemen  that  had  formerly  engaged 
themselves  as  aforesaid  being  all  dead,  now  therefore  the  said 
Inhabitants  once  more  voted  with  a  joynt  concurrence,  that  as 
by  law  they  were  not  engaged  to  help  repair  Mistick  Bridge,  so 
they  would  do  nothing  to  the  same  j  and  furthermore,  that  they 
may  shew  their  obedience  to  authority,  the  Inhabitants  aforesaid 
nominated  and  chose  Lt.  Matthew  Johnson  and  James  Convers 
2d,  both  of  Woburn  aforesaid,  to  appear  for  them  on  the  23d 
inst.  before  the  said  Honored  Court  at  their  said  adjournment, 
and  make  this  answer  as  abovesaid.  And  further  that  the  said 
town  of  Woburn  refer  themselves  to  the  law  in  such  cases  had 
and  provided  in  this  their  Majesties  Province:  also  the  said 
Inhabitants  do  hereby  impower  the  said  Matthew  Johnson  and 
James  Convers  to  defend  the  said  town  in  a  course  of  law, 
either  by  review,  appeal,  or  any  other  lawful  way  or  means 
whatsoever,  against  the  repairing  or  maintaining  of  any  part  of 
Mistick  Bridge,  against  any  who  shall  demand  the  same :  hereby 
promising  to  reimburse  all  the  charges  and  expenses  that  they  or 
either  of  them  shall  necessarily  be  at,  in  and  about  the  premises, 
granting  and  allowing  unto  the  said  Johnson  and  Convers  full 
power  and  authority  to  appoint  and  constitute  Attorneys  onej 
or  more  under  them,  and  at  pleasure  to  revoke;  giving  unto 
the  said  Johnson  and  Convers  full  power  to  say,  execute  and 
do  in  and  about  the  same  whatever  is  necessary  in  law ;  hereby 

88  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  pp.  5,  6. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURX.  133 

promising  to  ratify  and  confirm  all  and  whatsoever  the  said 
Matthew  Johnson  and  James  Convers  or  their  attorneys  shall 
lawfully  do  or  cause  to  be  done  in  and  about  the  premises  and 
dependances  thereof. 

"  Per  order  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Woburn, 
"JAMES  CONYERS,  Town  Clerk."38 

Thus  armed  with  power  and  authority  from  the  town,  one  of 
its  two  agents,  James  Convers,  repaired  by  advice  to  Boston,  and 
feed  a  couple  of  lawyers  aforehand,  "  for  fear  "  (as  he  expresses 
it),  "  of  being  intercepted  " ;  and  both  of  them  appeared  before 
the  Court  at  its  adjournment,  January  23d,  and  made  defence, 
as  follows:  "That  Woburn  was  not  presented  [presentable?] 
upon  account  of  Mistick  Bridge,  nor  were  they  culpable  as 
criminals  upon  that  account.  If  Medford  could  plead  anything 
of  a  Covenant,  that  was  a  Civil  case,  and  not  a  criminal ;  and 
they  might  have  their  action  against  us  in  the  Common  Law : 
but  at  this  Court,  and  in  this  way,  we  were  not  obliged  to  make 
any  further  answer,  but  to  refer  ourselves  to  the  law,  'that 
bridges  were  to  be  mended  in  those  towns  in  whose  precincts 
they  lie,'  and  so  left  it  with  the  Court ;  and  the  Court  considered 
thereof,  and  gave  us  the  following  determination. 

"  Middlesex,  ss :  At  the  Generall  Quarter  Sessions  of  the 
Peace,  holden  at  Charlestown,  Jan^  23d,  1693-4  ffrom  the  20th  of 
December  1693,  by  their  Majesties  Justices  : 

"  Whereas  there  was  an  Order  of  the  General  Court  in  the  year 
1691  referring  the  settlement  of  Mistick  Bridge  to  ye  Count}'  Court 
of  Middlesex,  and  the  said  Court  ordering  the  repairing  of  said 
bridge  to  be  by  the  respective  townes  of  Charlestowne,  "VYoobourne, 
Maiden,  Redding  and  Medford,  according  to  their  wonted  manner, 
till  the  Generall  Court  make  further  provision ;  and  the  defects  of 
said  bridge  having  been  presented  to  this  Court  before  the  late  law 
respecting  Bridges ;  this  Court  order  that  the  said  respective 
townes  do  forthwith  make  sufficient  repaire  of  the  said  defects  of 
said  Bridge,  upon  paine  and  penalty  of  fiue  pounds  fine  to  their 
Majesties  for  the  respective  defaults  of  each  of  the  said  townes, 
and  then  to  make  returne  of  their  doings  therein  to  the  next 
12 


134  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

General  Sessions  of  the  peace  for  Middlesex ;  and  then  for  the 
future  it  shall  be  left  to  the  determination  of  the  Law." 

"  Veru  Copia  Examd  per  Samuell  Phipps,  Cler."  39 

With  this  decision  of  the  Court,  Woburn  thought  it  prudent 
to  comply.  "  Whereupon,"  adds  the  Town  Clerk,  immediately 
under  his  copy  of  the  decision  just  referred  to :  "  Whereupon 
the  said  Bridge  was  sufficiently  mended  by  Josyah  Convers 
sworne  surveyor,  and  return  made  as  abovesaid  and  recorded."9 
No  doubt,  one  inducement  with  the  people  for  thus  doing, 
contrary  to  their  previous  resolutions,  was  the  expectation  that 
this  was  the  last  time  they  should  ever  be  called  on  to  repair 
Mistick  Bridge.  This  expectation  was  founded  on  the  closing 
sentence  of  the  decision  of  the  Court,  that  the  repairing  of  this 
bridge  should  in  future  "  be  left  to  the  determination  of  the 
Law":  which  they  thought  would  clearly  free  them  and  the 
other  towns  above  named,  except  Medford,  from  the  burden  in 
question.  But  in  this  idea,  they  soon  found  themselves  mistaken. 
The  law  referred  to  was  passed  by  the  Provincial  Legislature 
in  1693,  and  is  entitled  "An  Act  for  Highways."  Among  its 
numerous  provisions  is  one  for  the  annual  choice  of  two  or  more 
Freeholders  in  each  town,  who  should  "take  care  that  all 
Highways,  Private  Ways,  Causeys  and  Bridges  lying  within 
the  Precincts  of  such  Town,  be  kept  in  repair,  and  amended 
from  time  to  time,  when  and  so  often  as  shall  be  needful,  at  the 
charge  of  such  Town  (where  it  is  not  otherwise  settled)," 
etc.,  etc.40 

"  Where  it  is  not  otherwise  settled"  Of  this  exceptive  clause 
in  the  law,  advantage  seems  to  have  been  afterwards  taken, 
to  defeat  the  expectations  of  Woburn,  of  being  freed  from 
all  obligation  to  aid  in  the  repairs  of  Mistick  bridge.  It 
was  doubtless  insisted  upon  by  Medford,  with  the  counte- 
nance of  the  Court,  that  it  had  been  so  long  settled  by  cus- 
tom, that  Woburn  should  join  with  Charlestown  and  the  other 
towns  concerned  in  helping  Medford  to  keep  that  bridge  in 
repair,  that  the  law  referred  to  did  not  now  release  them  from 

»»  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  6. 

40  Colony  and  Provincial  Laws  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  pp.  267-8. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  135 

it,  and  they  must  still  do  as  they  had  done.  Hence,  after  the 
above  decision  of  the  County  Court,  in  1694,  "Woburn  was 
called  upon  year  after  year,  again  and  again,  to  mend  the  bridge 
at  Medford,  though  out  of  its  own  limits ;  again  and  again  it 
demurred,  and  passed  resolutions  against  complying;  and  yet 
eventually  complied  :41  so  that  nearly  seventy  years  more  elapsed, 
before  it  was  fully  released  from  a  burden  so  long  complained  of. 
But,  in  1761,  an  agreement  was  entered  into  between  Woburn 
and  Medford,  by  which  the  long  vexed  question  of  Medford 
bridge  was  fully  put  to  rest.  At  a  general  meeting  in  Woburn, 
July  21,  1760,  it  was  voted,  "that  the  Committee  chosen  at  the 
annual  meeting  in  March  last  past  to  manage  the  aifair  con- 
cerning the  Great  Bridge  at  Medford,  are  hereby  directed  and 
impowered  to  agree  with  the  town  of  Medford  about  said  Bridge 
for  a  certain  sum,  that  so  the  town  of  Woburn  may  be  finally 
discharged  from  any  future  charge  relative  to  said  Bridge."42  To 
this  proposal  for  settlement,  Medford  showed  itself  willing  to 
assent.  For  at  a  town  meeting  there,  May  13,  1761,  six  of  its 
citizens  were  chosen  as  a  committee  "  to  treat  with  Woburn, 
Reading  and  Maiden,  or  either  of  said  towns  separate,  concern- 
ing Medford  Great  Bridge;  that  is,  to  take  a  certain  sum  of 
money  of  said  Town  or  Towns,  and  acquit  any  of  them  that  shall 
comply,  from  all  further  charge."43  After  this  manifestation  on 
the  part  of  Medford  of  its  readiness  to  compromise  its  difficulty 
with  Woburn  in  the  way  of  Woburn's  own  proposing,  the  com- 
mittees of  the  two  towns  met  to  confer  with  one  another  on  this 
subject,  and  came  to  a  mutual  agreement.  This  agreement  was 
ratified  by  Woburn  in  town  meeting,  June  25,  1761,  when  its 
inhabitants  voted  "  that  they  would  give  the  sum  of  two  hundred 


«  Viz,  in  1702.  — (Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  204.)  In  1706.  — (Town  Records,  Vol.  V., 
pp.  24,  28.)  In  1711,  Aug.  20th,  "  The  Selectmen  of  Woobourn  were  warned  to  appear  at  the 
Quarter  Sessions  of  the  Peace  ....  to  answer  the  Presentment  of  Mistick  Bridge.  Accord- 
ingly, the  Selectmen  appointed  Stephen  Richardson  to  procure  Stuff  and  mend  Said  Bridge, 
which  he  did,"  etc.,  etc — (Town  Records,  Vol.  V.,  p.  196.)  At  a  general  meeting,  March 
3, 1728-9,  chose  Mr.  Daniel  Peirce  and  Mr.  Caleb  Blogget,  as  a  Committe*  to  go  to  the  Gen- 
eral Court  with  a  Petition  that  they  may  be  "  eased  of  the  burden  of  Mistick  Bridge,  or  to 
have  liberty  of  a  Landing  Place  at  the  River,"  etc.,  etc.~(Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  369.) 
Bee  also  Proceedings  of  the  Town  at  a  general  meeting,  Jan.  28,  1744-5,  (Town  Records,  Vol. 
VII.,  p.  462,)  and  May  19, 1760,  (Town  Records,  Vol.  VIII.,  p.  291.) 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  VIII.,  pp.  294,  315.  «  Town  Records,  Vol.  VHI.,  p.  466. 


136  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

pounds,  Old  Tenor,  or  equivalent  in  Lawful  Money  "  (the  amount 
agreed  upon  by  their  committee),  "to  the  town  of  Medford."42 
And  thus  this  controversy  of  nearly  a  century's  standing  was 
brought  to  a  peaceable  issue,  as  stated  in  the  following  attested 
copy  of  Medford's  agreement : 

"Agreement  of  Medford  about  ye  Bridge. 

"  Know  all  men  by  these  Presents,  that  we  Samuel  Brooks 
Esqr.  Stephen  Hall  Esqr.  Zachariah  Poole  Gentleman,  Simon  Tufts 
Gentleman,  Seth  Blogget  Gentleman,  and  Benjamin  Parker  Gen- 
tleman, being  chosen  and  impowered  by  the  Town  of  Medford  to 
agree  with  the  Town  of  Woburn  about  Medford  Bridge,  we  being 
all  of  the  Town  of  Medford  in  the  County  of  Middlesex  and 
Province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  in  New  England,  DO  agree 
that  for  and  in  consideration  of  the  sum  of  Twenty  six  pounds 
thirteen  shillings  and  four  pence  of  Lawful  Money  paid  by  the 
Town  of  Woburn  before  the  ensealing  hereof,  do  hereby  acquit  and 
discharge  the  said  Town  of  Woburn  from  all  past  and  future 
charges  arising  by  reason  of  said  Bridge,  and  do,  in  our  said 
capacity  take  upon  the  town  of  Medford  all  the  charge  and  care  of 
said  Bridge,  which  the  Town  of  Woburn  was  bound  to  do  or  ever 
shall  be  :  In  Witness  whereof  we  in  our  said  capacity  have  here- 
unto sett  our  hands  and  seals  this  seventh  day  of  July  annoque 
Domini  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  sixty  one,  and  in  the 
first  year  of  his  Majesty's  Reign. 

"  Signed,  Sealed  and  Delivered         STEPHEN  HALL         [L.  s.] 
in  the  Presence  of  us  Z.  POOLE  [L.  s.] 

WILLIS  HALL  SIMON  TUFTS  [L.  s.] 

AARON  HALL  BENJH  PARKER  [L.  s.] " 

An  amusing  specimen  of  the  town's  watchful  attention  to  its 
minute  as  well  its  weighty  interests  and  concerns  in  former 
times,  occurs  in  the  Records  of  1696.  At  a  General  Meeting, 
June  24th  of  that  year,  after  citing  several  delinquents  in  the 
payment  of  Rev.  Mr.  Fox's  salary  to  appear  before  the  Select- 
men on  the  following  Monday  at  the  house  of  James  Fowle, 
"  public  notice  was  likewise  given  to  all  persons  concerned, 
that  have  incroached  upon  the  Town's  Common  and  High- 
ways by  fencing  in  yards  or  the  like  without  Order,"  that 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  137 

they  also  appear  before  the  Selectmen  at  the  same  time  and 
place,  "  to  agree  with  the  said  Selectmen  about  their  severall 
trespasses,  or  else  some  other  measures  will  be  speedily  taken 
to  redress  the  same."44  From  the  sharp  threatening  at  the  close 
of  this  warning,  uttered  in  open  town  meeting,  and  apparently 
with  the  consent  and  approbation  of  all  the  people  present,  it 
might  naturally  be  inferred  that  some  grievous  trespass  upon 
town  property  had  been  committed.  What  was  it,  then,  and 
who  were  the  trespassers  ?  Had  some  covetous  householders 
rendered  half  of  Upstreet  impossible  to  be  passed  with  safety 
by  making  large,  unauthorized  enclosures  ?  Had  certain  unprin- 
cipled wood-dealers  presumptuously  invaded  and  fenced  in  some 
twenty  acres  of  the  town's  woodland  in  Wood  Hill  ?  Or  had 
some  greedy  landholder  inclosed,  and  appropriated  to  his  own 
use  a  goodly  portion  of  the  Town  Common  in  the  plains  of 
Goshen?  Oh,  no;  nothing  of  the  kind.  The  sum  of  the 
encroachments  complained  of  was  this.  The  Rev.  Jabez  Fox, 
their  minister,  and  two  other  highly  respectable  citizens,  Thomas 
Peirce,  Senr.,and  Daniel  Baldwin,  happened  to  be  fond  of  tobacco ; 
and  taking  a  notion  to  raise  enough  themselves  for  their  own 
smoking  and  chewing,  they  had  each  ventured  to  fence  in  some 
unsightly  nook  or  bend  in  the  highway  near  their  respective 
premises,  where  the  soil  was  peculiarly  favorable  for  the  growth 
of  the  noxious  weed,  and  had  there  set  out  plants  of  it,  which 
were  now  thriving  like  so  many  skunk  cabbages,  promising  them 
a  luxuriant  harvest.  But,  in  accordance  with  the  warning  now 
given  them,  backed  by  such  plain  threats  of  a  civil  prosecution, 
they  all  three,  like  good  citizens,  came  before  their  Honors,  the 
Selectmen,  at  the  time  and  place  appointed,  to  make  satisfaction 
for  their  wrong-doing.  And  there,  having  received  some  gentle 
reprimand  for  their  unauthorized  converting  of  public  into  pri- 
vate property  for  the  time,  they  were  lei  off  from  any  further 
censure  or  punishment,  and  had  leave  to  enjoy  "  the  improvement 
of  those  severall  bitts  of  land  "  for  that  summer,  on  condition 
of  agreeing  to  pay  the  Selectmen  a  penny  each  for  the  use  of  the 


«  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  pp.  72,  73. 
12* 


138  HISTORY    OF   WOBTJRN. 

town,  and  throwing  open  their  enclosures  to  the  highway  by  the 
next  "  Michaelmas." 44    And  so  far  at  least  as  relates  to  the 
money  they  promised  to  pay  for  the  town's  use,  there  is  evidence 
upon  Record  that  they  were  as  good  as  their  word.     For  in  the 
Town  Accounts  for  that  year,  James  Convers,  Jr.,  the  Town 
Clerk,  is  made  Dr.  to  the  town 
"  For  money  paid  for  quittrent  for  three  tobacco 
yards    per    Mr    ffox,  Clark   Peirce   &   Sargt 

Baldwin £00 :00'  :03d." 45 

Rev.  Jabez  Fox  appears  to  have  possessed  the  confidence  and 
affectionate  regard  of  the  great  body  of  the  people  in  Woburn, 
and  to  have  retained  the  same  through  life.  And  yet  the  men  of 
the  generation  he  served,  were  not  all  so  punctual  to  fulfil  their 
engagements  to  him  as  their  fathers  had  been  to  his  predecessor 
in  the  ministry.  Through  the  pressure  of  the  times  (which  were 
confessedly  hard),  and  especially  in  consequence  of  the  heavy  taxes 
imposed  during  the  Indian  and  French  wars  of  that  period,  a 
number  were  constantly  behind  hand  in  paying  their  proportions 
to  his  salary,  so  that,  at  one  time,  the  arrears  due  to  him  were 
about  <£70,  equivalent  nearly  to  his  salary  for  a  year.  Various 
were  the  expedients  resorted  to  by  the  Selectmen  and  by  the 
town  to  cure  this  evil,  but  long  without  the  desired  success. 
One  method  proposed  was,  that  the  Deacons  for  the  time  being 
should  reckon  with  Mr.  Fox  at  the  end  of  every  year,  and  warn 
all  who  were  found  delinquent  to  make  up  their  arrears  within 
two  months  after  the  year  had  expired,  and  repore  them  to  the 
Selectmen,  if  they  persisted  in  their  neglect ;  in  which  case,  the 
Selectmen  were  to  recover  their  dues  in  a  legal  way.  But  the 
Deacons  proving  but  inefficient  collectors  and  duns,  the  whole 
burden  devolved  upon  the  Selectmen,  who  summoned  the  delin- 
quents before  them  at  times,  when  some,  say  the  Records,  "  that 
were  behind,  were  brought  up  to  their  proportions  "  (T.  R.  IV., 
p.  27).  At  a  General  Meeting,  January  18,  1696-7,  a  com- 
mittee, consisting  of  Major  William  Johnson,  Deacons  Samuel 
Walker  and  James  Convers,  Jr.,  was  appointed  to  audit  Rev. 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  69. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  139 

Mr.  Fox's  accounts,  and  to  make  report  respecting  delinquents 
at  the  next  General  Meeting.  At  the  same  time,  the  Selectmen 
were  ordered  for  the  fiture  to  furnish  Mr.  Fox,  in  November 
of  every  year,  with  a  List  of  every  man's  proportion  to  his 
salary,  and  at  the  end  of  every  year  to  reckon  with  Mr.  Fox, 
and  give  a  list  of  rates  unpaid  to  the  Constables  to  collect 
them.  And,  moreover,  it  was  voted  at  the  same  meeting,  that 
Rev.  Mr.  Fox's  salary  should  be  paid  semi-annually ;  that  so 
if  any  persons  should  be  about  to  remove  from  the  town,  the 
Selectmen,  by  taking  care,  might  "  save  the  one  halfe  of  their 
rates,  if  not  the  whole."  46 

December  6,  1697,  the  Selectmen  met,  say  the  Records,  "to 
look  after  Mr.  Jabez  Fox  his  arrears,  and  sent  writts  to  some, 
and  messages  to  others.  Severall  came  up  and  paid  their 
arrears  .  .  .  others  warned  to  appear  the  21st  courant"  etc.46 
Finally,  at  a  General  Meeting,  March  3,  1698-9,  the  following 
Resolve  was  passed :  "  The  freeholders  and  other  Inhabitants  of 
this  Towne  of  Wobourne  having  considered  and  discoursed  the 
difficulty  of  bringing  up  some  men  to  their  duty,  as  to  their  pay- 
ing their  due  proportions  to  the  maintenance  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Jabez 
Fox,  annually,  according  to  covenant;  divers  methods  having 
been  taken  which  did  not  prove  effectual,  the  said  Inhabitants 
declared  their  minds  in  the  matter,  that  the  most  likely  way  for 
the  collecting  the  said  Mr  ffox  his  sallery,  is  to  make  fair  lists 
thereof  (as  of  other  rates)  of  each  and  every  one's  due  proportion 
to  the  same,  and  affix  warrants  thereto,  and  deliver  the  same  to 
the  severall  Constables  annually,  to  collect  it  by  distress,  of  all 
such  as  refuse  or  neglect  to  pay  their  respective  parts  thereof : 
and  for  all  those  persons  that  pay  their  respective  parts  of  the 
said  sallery  without  such  distress,  they  shall  pay  no  part  of  the 
Constables'  charge  for  collecting  the  same,  but  the  whole  charge 
of  the  said  collection,  distress  or  distresses,  shall  be  paid  by 
those  persons  only,  that  by  their  refusal  or  negligence  occasion  the 
same :  and  this  was  voted  and  passed  in  the  affirmative."  47  Ac- 
cordingly, three  days  after  the  General  Meeting,  March  6, 1698-9, 
the  Selectmen  "  mett  and  perfected  the  lists  for  the  Reverend  Mr. 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  pp.  83, 101.  «  Town  Record*,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  137. 


140  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

Jabez  ffox  his  sallery  for  the  year  1698,  beginning  on  the  first  of 
November  last,  and  affixed  Warrants  to  the  same,  and  delivered 
the  same  to  the  Constables  to  collect,  as  above  said"  etc.47 
This  method  seems  to  have  been  effectual  for  the  end  intended 
during  the  remainder  of  Mr.  Fox's  life;  but  still  there  were 
large  arrears  due  for  the  years  preceding,  which  were  not  col- 
lected till  after  his  death.  This  mournful  event  took  place 
suddenly,  while  he  was  yet  in  the  midst  of  his  days  and  useful- 
ness. Being  at  Boston  on  a  visit,  he  was  seized  with  the  small- 
pox, of  which  he  died  there,  February  28,  1702-3.  A  friend  of 
his  in  Boston  thus  records  his  death  at  the  time :  "  Lord's  Day 
Feb.  28  1702-3.  Mr  Jabez  Fox  dies  of  the  Small  Pox  in  the 
forenoon."  48 

Rev.  Mr.  Jabez  Fox,  second  pastor  of  the  church  of  Christ  in 
Wo  burn,  was,  according  to  a  family  tradition,  a  lineal  descend- 
ant of  Rev.  John  Fox,  a  nonconformist  divine  in  the  reign  of 
Queen  Elizabeth,  and  author  of  the  work  entitled  "  Acts  and 
Monuments  of  the  Church  " ;  or,  as  it  is  more  familiarly  known, 
Fox's  Book  of  Martyrs:  a  book  much  read  by  the  Puritan 
founders  of  New  England,  and  regarded  by  them  with  a  rever- 
ence and  esteem  short  only  of  that  which  they  paid  to  the  Bible. 

His  father,  Mr.  Thomas  Fox,  resided  first  in  Concord ;  and 
then  removing  to  Cambridge,  was  one  of  its  Selectmen  in  1658, 
and  repeatedly  afterwards;  and  died  there  April  25,  1693, 
aged  85.  His  mother,  Mrs.  Ellen  Fox,  previously  to  her  mar- 
riage to  his  father,  Mr.  Thomas  Fox,  had  been  the  widow  of  Mr. 
Percival  Green  of  Cambridge,  a  member  of  the  church  there,  who 
died  Dec.  25,  1639,  and  by  whom  she  had  had  two  children, 
John  and  Elizabeth  Green,  both  baptized  in  infancy  in  the  church 
at  Cambridge. 

Mr.  Jabez  Fox  was  born  and  baptized  in   Concord,  about 

«  Diary  of  Judge  Bewail. 

48  At  a  general  town  meeting,  April  5th,  1703,  it  was  generously  voted  to 
pay  Mrs.  Judith  Fox,  the  relict  of  their  late  pastor,  forty  pounds  of  the 
annual  salary  which  had  been  proportioned  for  her  husband  the  November 
preceding,  but  who  had  died  when  but  about  four  months  of  his  year  had 
expired.  —  See  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  224. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  141 

1 647, 49  and  was  yet  in  his  minority  when  his  father  removed  from 
there  to  Cambridge ;  was  graduated  at  Harvard  College,  in  1665, 
and  appears  to  have  studied  divinity  there.  He  had  commenced 
preaching,  and  had  married  before  application  was  made  to  him, 
in  1678,  to  go  to  Woburn,  and  to  preach  there  statedly  a  year, 
as  an  assistant  to  Rev.  Mr.  Carter.  This  invitation  was  accepted ; 
and  so  satisfactory  were  his  services,  that,  before  the  term  of  his 
engagement  expired,  the  town  voted  him  unanimously,  July  16, 
1679,  "  a  call  to  the  ministry,  with  an  Intent  he  may  be  called 
to  office  in  time,  if  God  makewaye";50  and,  November  5th, 
1679,  they  invited  him  to  settle  over  them  for  life;  and  made 
generous  provision  for  his  comfort  and  support.50  The  church, 
too,  it  is  presumed,  a  little  previously  to  the  last  date,  gave  him 
a  call  to  the  pastoral  office,  as  he  had  been  encouraged  to  expect 
they  would.  The  precise  date  of  his  ordination  has  not  been 
preserved ;  but  may  reasonably  be  assigned  to  the  middle  of 
November,  1679.  His  salary  year  was  long  reckoned  as  com- 
mencing with  November  1st.  The  whole  term  of  his  constant 
service  in  the  gospel  ministry  in  this  place  was  somewhat  over 
twenty-four  years ;  viz :  one  year  as  an  assistant  to  Rev.  Mr. 
Carter,  and  twenty-three  years  and  upwards  as  settled  minister 
in  Woburn,  and  pastor  of  this  church. 

At  his  decease,  in  Boston,  his  remains  were  brought  to 
Woburn,  and  there  interred  in  the  Old  Burial  Ground.  For 
many  years,  it  is  understood,  the  stone  which  marked  the  place  of 
his  interment,  was  overlooked,  or  supposed  to  have  been 
removed.  But,  during  the  past  summer  (1866),  a  descendant, 
Jabez  Fox,  Esq.,  of  Washington,  D.  C.,  made  a  visit  to  Wo- 
burn ;  and  going  upon  Burial  Hill,  found  the  gravestone  of  his 

49  It  has  been  supposed  by  some  that  Mr.  Fox  was  born  in  Cambridge. 
But  this  hypothesis  is  disproved  by  the  following  extract  from  a  "  List  of 
Members  in  the  Church  of  Cambridge,"  in  the  handwriting  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Jonathan  Mitchell,  its  pastor,  which  purports  to  have  been  "  taken  and 
registred  in  y«  llth.  month  1(358."  [January,  1658-9.] 

"  Thomas  ffoxe  &  Ellen  his  wife,  both  in  full  Comm. 

"  His  son  Jabez  ffoxe  baptized  at  Concord,  but  in  minority  when  his 
ffather  joyned  here."  —  See  Cambridge  Church  Records. 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  98, 101. 


142  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

ancestor,  and  took  down  an  exact  copy  of  the  inscription  upon 
it,  as  follows : 

Memento  Fugit 

Mori :  Hora, 

HERE  LYES  Y«  BODY  OF 
Y«  REVEREND  M»  JABEZ  FOX. 
PASTOUR  OF  Y«  CHURCH  OF 
CHRIST  IN  WOBOURN  23  YEARS. 
&  AGED  56  YEARS,  DECESEo 
FEBB  Y«  28«i  170|. 

Rev.  Mr.  Fox's  widow,  Mrs.  Judith  Fox,  was  daughter  of  the 
elder  Rev.  John  Reyner,  minister  of  Plymouth  and  Dover,  N.  H. 
After  Mr.  Fox's  death,  she  married  Col.  Jonathan  Tyng,  of 
Boston,  who  had  been  of  the  Council  of  Gov.  Sir  Edmund 
Andros,  and  who,  coming  in  his  latter  days  to  Woburn  to 
reside,  died  there  suddenly,  January  19,  1723-4.  The  vener- 
able lady,  his  widow,  survived  him  till  June  1736;  and  the 
following  touching  memorial  of  her  excellence  is  copied  from 
her  gravestone : 

Here  lyes  Buried  y*  Body 

of  Mrs  Judith  Tyng,  wife 

to  Col1  Jonathan  Tyng, 

formerly  wife  to  y  Rev4 

Mr.  Jabez  Fox :  who  Dy'd 

June  5th,  Anno  Dom1  1736, 

in  y«  99th  year  of  her  Age : 

A  woman  of  Most  Exemplary  Vertue 

&  Piety ;  Rich  in  Grace,  ripe  for  Glory." 

By  this  worthy  lady,  Rev.  Jabez  Fox  had  five  children ;  viz : 

1.  John,  born  at  Cambridge,  May  10,  1678,  shortly  before  his 
father  was  invited  to  preach  in  Woburn,  and  who  afterwards 
succeeded  his  father  there  in  the  pastoral  office. 

2.  Thomas;  born  at  Woburn  July  6,  and   died   July    10, 
1680. 

3.  Thomas;  born  at  Woburn  November  13,  1681. 

4.  Jabez;  born  December  2,  1684. 

5.  Judith;  born  June  19th,  1690,  and  died  the  same  year. 

M  Jabez  Fox,  Esq.,  above  mentioned.    This  inscription,  furnished  by  him,  differs  consid- 
erably from  that  exhibited  in  Alden's  Epitaphs.  Vol.  I.,  Xo.  237,  p.  229. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  143 

It  is  not  known  that  Rev.  Mr.  Fox  ever  published  any  of  his 
writings.  A  skeleton  of  a  sermon,  delivered  by  him  at  Cam- 
bridge, July  28,  1678,  from  2  Tim.  ii.  19,  and  committed  to 
writing  by  Mr.  afterwards  Rev.  Nathaniel  Gookin,  pastor  of  the 
church  in  Cambridge,  is  published  in  Alden's  Collection  of 
American  Epitaphs,  vol.  I.,  No.  236,  pages  226-229,  and  is  pre- 
sented (a  good  part  of  it)  in  Chapter  HI.  of  this  work.  An- 
other skeleton  of  a  discourse,  preached  by  Rev.  Mr.  Fox  at 
Cambridge,  May  11,  1673,  from  Eph.  v.,  16,  "  Redeeming  the 
time,"  is  found  in  the  voluminous  manuscript  collections  of  Hon. 
John  Hull,  Esq.,  and  of  his  son-in-law,  Judge  Sewall.  It  was 
probably  taken  down  on  paper  at  the  time  of  delivery,  by  the 
latter  gentleman,  who  was  then  a  resident  graduate  or  tutor  at 
the  college  in  Cambridge ;  and  it  is  here  given,  not  only  as  a 
sample  of  the  instructions  addressed  to  his  hearers  by  the  sec- 
ond minister  of  Woburn,  but  also  as  a  specimen  of  the  manner 
in  which  the  ancient  divines  of  New  England  constructed  their 
discourses  for  the  pulpit. 

By  Mr.  Fox,  May  11,  1678. 
Ephe.  5  :16.    Kedeem.  ye  time. 

2  motives  (1)  because  such  are  termed  wise. 
[See  v.  15.]  (2)  because  ye  dayes  are  Evil. 

[Doctrine  ]    Ifc  is  a  dutv  incumbent  on,  &  much  for  ye  interest  of  all  (espe- 
'  cially  in  evil  times)  to  redeem  ye  time. 

Luke  15.  17.    Jonah  when  his  soul  fainted,  remembered  ye  L. 
[Lord.]     Hester.    Ninevites. 

Expli.     [Explication :  by  3  Questions.] 

1  Q-.      When  said  to  be  evil  dayes  ? 

]    (1)  All  ye  dayes  of  our  lives  are  evil,  both  in  respect  of  sinne 

&  the  effects  of  it. 
Special.  (1)  In  ye  day  of  Jacob's  trouble. 

(2)  When,  notwithstanding  our  afflictions,  there    is 

noe  returning  to  ye  L.  [Lord.] 

(3)  When  those  evils  are  found  among  a  people  which 

call  for  evil  dayes  :  as 

1.  Pride. 

2.  Lighting  [slighting?]  ye  means  of  grace :  Speak.  [Speak- 

ing] Smooth  things  &c. 

8.  Covetousness,  oppression  &  deceipt.    Mica?  2.    [Micah, 
2,  3.]    When  these  things  are  incorrigibly  persisted 
in,  so  y*  ye  prudent  keep  silence.    Gray  haires,  &  men 
know  it  not.    Eccl.  12.  1. 
Several  gray  haires :  as 


144  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

1.  Decay  of  first  love. 

2.  When  there  is  a  want  of  life  &  vigour. 

3.  A  lukewarm  spirit;  a  spirit  of  neutrality,  when 

men  know  not  whether  to  be  for  God,  or  Mam- 
mon :  such  a  Laodicean  strain  speakes  evil 
times. 

4.  When  God  seems  to  be  withholding  his  convert- 

ing spirit. 

2  Q.      What  to  redeeme  time  ? 

]    Nega.  [Negatively]  time  cannot  be  called  back. 
It  presupps.  [presupposes] 

1.  A  sence  of  ye  loss  &  worth  of  time. 

2.  A  sence  of  ye  disadvantage  accrueing  by  ye  loss  of  it. 

[It  implies  (1)  Knowing  ye  seasons  &  opp.  [opportunities]  Rom. 

13.  11. 

(2)  A  dew  [due]  improving  ye  time  :  catching  at  all 
opportunityes  &  parcels  of  time.  Eccle.  9.  7. 
do  it  with  all  thy  might. 

R-  !•      1.  From  ye  absolute  necessity  of  it,  in  respect  of  what  we  have  lost. 

2.  With  respect  unto  ye  shortness  of  time. 

3.  With  reference  to  ye  means  of  redeeming  time,  which  are 

hastening  away. 

4.  With  respect  to  ye  work  &  buisinesse  we  have  to  doe. 
R.  2.  From  ye  comand  [command]  of  God. 

3.  Because  ye  dayes  are  evil  from  ye  sinne  acted  by  each  of  us. 

Q.  3.     Why  especially  at  such  a  time  ? 
[Ques        ] 


(2)  Evil  dayes  cut  men  short  of  their  time. 

(3)  It  is  ye  only  means  to  prevent  ye  badnesse  of  ye  times. 

(4)  Because  evil  dayes  take  awaye  ye  means  for  redeeming 

time. 

(5)  Satan  is  then  most  busy. 

(6)  Else  we  shall  be  fools. 

(7)  At  such  a  time,  we  do  most  honour  God,  if  so  be  then  we 

redeem  ye  time. 

u.Exam.      1.  Whether  ye  evil  of  ye  times  have  been  any  motive  to  us  to 

[Use  for  Ex-  r&Atmm  it 

nmination.]  redeem  it. 

2.  Hath  it  wrought  in  us  a  greater  circumspection  ?   hath  it 
stirred  up  a  spirit  of  prayer  in  us  ? 

U.  2.  wt.  [What]  thankfulnesse,  y*  God  gives  us  a  season  &  oppor- 
tunity to  redeem  time  ?  God  sumes  [sums]  up  a  great  deal  of 
love  in  y«  [this  ;]  I  gave  her  space  to  repent  :  ye  more 

1.  Because  we  have  neglected  ye  time. 

2.  How  many  cut  short  of  time  I 


HISTORY   OP   WOBUBN.  145 

U.  Exort.      Redeem  ye  time.    If  we  have  all  lost  time,  yn  [then]  it  is  time 
LrTaUon.ffor  us  to  redeem  time. 

(1)  Our  time  is  limited  to  a  certain  time. 

(2)  There  is  notice  &  account  taken  of  all  ye  opportunityes 

we  enjoy.    3  years  I  come  &c. 

(3)  This  is  ye  very  end  of  all  ye  space  we  have  afforded  us. 

Direct.  1.  Bethink  yourselves  what  ye  worth  of  time  is. 

[Directions]        2.  Take  heed  of  resting  in  dutyes. 

3.  Do  not  procrastinate :  this,  a  daring  of  God.    Matt.  24, 
latter  end. 


13 


CHAPTER  V. 

Settlement  of  Rev.  John  Fox,  November  1703.  —  Declaration  of  the  Church, 
1703.  — Occasion  of  Baptists  in  Woburn,  1671.  — Proceedings  in  the  Law 
against  Them,  etc.,  etc.  —Brief  Notices  of  the  Six  Subscribers  to  the 
Church's  Declaration,  viz :  William  Johnson,  Esq.,  Dea.  Saml.  Walker, 
Joseph  Wright,  Seur.,  James  Couvers,  Senr.,  W.  Locke,  Senr.,  James 
Convers,  Jr. 

THE  last  chapter,  it  will  be  remembered,  brought  down  the 
history  of  Woburn  to  the  death  of  Rev.  Jabez  Fox,  its  second 
minister,  February  28, 1702—3.  In  April  following,  agreeably  to 
ancient  Puritan  custom,  a  Fast  was  held  by  the  town,  the  public 
services  of  which  were  conducted  by  several  of  the  neighboring 
ministers,  to  implore  the  divine  direction  in  the  choice  of  a  suc- 
cessor.1 At  a  town  meeting,  April  5th,  1703,  Mr.  John  Fox, 
eldest  son  of  Rev.  Jabez  Fox,  who  was  then  keeping  the  Gram- 
mar School  in  the  town,  was  invited  to  preach  three  months  on 
probation ;  and  this  invitation  was  afterwards  renewed  for 
three  months  more.  Before  this  latter  engagement  expired,  the 
church  held  several  meetings  with  reference  to  his  permanent 
continuance  among  them ;  at  one  of  which,  they  chose  Mr.  Fox, 
as  the  Town  Records  express  it,  "  for  their  Minister,  in  order  to 
his  full  settlement  in  the  worke  of  the  Ministry  "  :2  by  which 
choice  seems  to  be  meant,  that  they  voted  him  a  call  to  the 
pastoral  office.  The  town,  at  a  meeting  October  4,  1 703,  con- 
firmed these  proceedings  of  the  church ;  choosing  by  a  major  vote, 
"  Mr.  John  Fox  to  be  the  Minister  of  the  town  of  Woobourne."  2 
They  also  voted  to  give  him  £80,  one  fourth  in  money,  as 
his  salary  for  the  first  year ;  which  was  the  same  compensation 
that  his  father  had  been  wont  to  receive ;  and  promised,  in  case 

1  Paid  "  to  James  Fowle  ....  for  the  Elders  Entertainment,  for  them- 
selves and  horses,  on  the  Town  Fast  in  Aprill  last  [1703]     -     -     £1 :8 :0." 

Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  249. 
»  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  238. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  147 

"  of  his  settling  in  the  Worke  of  the  Ministry  in  Woobourne 
upon  his  own  Lands,"3  that  they  would  use  their  influence  with 
the  proprietors  of  the  town4  to  grant  him  at  their  next  meeting 
a  piece  of  land  lying  between  his  own  land  and  that  of  Mr. 
Timothy  Carter,  son  of  the  first  minister.  These  proposals 
were  accepted  by  Mr.  Fox,  and  he  was  accordingly  ordained  the 
following  month,  November  17,  1703,  as  the  pastor  of  the 
church,  and  minister  of  the  town  of  Woburn.  The  exercises  of 
this  solemnity  are  preserved  in  remembrance,  in  the  following 
brief  notice  from  the  diary  of  Rev.  Joseph  Green  of  Salem  Vil- 
lage, now  Danvers,  who  was  present  on  the  occasion.  "17  Nov. 
1703.  I  went  with  Mr  Fitch  and  Lid.  [landlord]  to  Mr  Fox's 
ordination  at  Oburn.  Mr.  Peirpoint  [of  Reading]  began  with  a 
prayer.  Mr  Fox  preach'd.  Mr.  Willard  [of  Old  South  Church, 
Boston]  gave  the  charge.  Mr  Peirpoint  the  right  hand.  I 
came  home  at  7  o'clock."  5 

But  though  Mr.  Fox  was  now  considered  as  permanently  set- 
tled in  Woburn,  yet  nothing  had  been  determined  hitherto 
respecting  his  salary  beyond  the  first  year.  At  a  meeting  called 
to  act  on  this  subject,  November  13,  1704,  the  town  voted : 

1 .  To  "  maintaine  their  minister,  the  Reverand  Mr  John  Fox, 
by  a  rate  or  assessment  proportioned  upon  them  for  that  end, 
according  to  former  custom  in  Woobourne." 

2.  To  allow  him  for  his  encouragement  in  his  work  the  sum 
of  eighty  pounds  annually,  "  forty  pounds  in  money,  and  forty 
pounds  in  corne  and  other  provisions  at  money  price,  at  the 
ordinary   rate   they   are   sold   for   between   man   and  man  in 
Woobourne." 

3.  That  this  agreement  should  stand  as  long  "  as  the  said  Mr. 
John  Fox  shall  continue  and  carry  on  the  whole  work  of  the 
Ministry  in  Woobourne."  6 

3  Upon  the  homestead  inherited  from  his  father. 

4  The  old  distinction  between  the  proprietors  and  the  inhabitants  of  the 
town  is  here,  as  it  is  in  other  passages  of  the  records,  properly  observed. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  proprietors,  March  Gth,  1703-4,  they  voted  unani- 
mously to  give  Mr.  Fox  the  piece  of  land  referred  to,  "to  be  his  own 
proper  estate  forever."  —  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  253. 

"  Manuscripts  of  the  late  William  Gibbs,  Esq.,  of  Lexington.  Vol.  C.,  No.  10,  p.  80. 
«  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  pp.  269,  270. 


148  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

But  these  votes  were  not  passed  by  the  town  with  unanimity. 
Twenty-six  persons,  several  of  whom  were  men  of  great  respect- 
ability, entered  a  protest  against  them  j  which,  with  their  names, 
is  recorded  in  the  Town  Book.6  Their  dissent,  however,  was 
not  owing  apparently  to  any  dissatisfaction  they  felt  with  Mr. 
Fox,  but  founded  expressly  upon  the  alleged  poverty  of  this 
town  in  particular,  and  of  the  country  in  general,  by  reason  of 
the  growing  charge  of  the  then  present  war,  which  rendered 
them  averse  to  "  stating  any  certain  sallery  at  [that]  time,"  etc.6 

Mr.  Fox  being  present  at  this  meeting  declared  his  acceptance 
of  what  the  town  then  voted,  as  his  permanant  annual  allowance, 
and  in  view  of  the  public  burdens  then  pressing  upon  his  people, 
he  agreed,  for  the  present  year,  to  be  satisfied  with  Seventy 
pounds,  and  to  make  due  consideration  afterward,  "  So  long  as 
the  charge  of  the  present  war  lay  so  heavy  upon  this  town." 6 

While  the  question  of  Mr.  Fox's  settlement  was  pending,  a 
communication  was  made  to  him  by  the  church,  subscribed  by 
six  of  its  leading  members,  in  behalf,  apparently,  of  themselves 
and  their  brethren,  which  shows  decisively  what  were  the  senti- 
ments of  the  great  majority  of  Woburn  Church  at  that  day, 
respecting  the  doctrines  of  religion,  and  ecclesiastical  order  and 
government.  A  copy  of  this  interesting  communication  was 
found  many  years  ago  in  a  box  of  time-worn  papers,  belonging 
to  the  Dean  family,  in  which,  probably,  it  had  been  quietly 
resting  for  upwards  of  a  century.  It  is  seemingly  in  the  hand- 
writing of  Major  William  Johnson,  and  reads  as  follows : 

"  A  COPPY  OP  THE  PROPOSALS  OF  WOOBURN  CHURCH 
offered  to  Mr  John  Fox,  when  on  his  probation  among  them  June 
y  3d.  1703." 

"  It  is  now  about  three  score  years  since  this  Church  of  Wooburn 
entered  into-Couenant  as  a  Church  of  Christ,  and  haue  continued 
ever  since  in  that  ffaith  and  Order  which  we  were  instructed  in  by 
our  Honourable  and  Reverend  fathers  spirituall,  political  and  nat- 
urall,  and  above  all,  the  Word  of  God,  the  which  we  haue  perused, 
and  flnde  it  to  warrant  the  same,  and  wee  hope  wee  shall  not  depart 
from  it  now  wee  are  old. 

"  Wee  do  therefore  declare  the  Confession  of  Faith  drawn  up  by 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  149 

the  Revd  Synod  held  at  Cambridge  in  (48)  and  approued  of  by  the 
Honoured  Genu  Court,  and  perused  again  by  the  Synod  held  at 
Boston  in  the  year  (79),  and  that  Platform  of  Discipline  agreed 
upon  at  the  same  Synod  in  (48)  and  approued  of  by  the  Synod  in 
(79)  held  at  Boston,  for  the  Substance  of  it  wee  agree  with  it ;  and 
wee  do  fully  comply  with  that  Chapter  in  the  Confession  of  Faith 
concerning  Baptism,  Paragraph  (4),  that  not  only  those  who  do 
actually  proffess  Faith  [in]  and  Obedience  unto  Christ  are  to  bee 
baptized,  but  allso  the  Infants  of  one  or  both  Belieueing  Parents 
are  to  bee  Baptized,  and  they  only.  Wee  allso  comply  with  and 
hold  that  a  Congregational  Church  ought  to  be  furnished  with  Pas- 
tours  and  Teachers,  Ruling  Elders  and  Deacons,  as  in  the  (7) 
Chapt.  of  Discipline.  Wee  agree  allso  with  the  (8)  Chapt.  con- 
cerning the  Election  of  Church  Officers,  and  with  the  (9)  Chapt. 
concerning  Ordination  and  Impositions  'of  hands,  and  with  the 
(10)  Chapt.  concerning  Church  Power,  and  with  the  (12)  Chapt. 
concerning  the  Admissions  of  Members  :  all  which  wee  pray  God 
to  keep  us  stedfast  in,  that  wee  may  hold  out  to  the  End. 

"  WILLIAM  JOHNSON 
"  SAMU  WALKER 
"  JOSEPH  WRIGHT  Senr 
"  JAMES  CONUERS  Sen' 
"  WILLIAM  LOCK  Senr 
"  JAMES  CONUERS  JunV 

The  "  Confession  of  Faith,"  to  which  the  subscribers  to  this 
Declaration  for  themselves  (and  probably  for  th'e  Church  at 
large)  profess  their  assent,  is  here,  through  inadvertence,  erro- 
neously ascribed  by  them  to  the  synod  assembled  at  Cam- 
bridge in  1648.  That  synod  framed  no  Confession  of  their 
own ;  but  only  expressed  their  approbation  of  that  composed  by 
the  Westminster  Assembly.  The  Confession  here  intended  is 
that  which  was  .agreed  upon  by  the  Reforming  Synod  (so  called), 
assembled  at  Boston  1679  and  1680.  Excepting  some  few- 
variations,  it  is  the  same  as  the  Savoy  Confession,  drawn  up  and 
assented  to  by  the  Elders  and  Messengers  of  the  Congregation- 
al Churches  in  England  convened  at  the  Savoy  Building  in  Lon- 
don in  1658.  It  is  in  sentiment  thoroughly  Calvinistic.  Being 
adopted  by  the  Reforming  Synod  in  this  country,  May  1680,  as 

13* 


1£0  HISTORY   OF   WOBTTRN. 

expressing  their  own  views  in  religion,  and  those  of  the  churches 
represented  by  them,  it  was  immediately  submitted  to  the  Gen- 
eral Court,  then  sitting  in  Boston,  for  their  approbation ;  and, 
receiving  their  sanction,  it  thenceforth  became  for  many  years 
a  common  standard  of  faith  to  the  churches  of  Massachusetts, 
especially  to  such  as  were  gathered  during  the  first  half  of  the 
last  century.  In  Chapter  xxix.  of  this  Confession,  entitled  "  Of 
Baptism,"  the  fourth  paragraph  reads  as  quoted  in  the  Declara- 
tion, "Not  only  those  that  do  actually  profess  Faith  in,  and 
Obedience  unto  Christ ;  but  also  the  Infants  of  one  or  both  be- 
lieving Parents,  are  to  be  baptized,  and  those  only." 

This  Declaration  may  reasonably  be  considered  as  a  decisive 
testimony  to  the  faith,  worship,  and  order  of  the  church  of 
Woburn  at  the  period  it  was  drawn  up;  and  was,  doubtless, 
made  in  compliance  with  a  previous  request,  expressed  or  inti- 
mated, by  Mr.  Fox.  But  here  the  inquiry  suggests  itself;  viz  : 
What  led  Mr.  Fox  to  present  such  a  request  to  the  church? 
For,  though  it  is  very  common  for  a  church  to  require  of  a 
candidate  for  settlement  over  them  a  formal  statement  of  his 
views  of  religion  and  ecclesiastical  discipline,  yet,  churches  have 
been  but  very  rarely,  if  ever,  asked  to  make  such  a  statement  by 
the  candidates  whom  they  employ,  while  preaching  upon  proba- 
tion among  them.  No  light  on  this  point  can  be  gathered  from 
the  recojds .  of  this  church  at  that  day,  which  have  long  been 
missing.  The  Town  Records,  too,  are  entirely  silent  on  the 
subject.  But  the  ecclesiastical  history  of  the  country  at  that 
period  brings  certain  facts  to  view,  from  which  may  be  deduced 
a  plausible  solution,  at  least,  of  this  interesting  inquiry.  At  the 
commencement  of  the  last  century  appears  to  have  been  first 
raised  an  alarm  that  innovations  were  making  in  the  primitive 
faith  and  constitution  of  the  churches  of  Massachusetts.  The 
ancient  orthodox  standards  of  religious  belief,  it  is  true,  were 
yet  acknowledged  and  retained ;  still,  there  is  ground  for  sup- 
posing that  declension  from  them  was  even  then  creeping  into 
the  churches,  which  some  years  afterward  openly  manifested 
itself.  The  opinion  that  the  communion  was  a  converting  ordi- 
nance, and,  consequently,  that  evidence  of  regeneration  was  not 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  151 

an  indispensable  prerequisite  for  admittance  to  church  fellow- 
ship, was  now,  for  the  first  time,  advanced  by  Rev.  Solomon 
Stoddard,  of  Northampton,  a  minister  pre-eminent  for  learning, 
piety,  and  the  distinguished  success  of  his  labors ;  and,  being 
recommended  by  his  great  name  and  influence,  was  gaining 
ground  in  the  churches,  and  lowering,  in  many  places,  the  terms 
of  admission  to  ecclesiastical  privileges.  Again,  sundry  novel- 
ties in  the  worship  and  discipline  of  Brattle  Street  Church, 
Boston,  established  in  1699,  excited,  for  a  while,  apprehensions 
in  many  of  a  design  to  introduce  Presbyterianism  or  Episcopacy 
on  the  ruins  of  Congregationalism. 

From  the  year  1 700,  likewise,  a  plan  appears  to  have  been 
ripening,  which,  with  the  ostensible  design  of  improving  the  con- 
stitution of  the  Congregational  churches,  was,  in  reality,  calculated 
to  subvert  it.  This  plan  was  published  and  warmly  recom- 
mended by  one  Clerical  Association  in  1705,  and  not  improbably 
would  have  been  extensively  adopted,  had  it  not  been  counter- 
acted.by  the  opposition  of  Rev.  Dr.  Increase  Mather  (who, 
though  friendly  to  its  general  provisions,  warmly  objected  to 
some  of  its  peculiarities);  and,  more  especially,  by  the  keen 
satire,  as  well  as  powerful  reasoning  of  Rev.  John  Wise,  minister 
of  Chebacco  Parish,  Ipswich,  in  his  celebrated  work,  entitled, 
"  The  Churches  Quarrel  Espoused."  Moreover,  it  appears  from 
documents  to  be  presently  adverted  to,  that  about  the  year  1670, 
the  church  of  Woburn,  itself,  was  considerably  divided  on  the 
subject  of  Baptism,  and,  although  that  division  was  now  probably 
in  good  measure  healed,  yet  the  remembrance  of  it  had  not 
passed  away,  and  might  naturally  excite  some  solicitude  in  the 
mind  of  one  who  was  preaching  here  as  a  candidate  for  the 
pastoral  office.  It  is  not  surprising,  then,  that  Rev.  Mr.  Fox, 
while  preaching  at  Woburn  on  probation  in  1703,  should  desire 
of  the  church  some  distinct  expression  of  their  views,  both  of 
the  various  controversies  which  were  then  agitating  the  public 
mind,  and  also  of  that,  which,  it  was  still  remembered,  had  once 
been  debated  among  themselves.  And  such  an  expression  was 
the  Declaration  above  cited.  It  is  a  full,  definite  disclosure  of  the 
sentiments  of  the  church,  by  some  of  its  leading  members,  in 


152  HISTORY   OP   WOBTJRN. 

regard  to  all  the  points  of  controversy  alluded  to ;  and  it  was 
excellently  calculated  to  relieve  Mr.  Fox  of  all  anxiety  which 
the  consideration  of  them  might  have  occasioned. 

The  allusion  just  made  to  Baptists  in  Woburn,  above  a  century 
before  the  foundations  of  the  present  numerous  and  highly 
respectable  church  and  society  of  this  denomination  were  laid, 
may  naturally  excite  curiosity  in  the  present  inhabitants  of  the 
town  to  know  who  and  how  many  these  persons  were ;  what 
stand  they  took  in  relation  to  their  peculiar  sentiments  and 
practices;  and  how  long  the  separation  continued  before  it 
ceased,  and  Congregationalists  became  once  more  the  only  pub- 
licly known  denomination  of  Christians  in  town  ?  The  great 
mass  of  the  first  settlers  of  the  Bay  State  were  either  strictly 
Congregational  at  coming  to  this  country,  or  speedily  became  so. 
For  about  thirty-five  years  from  the  settlement  of  Salem,  the 
oldest  town  in  the  Massachusetts  Colony,  as  distinct  from  that 
of  Plymouth,  all  the  churches  that  were  gathered  in  it  were 
Orthodox,  Psedobaptist,  Congregational  churches.  But  in^!663, 
a  Baptist  Church  was  gathered  at  Rehoboth,  now  within  the 
bounds  of  Massachusetts,  but  then  within  Plymouth  jurisdiction. 
This  church,  in  1667,  was  removed  to  Swansea,  by  order  of  the 
Plymouth  Government,  and  there  flourished  under  the  pastoral 
care  of  Rev.  John  Miles,  a  clergyman  from  Wales,  in  Great 
Britain.  In  1665,  the  First  Baptist  Church  in  Boston  was 
formed  at  Charlestown,  two  of  the  principal  members  of  which, 
Mr.  Thomas  Gould  and  Mr.  Thomas  Osburn,  had  previously  for 
years  belonged  to  the  Congregational  Church  of  Charlestown. 
From  Charlestown  and  Boston,  the  peculiar  opinions  of  the 
Baptists  seem  to  have  quickly  spread  to  Woburn  j  and  several 
members  of  the  church  here  either  embraced  them,  or  were 
strongly  disposed  to  favor  them,  and,  consequently,  to  contemn 
or  to  withdraw  from  'the  worship  and  ordinances  of  the  church 
to  which  they  belonged,  and  to  unite  themselves  with  the  church 
of  the  new  denomination.  But  such  a  course  of  proceeding 
was  then  an  offence  against  the  Colony  laws,  and  soon  involved 
its  abettors  in  trouble  before  the  judicial  tribunals.  The  follow- 
ing extracts  from  the  Records  of  the  ancient  Quarterly  Courts 


HISTORY   OF    WOBURN.  153 

for  the  County  of  Middlesex  7  show  the  names,  and  the  number 
of  the  persons  indicted  belonging  to  Woburn,  the  nature  of  their 
supposed  offences,  and  the  methods  taken  to  punish  or  reclaim 
them. 

"  Court  at  Charlestown,  December  19, 1671. 

"  John  Johnson  of  Oburne  8  appearing  according  to  sumons,  to 
answer  the  presentment  of  the  Grand  Jury  for  his  absenting 
himself  constantly  on  the  Lord's  Da}res  from  the  Publick  "Worship 
of  God  —  confessed  that  he  had  formerly  gone  to  the  Anabaptisti- 
call  assembly,  but  now  he  had  left  off;  and  for  some  time  had 
attended  the  worship  of  the  Lord  with  the  People  of  God  iu  the 
place  where  he  dwells,  and  was  resolved,  God  continuing  life  and 
health,  that  he  would  still  so  do.  The  Court  accepted  of  his 
promise ;  and  paying  Court  fees,  he  was  discharged. 

"  Hopestill  Foster  John  Peirce  of  Oburne  appearing  before 
the  Court  to  answer  presentment  of  the  Grand  Jury  for  turning 
their  back  on  the  holy  ordinance  of  Baptism,  confessed  the  present- 
ment ;  and  being  the  first  time,  the  Court  sentenced  them  to  be 
admonished  ;  which  was  accordingly  performed  in  open  court ;  and 
paj'ing  fees  of  Court,  were  discharged. 

"  John  Russell  of  Oburne  senr.  8  appearing  before  the  Court  to 
answer  the  presentment  of  the  Grand  Jury  for  renouncing 
communion  with  the  Church  of  Christ  in  that  plase,  whereoff  he  is 
a  member ;  and  this  declared  of  late  by  his  frequent  absenting 
himself  from  the  Public  ministry  of  God's  word  on  the  Lord's 
Dayes,  and  turning  his  back  on  the  holy  Ordinance  of  Baptism, 
and  refusing  to  partake  with  the  Church,  in  the  Sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  Supper,  joiynng  himself  to  the  schismaticall  assembly  of 
the  Anabaptists,  and  taking  office  power  among  them,  casting  out 
John  Johnson  who  was  a  member  with  them  :  He  the  said  Russell 
confessed  the  presentment ;  and  the  Court  considering  the  nature 
of  his  Indictment,  and  the  firm  [former?]  endeavors  legally  used 
for  his  conviction  and  reformation,  and  by  his  obstinacy  therein  he 
hath  made  himself  lyable  to  the  judgment  and  sensure  of  the  Court 

7  Copied  from  Lib.  3,  pp.  11-13,  and  communicated  by  Thomas  B.  Wyman,  Esq.,  of 
Charlcstown. 

8  No  uncommon  way  of  spelling  Woburn  in  former  days ;  but  whence 
derived,  uncertain.  Beside  John  Russell,  Senr^  his  son,  John  Russell,  Jr., 
was  also  cited  to  appear  before  this  Court.  But  his  indictment,  and  the 
result  of  his  trial,  are  not  mentioned  in  these  extracts. 


154  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

of  Assistants,  do  order  that  he  give  bond  in  ten  pounds  to  appear 
at  the  next  Court  of  Assistants  to  answer  the  aforesaid  present- 
ment, and  that  he  stands  committed  untill  this  order  be  fulfilled  — 
John  Kussell  senr .  doth  acknowledge  himself  to  stand  bound  in 
ten  pounds  sterling  to  be  forfeited  and  payd  to  the  crier  of  the 
Court,  at  Boston,  On  condition  that  the  said  John  Russell  shall 
appeare  at  the  next  Court  of  Assistants  to  be  held  at  Boston, 
to  answer  the  presentment  of  ye.  Grand  Jury  as  is  above  declared  ; 
and  that  he  shall  abide  the  order  of  the  Court  therein,  and  not 
depart  without  license. 

"  Matthew  Johnson  appearing  before  the  Court  to  answer  the 
presentment  of  the  Grand  Jury  for  turning  his  back  on  the  holy 
ordinance  of  Infant  Baptism,  confessed  the  presentment :  and 
being  the  first  time  of  his  conviction,  the  Court  sentenced  him  to 
be  admonished  ;  which  was  accordingly  done  in  open  Court :  pay- 
ing costs,  he  was  discharged. 

"  Whereas  John  Wright,9  Isaac  Cole,  Ffrancis  Wiman,  John 
Wiman,  Ffrancis  Kendall,  Robert  Peirce,  Matthew  Smith  & 
Joseph  Wright,  members  in  full  communion  with  the  Church  of 
Christ  at  Woburne,  were  presented  by  the  Grand  Jury  of  the 
County  of  Middlesex  in  New  England  at  the  Court  in  October  last 
for  refuseing  communion  with  the  Church  of  Woburne  in  the  Lord's 
Supper,  and  rejecting  the  counsell  of  neighboring  churches,  and  all 
other  measures  for  healing  the  disorder  and  scandall  thereby  occa- 
sioned :  This  Court  having  heard  their  severall  answers,  wherein 
they  pretend  and  alledge  that  the  grounds  of  their  withdrawing 
are  sundry  scruples  in  poynt  of  conscience,  not  daring  to  partake 
with  the  church  for  fear  of  defilement  by  sin,  giving  some  reasons 
of  their  dissatisfaction,  which  not  being  satisfactory  to  the  Court, 
who  are  sensible  of  the  scandall  thereby  redounding  to  our  profes- 
sion, and  considering  the  directions  given  by  the  word  of  God  and 
laws  of  this  Colony,  requiring  "the  attendance  of  all  due  meanes 
for  preserving  the  peace  and  order  of  the  churches  in  the  wayes  of 
godliness  and  honesty,  that  so  all  God's  ordinances  may  have  pas- 
sage unto  edification,  according  to  the  rules  of  Christ. 

"This  Court  do  therefore,  upon  serious  consideration  of  the 
whole  case,  order  that  the  respective  churches  of  Charlestown, 

9  Not  Deacon  John  Wright,  but  a  son  of  his ;  as  was  also  Joseph  Wright, 
presented  at  the  same  time.  See  notice  of  Joseph,  at  the  close  of  this 
chapter. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  155 

Cambridge,  Watertown,  Redding  &  Billerica  be  moved  and  re- 
quested from  the  Court,  according  to  God's  ordinance  of  commun- 
ion of  churches,  to  send  their  elders  and  messengers  unto  the 
church  of  Wbburne  the  day  of  March  next,  where  the  brethren 
that  were  presented  as  above  said  are  ordered  and  required  to  give 
a  meeting  together  with  the  church  there,  and  shall  have  liberty 
humbly  and  inoffensively  to  declare  their  grievances,  and  the  church 
also  to  declare  the  whole  case  for  the  hearing  of  their  proceedings  : 
And  after  the  case  is  fully  heard  by  the  said  councill,  they  are  to 
endeavor  the  healing  of  their  spirits,  and  making  of  peace  among 
them,  for  the  issuing  of  matters  according  to  the  word  of  God,  and 
to  make  returne  of  what  they  shall  do  herein  to  the  next  county 
Court  to  be  held  at  Cambridge  :  And  the  Recorder  of  this  Court 
is  ordered  seasonably  to  signify  the  Court's  mind  herein  to  the 
several  churches  above  named.  It  is  ordered  that  the  Court's  final 
determination  in  the  above  named  case  be  respited,  untill  they 
receive  the  councill's  return,  and  the  above  named  persons  that 
were  presented  by  the  Grand  Jury  are  ordered  to  attend  at  the 
next  court  at  Cambridge." 

By  these  extractPfrom  the  above  mentioned  authentic  sources 
of  information,  it  appears,  that  thirteen  citizens  of  Woburn  were 
prosecuted  before  the  Middlesex  County  Court,  in  Dec.  1671,  for 
publicly  manifesting  contempt  for  the  ordinance  of  Infant  Bap- 
tism, as  administered  in  the  church  of  Woburn ;  or  for  with- 
drawing from  the  worship  or  communion  of  that  church,  and 
attending  the  assemblies  of  the  Anabaptists,  (as  they  were 
called)  which  were  not  then  allowed  by  law.  Of  these  thirteen 
persons,  one  was  discharged  upon  his  acknowledgment  and 
promise  of  change  of  conduct,  and  paying  costs  of  Court.  Three 
received  in  Court  a  public  admonition.  One  deemed  more 
irreclaimable  than  the  rest,  (viz:  John  Russell,  Senr.,)  was  bound 
over  to  the  Court  of  Assistants,  then  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
Colony,  for  a  final  decision  upon  his  case ;  and  sentence  upon 
the  remaining  eight  was  deferred  by  the  Court,  till  the  efficacy 
of  the  reasonings  and  persuasions  of  an  ecclesiastical  council 
could  be  tried  for  reducing  them  to  terms  of  peace  and  unity 
with  the  church  of  Woburn  once  more.  This  Council  appears  to 
have  met  at  the  time  and  place  appointed;  for  the  Court  after- 


156  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

wards  ordered  that  its  expense  should  be  defrayed  by  the 
Church.10  But  there  being  no  known  record  of  its  result,  or  of 
any  further  action  of  the  Court  in  the  case,  it  seems  probable, 
that  the  report  of  the  Council  was  so  far  favorable  to  the  persons 
indicted,  as  that  the  Court  deemed  it  expedient  to  discharge  them. 
Two  of  the  eight  persons  whom  the  Council  had  to  deal  with, 
viz,  Joseph  "Wright  and  John  Wyman,  seem  to  have  been  con- 
vinced of  error  by  the  labors  of  the  Council,  or  some  other 
instrumentality,  and  to  have  become  cordially  reconciled  to  the 
church  of  Woburn  again ;  for  the  former  person  became  after- 
wards a  deacon  in  that  church,  and  was  one  of  the  subscribers 
to  the  above-cited  "  Declaration,"  and  the  latter  took  an  active 
part  in  the  settlement  of  Rev.  Jabez  Fox,  as  colleague  of  Rev. 
Thomas  Carter,  in  1679;  and  in  his  will,  dated  March  10, 
1683-4,  he  left  a  legacy  of  forty  shillings  to  each  of  them, 
styling  them  his  "Reverend  Pastors."  His  brother,  Francis 
Wyman,  appears  to  have  always  retained  his  partiality  for  the 
sentiments  of  the  Baptists;  for,  in  his  will,  dated  Sept.  5th, 
1698,  a  few  months  before  his  death,  he  bequeathed  to  the  two 
elders  of  the  Baptist  Church  in  Boston,  Mr.  Isaac  Hull  and 
Mr.  John  Emblen,  "twenty  shillings  apiece."  But  in  naming 
these  gentlemen  in  his  will,  as  he  does  not  call  them  "  his  pas- 
tors," as  his  brother  John  does  Messrs.  Carter  and  Fox  in  his 
will,  he  gives  room  for  the  supposition  that  he  ultimately 
decided,  from  prudential  considerations,  to  attend  public  wor- 
ship with  his  neighbors  where  he  lived ;  and  that,  keeping  his 
peculiar  sentiments  on  the  subject  of  baptism  to  himself,  as 
implying  nothing  in  his  view  essential  to  the  Christian  character, 
he  died  in  communion  with  the  church  of  Woburn.  The  course 
taken  by  the  other  five  members  of  the  church,  with  whom  the 
Council  was  to  deal,  by  order  of  Court,  is  unknown.  As  I  have 
been  unable,  however,  either  by  tradition  or  records,  to  discover 

10  "  This  Court  doth  order  that  the  charges  expended  in  entertayning  the 
late  councill  at  Woburne  shall  be  satisfied  by  all  the  church  (apportion*!  ?) 
as  other  charges  are  payd  among  them  by  order  of  the  Selectmen ;  and  the 
constable  is  ordered  to  levy  the  same."—  Quarter  Court  Records,  Vol.  III., 
p.  37. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  157 

any  traces  of  Christians  in  Woburn,  subsequently  to  this  period, 
who  maintained  the  opinions  and  worship  of  the  Baptist  denomi- 
nation, in  opposition  to  Congregationalists,  or  in  distinction 
from  them,  previously  to  the  troubles  with  Rev.  Mr.  Sargent, 
about  1795,  it  seems  but  reasonable  to  conclude  that  all  belong- 
ing to  Woburn,  who  had  been  summoned  before  the  civil 
tribunals  for  their  Baptist  sentiments  and  practices,  December 
1671,  except  John  Russell,  Senr.,  and  John  Russell,  Jr.,  his  son, 
either  renounced  those  sentiments  and  practices  as  erroneous  ; 
or  else  that  they  worshipped  unitedly  with  their  Congregational 
brethren  while  they  lived,  not  accounting  the  differences  between 
them  as  essential ;  and  that,  when  they  died,  their  peculiarities 
died  with  them  in  Woburn,  or,  at  least,  ceased  to  be  publicly 
manifested  there  and  insisted  upon  by  any  who  might  hold 
them. 

But  there  was  one  person  indicted  as  above,  whose  resolute 
spirit  no  opposition  could  subdue,  no  suffering  could  break 
down,  or  cause  to  swerve  from  the  path  which  he  deemed  to  be 
right.  John  Russell,  Senr.,  was  one  of  the  earliest  inhabitants  of 
Woburn,  being  a  subscriber  to  the  Town  Orders  drawn  up  for 
it  at  Charlestown,  in  1640.  By  occupation  he  was  a  shoemaker ; 
and,  for  several  years,  without  interruption,  was  chosen  to  the 
responsible  office  of  Sealer  of  Leather.  He  was  also  one  of  the 
Selectmen  several  years  in  succession;  and,  in  1664,  was 
appointed  on  a  highly  respectable  and  important  committee  of 
seven  for  making  distribution  among  the  proprietors  of  the  town 
"  of  plow  lands  and  swamps,  and  a  particular  division  of  the 
remote  timber,  according  to  justice  and  equity."  n  He  is  like- 
wise named  in  the  Town  Records  of  the  same  year  as  a  deacon 
of  the  church ;  and,  at  that  time,  was  doubtless  an  Orthodox 
Congregationalist,  both  in  profession  and  practice.  But,  after- 
wards, embracing  the  peculiarities  of  the  Baptists,  he  was  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  year  1669,  or  in  the  former  part  of  1670, 
admitted  into  the  Baptist  Church  of  Boston,  which  then  met  for 
worship  at  Noddle's  Island.  Of  this  church,  he  was  soon  after 


"  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  29. 
14 


158  HISTORY   OF   WOBTTRN. 

chosen  an  elder.  For  in  a  letter  from  Edward  Drinker,  (a  lead- 
ing member  of  that  church,  and  one  of  its  founders,)  directed  to 
Mr.  Clarke  and  his  Baptist  Church  at  Newport,  and  dated 
November  30,  1670,  he  takes  the  following  notice  of  Mr.  Rus- 
sell :  "  The  Lord  has  given  us  another  elder,  one  John  Russell 
Senr.,  a  gracious,  wise  and  holy  man  that  lives  at  Woburn, 
where  we  have  five  brethren  near  that  can  meet  with  him  j  and 
they  meet  together  first  days,  when  they  cannot  come  to  us ; 
and  I  hear  there  are  some  there  looking  that  way  with  them." 
Before  this,  probably  in  consequence  of  the  change  in  his  relig- 
ious views,  he  had  become  remiss  in  his  attendance  upon  public 
worship  at  Woburn,  was  wont  to  turn  his  back  at  the  ministra- 
tion of  Infant  Baptism,  and  refused  to  partake  with  the  church 
there,  of  which  he  then  was,  or  recently  had  been,  both  a  mem- 
ber and  an  officer,  in  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper. 
Upon  these  charges,  and  likewise  for  joining  the  Baptist  Church 
in  Boston,  which  had  not  been  regularly  gathered  according  to 
the  laws  of  the  Colony,  and  for  accepting  |Jie  eldership  among 
them,  and  exercising  the  authority  of  that  office  in  excommuni- 
cating John  Johnson,  Senr.,  of  Woburn,  who  had  been  admitted 
a  member  before  him,  he  was  summoned  and  tried  before  the 
Court  of  Quarter  Sessions  at  Charlestown,  December  19,  1671 : 
and,  by  that  Court,  he  was  bound  over,  as  we  have  seen,  to 
appear  before  the  Court  of  Assistants  at  their  next  session.  By 
the  decision  of  this  tribunal,  which  was  then  the  Supreme  Judi- 
cial Court,  as  well  as  principal  Legislative  body  of  the  Colony, 
,he  was  committed  to  prison,  but  was  shortly  after  released. 
For  in  a  letter  from  William  Hamlit,  a  Baptist  brother,  dated  at 
Boston  14:  4  mo:  (14  June)  1672,  he  is  spoken  of  thus: 
"  I  perceive  you  have  heard,  as  if  our  brother  Russel  had  died  in 
prison.  Through  grace  he  is  yet  in  the  land  of  the  living,  and 
out  of  prison  bonds ;  but  is  in  a  doubtful  way  as  to  the  recovery 
of  his  outward  health :  but  we  ought  to  be  quiet  in  the  good  will 
and  pleasure  of  our  God,  who  is  only  wise.  I  remain  your 
loving  brother, 

"WILLIAM  HAMLIT." 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  159 

After  the  death  of  Elder  Gould,  first  pastor  of  the  Baptist 
Church  in  Boston,  in  October  1675,  Elder  Miles,  of  Swansea, 
seems  to  have  statedly  ministered  to  it  till  1679,  when  he 
returned  to  his  former  charge  in  Swansea,  and  Mr.  Russell  was 
ordained  to  succeed  Mr.  Gould  in  Boston.  It  seems  to  have 
been  long  taken  for  granted  that  the  person  thus  ordained  as 
Elder  Gould's  successor  in  the  pastoral  office,  was  John  Russell, 
Senr.,  who  had  been  an  elder  in  the  Baptist  Church  at  Boston, 
almost  from  the  time  of  his  admission  as  a  member.  But  the 
Records  of  Deaths  in  Woburn,  represent  "John  Russell"  to 
have  deceased  June  1,  1676;  and  that  John  Russell,  Senr.,  is 
there  intended,  inspection  of  Woburn  Records  of  Births,  in 
which  the  births  of  the  children  of  John  Russell,  Jr.,  are 
registered  till  January  1678,  does  plainly  show.  The  obvious 
inference  from  these  statements  is,  that  Elder  John  Russell,  Senr., 
died  at  Woburn,  June  1,  1676,  above  three  years  before  he  is 
commonly  supposed  to  have  been  recognized  as  the  pastor  of  the 
Baptist  Church  in  Boston.  And  this  inference  is  confirmed  by 
the  date  of  his  Will  in  the  Probate  Office,  which  is  May  27, 
1676,12  five  days  only  before  the  date  of  the  death  referred  to 
as  recorded  in  Woburn  Town  Book.  Reflection  upon  these  and 
similar  recorded  facts  has  induced  a  firm  persuasion,  that  the 
successor  of  Elder  Gould,  in  the  pastoral  office  at  Boston,  was 
John  Russell,  Jr.,  not  John  Russell,  Senr. ;  as,  through  inadver- 
tence to  the  difference  of  the  persons  occasioned  by  the  same- 
ness of  name  and  secular  occupation,  has  been  commonly  sup- 
posed. 

John  Russell,  Jr.,  was  probably  born  either  in  England, 
before  his  father  came  to  this  country,  or  at  Charlestown,  where 
his  father  resided  before  Woburn  was  settled ;  married  Sarah 
Champney  (of  Cambridge,  it  is  presumed),  31  October,  1661 ; 
followed,  doubtless,  his  father's  trade  of  shoemaking ;  and,  like 
his  father  before  him,  was  chosen  repeatedly  in  Woburn,  Sealer 
of  Leather.13  He  was  admitted  to  the  Baptist  Church  in  Boston 

18  Abstract  of  Wills,  taken  from  Probate  Office,  and  eommunicated  by 
Thomas  B.  Wyman,  Esq. 

^  Viz :  for  1877  and  1678.    Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  72,  79. 


160  HISTORY   OF  WOBURN. 

some  months  at  least,  if  not  a  year  or  more,  before  his  father, 
being  the  fourth  male  person  received  into  that  church  after  it 
was  constituted,  in  1665;  and  was  always  regarded  by  the 
other  brethren,  as  a  very  respectable  and  valuable  member.  In 
letters  to  that  church  from  other  churches  and  ministers  of  the 
same  denomination  from  abroad,  as  quoted  in  Backus'  History 
of  the  Baptists,  he  is  repeatedly  mentioned  with  his  father  in 
their  salutations,  in  terms  of  equal  jespect  and  affection.  He 
was  quite  as  obnoxious,  too,  as  his  father  to  the  civil  authorities ; 
and  was  presented  with  him  to  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions 
at  the  same  time,  December  1671.  This  fact  we  learn  from  a 
letter  from  Benjamin  Sweetzer,  a  Baptist  member  belonging  to 
Charlestown,  to  Mr  Samuel  Hubbard,  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
Church  at  Newport,  R.  I.  In  that  letter,  dated  at  Charlestown, 
December  10,  1671,  he  writes,  "  The  persecuting  spirit  begins 
to  stir  again.  Elder  Russel  and  his  son,  and  brother  Foster,  are 
presented  to  the  Court  that  is  to  be  this  month.  We  desire 
your  prayers  for  us,  that  the  Lord  would  keep  us,  that  we  may 
not  dishonor  that  worthy  name  we  have  made  profession  of; 
and  that  the  Lord  would  still  stand  by  us,  and  be  seen  amongst 
us,  as  he  has  been  in  a  wonderful  manner,  in  preserving  of  us 
until  this  day." 

John  Russell,  Jr.,  was  ordained,  as  successor  of  Elder  Gould, 
to  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  in  Boston, 
July  28,  1679.  At  the  same  time,  he  removed  his  residence 
from  Woburn  to  Boston,  according  to  the  historian  of  the 
Baptists,  with  whose  statement  on  this  point  Woburn  Records 
do  well  agree.  For  these,  while  they  record  the  births  of  John 
Russell,  Jr.'s  children  till  January  1677-8,  and  his  taxes  in 
Woburn  till  December  1679,  the  year  of  his  removal  to  Boston, 
make  no  mention  of  him  afterwards,  though  they  record  the 
death  of  his  widow,  Sarah,  April  25,  1696;  who,  it  seems,  after 
the  death  of  her  husband,  removed  back  from  Boston  to 
Woburn.  At  Boston,  Elder  Russell  appears  to  have  been  a 
zealous  and  successful  laborer  in  his  sacred  office ;  but  he  was 
not  permitted  to  continue  in  it  long,  being  taken  away  by  death, 
December  21,  1680.  Concerning  him,  Rev.  Isaac  Backus,  the 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  161 

historian  of  the  Baptists,  observes,  "  It  is  evident,  that  the  gifts 
and  graces  of  Elder  Russell  were  not  small ;  and  his  memory 
is  precious." 

During  the  short  period  Elder  Russell  was  in  office,  he  wrote 
a  treatise  in  answer  to  some  harsh  reflections  upon  the  Baptists, 
contained  in  a  then 'recent  publication  of  Rev.  Dr.  Increase 
Mather,  asserting  "  The  divine  right  of  Infant  Baptism."  This 
answer  was  entitled  "A  brief  Narrative  of  some  considerable 
passages  concerning  the  first  gathering  and  further  progress  of  a 
church  of  Christ  in  Gospel  order,  in  Boston  in  New  England," 
etc.  It  was  "  dated  from  Boston  the  20th.  of  May  1680  " ;  and, 
being  approved  by  his  church,  it  was  sent,  for  publication,  to 
London,  where  a  preface  to  it  was  written  by  seven  noted 
Baptist  ministers  of  that  day. 

The  descendants  of  Elder  John  Russell,  Senr.,  who  continued 
in  Woburn,  seem  not  to  have  retained  his  peculiar  sentiments  as 
a  Baptist,  but  to  have  been  of  the  Congregational  persuasion ; 
and  when  the  town  was  divided  into  two  parishes  in  1730,  John 
Russell,  his  great  grandson,  was  the  first  Clerk  of  the  First  Con- 
gregational Parish  in  Woburn,  and  also  Parish  Treasurer  and  a 
Parish  Assessor  for  several  years  in  succession.  But  a  grand- 
daughter of  Elder  Russell,  Senr.,  by  his  daughter,  Mary  Brooks, 
wife  of  Timothy  Brooks  of  Woburn,  was  married  at  Swansea  to 
a  gentleman  by  the  name  of  Mason,  by  whom  she  had  three  sons, 
Job,  Russell,  and  John  Mason,  all  of  whom  were  esteemed 
preachers  of  the  Baptist  denomination  in  their  day. 

In  reverting  briefly  to  the  civil  prosecutions  of  the  Baptists  in 
Woburn  above  cited,  it  cannot  but  be  deeply  regretted  by  all 
who  venerate  the  memory  of  our  pious  ancestors,  that  they 
should  have  resorted  to  the  measures  they  did  in  this  matter. 
As  we  view  it  at  this  distant  day,  it  would  seem  that  sound 
policy,  as  well  as  consistency  with  their  own  professed  princi- 
ples, dictated  a  far  more  liberal  course.  For  what  had  these 
men  done,  that  they  should  be  compelled  to  answer  for  their 
conduct  before  the  judicial  tribunals  of  the  country,  and  there  be 
admonished  as  evil  doers,  fined,  and  one  of  them  eventually 
sentenced  to  imprisonment  ?  Had  they  committed  any  flagrant 
14* 


162  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

crime  ?  This  is  not  pretended.  Had  they  been  chargeable  with 
factious,  seditious  conduct,  by  which  the  peace  of  the  community 
was  infringed,  or  the  public  safety  endangered  ?  There  appears 
but  little  or  no  sound  foundation  for  such  an  allegation  as  this. 
The  charge  against  them,  which  looks  most  like  a  civil  misde- 
meanor, is  that  of  turning  their  backs  in  God's  house  at  the 
administration  of  infant  baptism.  This  charge,  all  of  them  who 
were  presented  for  it,  confessed  in  Court ;  and  I  cannot  help 
thinking,  that  even  our  candid  Baptist  brethren  of  the  present 
day  must  own  that  they  were  blamable  for  this,  as  being  a  sort 
of  rude,  irreverent  behavior,  very  unseemly  for  the  time  and 
place,  which  faithfulness  to  their  principles  did  not  require  them 
to  show,  and  which  was  calculated  to  give  needless  oifence  to 
their  pious  Psedobaptist  brethren ;  and  so  was  in  this  view  a 
species  of  wilful  disturbance  of  public  worship.  For  if  this  were 
a  right  and  becoming  way  of  manifesting  their  conscientious 
scruples  about,  or  rejection  of  an  ordinance,  which  the  great 
majority  of  their  fellow-worshippers  were  equally  conscientious 
in  observing,  then  some  similar  method  might  be  properly  taken 
to  express  our  dislike  of,  or  objections  against  something  which 
might  be  said  in  prayer  or  preaching ;  and  in  such  case,  what 
scenes  of  disorder  and  confusion  might  our  churches  be  rendered 
by  something  exhibited  to  the  eye  only,  without  any  help  from 
the  voice  or  the  foot  ?  Even  this  fault,  however,  seems  quite  as 
proper  a  subject  for  animadversion  from  the  pulpit,  as  before  a 
tribunal  of  justice.  And  as  to  all  the  other  charges  for  which  the 
first  Baptists  in  Woburn  were  presented  to  the  Court,  I  am  free 
to  express  my  apprehensions,  that  there  was  more  wrong  done  to 
them  than  by  them.  For  absenting  themselves  from  Commu- 
nion, they  were  rightfully  answerable,  not  to  the  civil  authorities, 
but  to  the  church  of  Woburn,  of  which  they  were  members.  And 
as  to  the  accusations  against  them  and  others  of  their  day,  that 
they  had  withdrawn  from  the  established  public  worship,  and 
gathered  themselves  into  conventicles  and  churches  which  were 
without,  or  against  the  allowance  of  the  civil  government ;  what 
had  they  done  in  all  this,  but  what  our  Puritan  ancestors 
had  done  themselves,  or  had  pleaded  for  the  right  of  doing, 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  163 

or  bitterly  complained  of  as  an  infringement  of  the  rights  of 
conscience,  whenever  against  their  own  persuasion  of  what  was 
right  they  were  forcibly  prevented  from  doing,  in  their  mother 
country  ?  Consistency,  then,  required  them  to  show  the  same 
tender  indulgence  to  'the  consciences  of  their  dissenting  brethren 
here,  that  they  had  pleaded  or  claimed  should  be  shown  to 
themselves  by  the  bishops  and  church  officials  at  home.  For 
otherwise,  how  could  they  fulfil  the  law  of  love,  —  to  do  unto 
others,  as  they  would  have  others  do  to  them?  ". 

But  while  we  cannot  justify  our  ancestors  in  their  proceedings 
against  the  early  Baptists  in  Woburn,  it  behoves  us  in  equity  to 
moderate  our  censures,  and  to  make  all  those  allowances  for 
them,  which  a  due  regard  to  their  general  character,  and  to  the 
peculiar  opinions  and  customs  of  those  times  demands.  A  large 
proportion  of  the  magistrates,  ministers  and  other  leading  men 
of  that  day  were  indeed  among  the  excellent  of  the  earth,  men 
to  whose  pious  care  and  benevolent  exertions,  not  only  their 
own,  but  all  succeeding  generations  have  been  largely  indebted. 
The  sin  of  persecution,  which  has  been  often  alleged  against 
them,  is  not  one  which  lies  particularly  against  them,  but  was  a 
sin  of  the  times  in  which  they  lived.  The  rights  of  free  inquiry, 
and  of  liberty  of  conscience,  are  matters  which  were  then  at 
best,  but  imperfectly  understood  j  and  a  persuasion  was  almost 
universally  prevalent  of  the  necessity  of  uniformity  in  religious 
faith  and  worship  in  order  to  the  public  weal,  and  of  the  right 
and  duty  of  the  civil  magistrate  to  maintain  it  by  force.  These 
two  principles,  understood  in  the  extent  to  which  they  were 
formerly  carried,  are  now  generally  and  justly  regarded  as  erro- 
neous. Still,  they  were  embraced  by  the  civil  fathers  of  Massa- 
chusetts with  all  sincerity.  And  from  the  practical  influence  of 
these  principles  upon  their  minds  and  measures,  rather  than 
from  an  inhuman,  persecuting  spirit,  proceeded  all  their  rigorous 
laws  and  hard  dealings  towards  those  who  dissented  from  them 
in  some  particulars  of  their  faith  and  practice.  In  passing  those 
laws,  they  seem  to  have  aimed  at  the  purity  of  the  churches,  and 
the  maintenance  in  them  of  truth  and  peace ;  and  in  the  execution 
of  those  laws,  while  the  edge  of  them  was  severely  felt,  not  only 


164  HISTORY   OP   WOBUEN. 

by  Baptists,  but  by  Episcopalians,  Quakers,  and  by  some  individuals 
even  of  their  own  denomination,  the  magistrates  who  put  them  in 
force,  appear  all  the  while  never  to  have  been  sensible  that 
they  were  violating  the  rights  of  conscience,  but  to  have  been 
persuaded  that  they  were  only  bearing  that  testimony  to  the 
truth,  which  they  were  in  duty  bound  to  manifest,  and  by  the 
neglect  of  doing  which,  they  would  not  only  incur  the  judgments 
of  heaven  themselves,  but  bring  ruin  upon  the  country  which  they 
were  set  to  defend  and  govern.  As  the  renowned  father  of 
Woburn,  Capt.  Edward  Johnson,  observes  in  his  "  Wonder-work- 
ing Providence,"  concerning  the  immediate  predecessors  of  the 
rulers  referred  to ;  "  To  them  it  seems  unreasonable,  and  to 
savour  too  much  of  hypocrisy,  that  any  people  should  pray  unto 
the  Lord  for  the  speedy  accomplishment  of  his  word  in  the  over- 
throw of  Antichrist,  and  in  the  mean  time  become  a  patron  to 
sinful  opinions  and  damnable  errors  that  oppose  the  truths  of 
Christ,  admit  it  be,  but  in  the  bare  permission  of  them." 

But  here  lay  the  error  of  our  pious  ancestors  and  rulers  in 
former  days.  All  men,  whether  rulers  or  subjects,  are  bound  to 
study,  and  seek  after,  and  embrace  and  obey  the  truth  of  God 
themselves,  and  in  their  several  places,  and  according  to  their 
several  abilities  and  opportunities,  to  promote  the  reception  of  it 
by  others.  This  is  the  best  way  of  bearing  testimony  to  the  truth. 
But  the  Word  of  God  nowhere  authorizes  rulers  to  employ 
the  sword  of  persecution  or  civil  force  to  compel  men  to  believe, 
profess  and  follow  its  sacred  dictates.  The  only  sword  that  is 
lawful  to  be  used  in  the  Christian  warfare  against  error  and  sin 
is  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  Word  of  God.  All 
other  weapons  are  only  carnal  weapons,  which  are  strictly  for- 
bidden to  be  employed,  even  in  defence  of  the  truth.  While, 
then,  we  admire  and  honor  our  ancestors  for  their  many  virtues 
and  great  excellences,  let  us  not  be  blind  to  their  faults,  or 
attempt  to  justify  or  excuse  them.  Nor  let  us  be  so  unjust  to 
them  ourselves  as  to  condemn  them  without  measure,  after  the 
manner  of  some,  but  candidly  consider  the  numerous  circum- 
stances which  palliate  their  failings,  and  willingly  allow  them  all 
the  weight  that  is  their  due. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  165 

Three  years  from  the  date  of  the  memorable  Declaration  of 
the  Church,  in  1703,  had  but  just  elapsed,  when  three  of  those 
who  subscribed  it,  viz,  Deacon  Walker,  Major  Johnson  and 
Major  Convers,  had  finished  their  course ;  so  that  their  subscrip- 
tion to  it  may  with  reason  be  regarded  as  their  dying  testimony 
to  the  faith  and  order  of  the  Church  of  Woburn  at  that  day. 
And  as  these  gentlemen,  as  likewise  the  three  subscribers  who 
survived  them,  were  all  men  of  great  respectability  and  useful- 
ness, a  brief  particular  notice  of  each  of  them  here  may  not  be 
unacceptable. 

William  Johnson,  Esq.,  whose  name  stands  at  the  head  of 
these  worthies  in  their  subscription  to  the  Declaration,  was  the 
third  son  of  Capt.  Edward  Johnson,  one  of  the  principal  founders 
of  the  town  and  church  of  Woburn.  He  was  born  in  England 
about  1 630 ;  was  brought  to  New  England,  when  a  child,  by  his 
father,  together  with  his  mother  Susanna  and  six  other  children 
of  the  family,  in  1637;  and  removed  with  him,  in  1641,  from 
Charlestown,  his  first  place  of  abode  on  this  side  of  the  Atlan- 
tic, to  Woburn,  where  he  continued  to  reside  the  rest  of  his  days 
in  usefulness  and  honor. 

His  public  spirit  and  talent  for  business  were  early  discerned 
by  his  fellow-citizens,  who  duly  noticed  and  availed  themselves 
of  them.  He  was  chosen  one  of  the  Selectmen  in  1664,  and 
again  in  1672,  and  each  following  year  in  succession,  till  1688. 
Thai  yea-,  also,  he  was  chosen  Selectman  at  the  usual  time  under 
the  Old  Charter;  but  the  choice  on  that  day  not 'being  allowed 
to  stand  by  the  arbitrary  government  of  Sir  Edmund  Andros, 
he  appears  to  have  declined  a  re-election  on  the  day  appointed 
by  the  Governor  and  Council  for  making  a  new  choice ;  pre- 
ferring a  private  station  to  holding  office  under  the  control  of  a 
power  that  was  so  openly  hostile  to  the  liberties  of  the  people. 

Shortly  before  the  death  of  his  father,  in  16 72-,  he  was  chosen 
to  succeed  him  as  Recorder  or  Town  Clerk ;  an  office  which  he 
held  without  interruption  till  1688,  in  which  year  Lieutenant 
(afterwards  Major)  Convers  was  elected.  His  father  had  been 
constantly  Town  Clerk  from  the  beginning  of  the  town,  in  1640, 
till  the  year  of  his  death;  so  that  the  whole  term  during 


166  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

which  the  father  and  son  served  the  town,  in  this  capacity,  was 
forty-eight  years. 

He  represented  the  town  in  the  General  Court  in  1674;  and 
again,  eight  years  in  succession,  from  1676  till  1683  inclusively, 
either  alone  or  associated  with  Humphrey  Davie,  Esq.,  of  Boston, 
or  with  his  distinguished  townsman,  Ensign  James  Convers. 

In  1684,  and  the  two  following  years,  he  was  chosen  one  of 
the  Board  of  Assistants,  which,  under  the  First  Charter,  was  not 
only  the  Senate  of  the  Colony,  but  the  Supreme  Court  of  Judica- 
ture. But  the  Colonial  Government,  being  superseded,  in  1686, 
by  a  President  and  Council,  and  quickly  after,  by  a  Governor 
and  Council  of  the  King's  appointment,  Major  Johnson  lived  in 
retirement  till  the  deposition  of  the  Governor,  Sir  Edmund 
Andros,  at  the  insurrection  of  the  people  in  April  1689.  At 
this  interesting  crisis,  he  was  associated  with  other  leading  men 
in  the  community  as  a  "  Council  for  the  safety  of  the  people  and 
conservation  of  the  peace : " 14  and  the  old  government,  being 
shortly  after  revived,  till  a  new  charter  could  be  obtained  of 
King  William,  and  the  government  orderly  re-settled  under  it, 
he  resumed  his  seat  at  the  Board  of  Assistants,  which  had  been 
vacated  three  years  before.  For  his  strong  attachment  to  the 
Old  Charter,  and  his  expected  opposition  to  the  New,  his  name 
was  dropped  from  the  List  of  Councillors  appointed  by  the 
Crown  in  the  Provincial  Charter  in  1691.  From  this  time,  the 
part  he  took  in  the  management  of  the  public  affairs  of  the  coun- 
try appears  to  have  ceased.  But  the  town  of  Woburn  continued, 
on  various  occasions,  and  in  various  ways,  to  enjoy  the  benefit  of 
his  experience  and  services,  till  his  death ;  which  took  place,  after 
several  months  confinement,  May  22,  1704. 

Like  his  father  before  him,  Major  Johnson  was  eminently 
skilful  in  surveying;  and  of  the  numerous  grants  and  extensive 
divisions  of  the  common  lands  in  the  town,  which  were  made 
during  the  first  sixty  years  from  its  incorporation,  there  were 
but  few  which  one  or  the  other  of  these  gentlemen  was  not 
employed  to  lay  out.  He  was  also  the  largest  proprietor  of 

14  Hutchinson's  History  of  Massachusetts,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  381-2. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  167 

land  in  the  town,  excepting  the  brothers,  John  and  "Francis 
Wyman,  in  his  day.  In  the  Town  Records,  his  homestead 
(situate  in  "  Plain  Street,"  near  what  has  been  recently  known 
as  Mr.  Edmund  Parker's  farm)  and  seventy  other  distinct 
tracts  of  land,  containing  nine  hundred  acres  in  all,  obtained, 
some  by  purchase,  and  some  by  inheritance  or  by  grant  from 
the  town,  are  recorded  as  his.  A  considerable  portion  of  this 
great  landed  estate  lay  in  the  northwesterly  part  of  the  town, 
and  was  eventually  settled  upon  and  improved  by  his  children 
and  grandchildren,  who  were  among  the  principal  founders  and 
inhabitants  of  the  Second  Precinct,  or  Burlington. 

Major  Johnson  was  highly  esteemed  for  his  wisdom  and  pru- 
dence as  a  magistrate.  Tradition  relates  that  several  persons 
were  brought  before  him  for  examination,  accused  of  witchcraft, 
probably  in  1692,  the  year  of  the  general  delusion  on  this  sub- 
ject. Papers  containing  an  account  of  these  examinations  are 
said,  on  good  authority,  to  have  been  once  in  the  hands  of  his 
descendants.  These  documents  are  now  lost.  But  as  none 
belonging  to  Woburn  appear  to  have  been  arraigned  and  prose- 
cuted before  the  Court  on  this  charge,  it  may  be  safely  inferred 
that  he  had  penetration  enough  to  discern  the  imposture  or  pre- 
vailing error  in  this  affair,  and  refused  to  commit  the  accused 
for  trial. 

He  was  distinguished  for  his  undeviating  attachment  to  the 
Old  or  Colony  Charter,  under  which  the  people  had  enjoyed 
the  right  of  choosing  their  own  Gove'rnor,  and  other  privileges 
of  which  they  were  very  tenacious,  but  which  had  been  con- 
demned, and  declared  forfeited  to  the  Crown  in  1684.  Like 
Cooke,  Wiswall,  Oakes,  and  other  noted  public  men  of  that  day, 
he  was  for  insisting  on  that  charter,  or  none ;  expecting  proba- 
bly, that  by  resolutely  refusing  to  accept  from  the  King  any 
other  charter,  the  people  would  eventually  succeed  in  obtaining 
the  restoration  of  the  old  one. 15  In  this  expectation,  he  was 
disappointed.  And  by  his  unwillingness  to  acknowledge  and 
submit  to  the  government  by  a  President  and  Council,  which 

»»  Hutchinpon'B  History,  Vol.  I.,  p.  414. 


168  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

immediately  succeeded  the  Old  Charter  Government,  he  not 
only  lost  his  former  influence  in  the  direction  of  public  affairs, 
but  was  once  in  danger  of  being  deprived  of  his  personal 
liberty.  On  this  subject,  Judge  Sewall,  a  friend  of  his,  and  an 
associate  under  the  Old  Government,  thus  writes  in  his  Diary : 

"  1686  July  30.  About  this  time,  William  Johnson  Esq.  is 
sharply  reproved  by  the  Council  for  his  carriage  on  the  Fast  day, 
staying  at  home  himself,  and  having  a  Dozen  Men  at  his  House : 
Told  him  must  take  ye  Oath  of  Allegiance :  he  desired  an  hour's 
consideration  ;  then  said  he  could  not  take  it :  but  when  his  Mitti- 
mus writing  or  written,  he  consider'd  again,  and  took  it  rather  than 
goe  to  Prison.  Objected  against  that  Clause  of  acknowledging 
that  to  be  Lawfull  Authority  which  administered ;  would  see  the 
Seals." 

Major  Johnson  was  a  professed  Christian,  and  a  member  of 
the  church  of  Woburn;  and  his  life  appears  to  have  been 
answerable  to  his  holy  profession.  In  principle,  he  was  a  strict 
Orthodox  Congregationalist,  as  is  evident  from  his  subcription  to 
the  Declaration  of  the  Church,  so  often  referred  to.  In  his 
Will,  dated  May  10,  1695,  he  distinctly  recognizes  the  doctrine 
of  the  Sacred  Trinity ;  and,  after  making  distribution  therein  of 
his  worldly  estate,  he  concludes  with  the  following  pious  exhor- 
tation :  "  And  thus  haveing  finished  my  Will,  I  doe  exort  and 
require  all  my  children  to  live  in  peace  one  with  another ;  and 
above  all,  [that]  they  honor  and  love  the  God  of  their  father 
and  grandfather,  and  to  walk  in  their  stepps,  so  farr  as  they 
have  walked  aright  with  God  j  and  then  I  pray  the  God  of  love 
and  grace  [peace  ?]  be  with  you  all,  Amen." 

By  his  wife,  Esther  (daughter  of  Thomas  Wiswall,  ruling 
elder  of  the  church  of  Newton),  whom  he  married  May  16, 
1655,  Major  Johnson  had  nine  children,  viz :  six  sons,  William, 
Edward,  Ebenezer,  Joseph,  Benjamin  and  Josiah;  and  three 
daughters :  viz,  Esther,  Susanna  and  Abigail.  Esther  was  mar- 
ried to  Seth  Wyman,  and  became  the  mother  of  Lieutenant, 
afterwards  Captain,  Seth  Wyman,  who  distinguished  himself  at 
Lovewell's  Fight.  Abigail  was  married  to  Samuel  Peirce.  Wil- 
liam, the  eldest  son,  appears  to  have  been  at  first  a  shipwright  in 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  169 

Charlestown,  and.  after  his  father's  death,  to  have  lived  on  the 
homestead  in  Woburn  with  his  mother,  agreeably  to  a  codicil  to 
his  father's  will.  The  other  five  sons  all  resided  in  that  part  of 
the  town  which  afterwards  became  the  Second  Precinct;  and 
among  them  and  their  cliildren  were  found  some  who  were  zeal- 
ous movers  for  the  separation  of  that  parish  from  the  first,  and 
principal  supporters  of  public  worship  in  it. 

Deacon  Samuel  Walker,  who  was  the  second  to  sign  the  fore- 
going Declaration,  and  the  direct  ancestor  of  the  family  of  his 
name,  which,  springing  from  this  town,  has  been  honorably  dis- 
tinguished in  all  generations  by  the  attainments  and  public  ser- 
vices of  many  of  its  members,  both  near  and  far  off  from  their 
original  seat,  was  the  eldest  son  of  Samuel  Walker,  Senr.,  of 
Woburn. 

John  Farmer,  Esq.,  in  his  Genealogical  Register,  supposes  that 
this  Samuel  Walker,  Senr.,  was  a  son  of  Augustine  Walker,  of 
Charlestown,  who  had  a  son  Samuel,  born  in  1642.  And  this 
hypothesis  of  Farmer  has  been  adopted  by  several  others  on 
this  point.  But  a  decisive  objection  to  this  theory  is  that 
Samuel  Walker,'  Senr.,  of  Wobufn  was  a  much  older  man  than 
Samuel,  son  of  Augustine,  of  Charlestown;  being,  by  a  testi- 
mony he  gave  in  at  Court,  December  28,  1658,  forty-three  years 
of  age  at  that  time.16  This  gentleman  may  on  very  plausible 
grounds  be  concluded  to  be  a  son  of  Capt.  Richard  Walker,  who 
was  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Lynn  in  1630,  TO.S  made  free- 
man of  the  colony,  1634,  was  chosen  ensign  of  the  military 
company  of  that  town,  March  1636—7,  and  afterwards  succes- 
sively its  lieutenant  and  captain;  and  was  elected,  1640,  1641, 
and  again  in  1648,  1649,  the  Deputy  of  Lynn  to  the  General 
Court.  He  died  in  May  1687,  aged  ninety-five  years;  and  his 
burial  is  briefly  noticed  by  Judge  Sewall  in  his  Diary  as  follows  : 
"Monday  May  16,  1687,  1  go  to  Reading,  and  visit  Mr  Brock; 
and  so  to  Salem.  This  day,  Capt.  Walker,  a  very  aged  Planter, 
buried  at  Lin."  Besides  two  daughters,  Capt.  Walker  had  two 
sons,  Richard  and  Samuel,  both  inhabitants  of  Reading. 


»•  Thomas  B.  Wyman,  Esq.,  from  Court  files. 
15 


170  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

Samuel  Walker,  Senr.,  of  Woburn,  presumed  above  to  have 
been  the  son  of  Capt.  Richard  Walker  of  Lynn,  was  born  in 
England;  accompanied  his  father  to  New  England,  1630;  and 
after  residing  with  him  a  while  at  Lynn,  he  removed  with  his 
brother  Richard  to  Reading,  originalfy  Lynn  Village;  and 
thence  he  subsequently  appears,  for  some  reasons,  to  have 
removed  once  more,  and  to  have  permanently  established  himself 
in  Woburn,  the  adjoining  town.  He  is  first  mentioned  as  an 
inhabitant  of  Woburn  in  its  Records,  at  the  annual  election  of 
town  officers,  February  25th,  1661—2,  when  he  was  appointed  a 
Surveyor  of  Highways  for  that  year.  By  occupation,  he  was  a 
maltster;  and  was  approved  by  the  Selectmen,  1675,  in  order 
to  obtaining  a  license  for  keeping  tavern,  being  the  first  person 
known  to  have  followed  that  business  in  Woburn.  He  appears 
to  have  been  much  respected  in  his  day ;  being  chosen  Select- 
man in  1668,  and  appointed  by  the  town  the  year  before  on 
a  very  important  Committee  for  taking  "  a  List  of  the  persons 
and  estates  of  the  right  Proprietors  ",  among  whom,  it  had  been 
voted  to  divide  a  large  portion  of  the  common  lands  of  the 
town.  He  died  November  6th,  1684;  when,  agreeably  to  a 
testimony  given  by  him  in  Court,  and  referred  to  above,  he  must 
have  been  in  the  69th  or  70th  year  of  his  age. 

His  children  (the  given  name  of  his  wife  is  unknown)  were 
Samuel,  Jr.,  Israel,  and  probably  John,  Senr.,  of  Woburn ;  Han- 
nah wife  of  James,  son  of  Simon  Thompson  of  Woburn;  and 
Joseph  Walker  of  Billerica. 

Samuel  Walker,  Jr.,  his  son  (distinguished  likewise  in  Woburn 
Records  successively  by  the  titles  of  Corporal,  Sergeant,  and 
Deacon  Walker),  was  the  second  subscriber  to  the  memorable 
'•'  Declaration  "  of  the  church  of  Woburn  above  cited,  and  a  gen- 
tleman of  note  and  influence  in  his  day.  He  was  Selectman  in 
1679,  and  served  the  town  in  that  office  repeatedly  afterwards. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Convention  of  the  Colony,  which  met 
in  Boston  1689,  upon  the  deposition  of  the  governor,  Sir  Ed- 
mund Andros ;  and  after  the  establishment  of  the  government 
under  the  Provincial  Charter  of  1691,  he  represented  Woburn 
in  the*  General  Court,  1694.  About  1692,  he  was  chosen  a 


HISTOBY   OP   WOBURN.  171 

deacon  of  the  church  of  Woburn,  an  office  which  he  seems  to 
have  retained  through  life.  He  died,  January  18,  1703-4,  aged 
61  years. 

Deacon  Walker  married,  for  his  first  wife,  Sarah  "  Read," 
[Reed]  of  Woburn,  10th  September,  (or,  as  the  County  Records 
have  it,  23d  October,)  a 662.  By  her,  he  had  six  sons :  Edward, 
John,  Samuel,  Timothy,  Isaac,17  and  Ezekiel ;  and  one  daughter, 
Sarah,  married,  January  12,  1686,  [1686-7]  to  Edward,  son 
of  Major  William  Johnson.  His  wife,  Sarah,  dying  Novem- 
ber 1,  1681,  he  married,  for  his  second  wife,  April  18,  1692, 
Abigail,  widow  of  Lieut.  James  Fowle  of  Woburn :  but  by  her 
he  had  no  issue. 

Among  the  descendants  of  Deacon  Walker,  there  have  been 
in  all  generations  numerous  individuals  useful  and  respected  in 
their  day,  and  some  of  them,  prominent  members  of  society  by 
their  influence,  public  services,  and  high  standing  in  the  communi- 
ties in  which  they  have  lived.  Of  this  latter  description,  in  the 
line  of  John,  the  second  son  of  Deacon  Walker,  may  be  named, 

1.  1.  Mr.  Edward  Walker,  son  of  John,  born  October  7, 
1694;  lived  on  his  father's  place  (as  did  after  him,  his  son 
Josiah,  and  his  grandson  Josiah,  both  reputable  farmers  in  their 
day);   married   Esther  Peirce,   March   31,    1718,  represented 
Woburn  in  the  General   Court  1745,  1751,  '52, '53, '54;  and 
was  so  highly  esteemed  by  his  fellow  citizens  for  his  integrity 
and  soundness  of  judgment,  that  it  was  customary  to  prefix  Mr. 
to  his  name,  an  honor  rarely  conferred  in  Woburn  at  that  day. 
He  died  December  6,  1787,  at  the  advanced  age  of  93  years. 
His  wife  died  before  him,  September  23,  1761,  aged  65  years. 

2.  General  John  Walker,  a  grandson  of  Edward,  above  named, 
and  a  son  of  Capt.  Joshua  Walker.     He  was  born  in  Woburn 


17  The  birth  of  Isaac  Walker  is  recorded  in  Wobnrn  Town  Book,  as  fol- 
lows :  "  Isaac,  son  of  Samuel  Walker  8enr,  born  ye  1st.  of  9th.  mo :  1677." 
But  here,  it  can  hardly  be  doubted,  there  is  a  mistake  of  the  clerk  in 
writing  "  Sen'"  for  "junr."  He  married,  20  Feb.,  1704-5,  Margery  Bruce, 
of  Woburn ;  and  he,  and  his  sons  by  her,  Isaac,  Jr.,  Ezekiel,  and  Timothy, 
were  some  time  resident  at  Pennicook,  now  Concord,  N.  H.  —  See  History 
of  Concord,  by  Rev.  Dr.  Bouton. 


172  HISTORY   OP   WOBTJRN. 

Precinct,  February  7,  1762,  and  was  appointed,  1798,  by  the 
elder  President  Adams,  a  Major-General,  and  commander  of  the 
army  at  Oxford,  —  the  country  then  seeming  to  be  in  imminent 
danger  of  a  war  with  France.  Subsequently,  he  took  a  leading 
part  in  the  measures  adopted  to  procure  a  legal  separation  of 
his  native  village  from  Woburn ;  and,  after  it  was  incorporated 
as  a  town  by  the  name  of  Burlington,  in  1799,  he  ever  exerted 
a  powerful  influence  in  the  management  of  its  affairs.  He  mar- 
ried, January  22,  1784,  Miss  Lucy,  daughter  of  Mr.  Jonathan 
Johnson,  who  was  a  descendant  of  the  fourth  generation  from 
Capt.  Edward  Johnson,  a  principal  founder  of  Woburn.  He 
died,  June  8,  1814,  aged  53. 

3.  Hon.  Timothy  Walker  of  Charlestown,  a  brother  of  the 
General's,  noted   for  his  business  talents   and  his  wealth,  and 
sometime  a  member  of  the  Senate  of  this  Commonwealth. 

4.  Rev.   James  Walker,  D.D.,  a  son  of  the  General's ;  born 
in  1794;  a  graduate  of    Harvard  University,    1814;    several 
years  pastor  of  the  Unitarian  Church   of  Charlestown ;    more 
recently  the  accomplished  President  of  the  University ;  and  since 
his  resignation  of  that  office,  living   honored  and  beloved   in 
retirement. 

5.  Dr.  William   Johnson  Walker,  a  son  of  Hon.    Timothy 
Walker  of  Charlestown,  was  graduated  at  Harvard  University, 
1810 ;  perfected  his  medical  education  in  Europe ;  and,  upon  his 
return  to  his  native  land,  rose  to  high  distinction  by  his  skill  and 
success  as  a  physician  and  surgeon.     He  deceased  lately  in  New- 
port, R.  L,  whither  he  had  retired  from  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession. 

H.  Samuel,  third  son  of  the  first  Deacon  Samuel  Walker,  was 
born  January  25,  1667—8;  married  Judith  Howard,  June  1st, 
1689  ;  occupied  many  years  a  housje  upon  Maple  Meadow  Plain 
in  Goshen,  now  Wilmington;  but,  about  1725,  he  removed  to  a 
house,  recently  standing  in  the  south  part  of  Burlington,  where 
he  spent  the  residue  of  his  days.  In  1709,  he  was  chosen  a 
deacon  of  the  First  Church  in  Woburn.  But,  at  the  incorpora- 
tion, 1730,  of  the  Second  Precinct  of  Woburn,  now  Burlington, 
within  the  limits  of  which  he  then  resided,  he  became  of  course  a 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  173 

supporter  of  the  public  worship  there,  and  aided  in  gathering 
the  Precinct  church,  and  in  ordaining  Rev.  Supply  Clap,  its  first 
pastor,  October  29,  1735.  He  was  one  of  the  ten  brethren 
(including  the  minister)  who  subscribed  the  "  Articles  of  Agree- 
ment," and  the  "Church  Covenant,"  adopted  on  that  solemn 
occasion;  and  November  10th,  following,  he  was  chosen  one 
of  the  first  two  deacons  of  that  church.  In  this  office,  he  con- 
tinued to  serve  till  his  death,  which  occurred  September  28, 
1744,  in  the  77th  year  of  his  age.  A  gravestone  in  Burlington 
Old  Burial  Ground  marks  the  place  of  his  interment.  His 
wife,  Judith,  dying  November  14,  1724,  he  married  Mary, 
widow  of  Capt.  James  Fowle,  who  survived  him.  She  died  at 
Charlestown,  October  23,  1748,  a3t.  80. 

1.  Capt.  Samuel  Walker,  son  of  the  second  Deacon  Samuel 
Walker  and  Judith,  his  wife,  was  born  September  3,  1694; 
lived  in  the  same  house  his  father  had  lived  in,  upon  Maple 
Meadow  Plain,  in  Goshen,  (so  called)  after  his  father  had  quitted 
it,  about  1725;  was  a  principal  mover  in  the  effort  to  procure 
the  separation  of  Goshen  from  Woburn,  and  erecting  it  into  a 
distinct  town,  which  resulted  successfully  in  the  incorporation  of 
Wilmington  in  1730.      By  his  wife,  Hannah,  he   had   twelve 
children,  nine  of  whom  died  in  less  than  two  months,  in  1738, 
of  throat  distemper.     Capt.  Walker  died  February  13,  1771; 
Hannah,  his  widow,  died  May  13,  1788,  aet.  99. 

2.  Rev.  Timothy  Walker,  son  of  the  second  Deacon  Samuel 
Walker,  and  brother  of  the  above  Capt.  Samuel  Walker,  was 
born  within  the  present  bounds  of  Wilmington,  July  27,  1705; 
was  graduated  at  Harvard  College,  1725;    was  ordained  first 
minister  of  Penacook,  (afterwards  Rumford,  now  Concord,  N.  H.) 
November  18,  1730;   went  three  times  to  England,  between 
1753  and  1762,  to  appear  before  the  King  and  Council,  as  Agent 
of  the  Proprietors  of  Rumford,  in  a  controversy  they  had  with  the 
town  of  Bow ;  and  died,  universally  loved  and  lamented  by  his 
people,  September  1,  1782,  in  the  78th  year  of  his  age,  and  52d 
of  his  ministry.     His  wife,  Sarah,  daughter  of  James  Burbeen  of 
Woburn,  born  June  17,  1701,  died  February  19,  1778,  aet.  77, 
and  lies  buried  by  his  side. 

15* 


174  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

3.  Hon.   Timothy  Walker,  son  of  Rev.    Timothy  and  Mrs. 
Sarah  Walker,  was  born  in  Rumford,  June  27,  1737;  gradua- 
ted at  Harvard  College,  1756;  licensed  to  preach,   1759;  but 
after   laboring  in  the  sacred    profession  about  six   years,  he 
relinquished  it  for  civil  life ;  was  a  gentleman  of  great  influence, 
and  often  employed  both  in  town  and  State  affairs ;  accepted  the 
office  of  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  in  New  Hamp- 
shire, in  1777;  was  Chief  Justice  of  that  Court  from  1804  to 
1809  :  and  died,  May  5,  1822,  in  the  85th  year  of  his  age.     By 
his  wife    Susanna,  daughter  of  Rev.  Joseph  and  Mrs.  Esther 
Burbeen  of  Woburn,  he  had  fourteen  children,  ten  of  whom  lived 
to  grow  up. 

4.  Deacon  Timothy  Walker,  son  of  Capt.  Samuel  Walker  of 
Wilmington  and  Hannah  his  wife,  born  July  5,  1732,  married,  in 
1758,  Eunice,  daughter  of  Joseph  Brewster  of  Duxbury,  who 
was  a  descendant  of  the  third  generation  from  Elder  William 
Brewster  of  Plymouth  in  1620;  was  chosen  a  deacon  of  the 
church  of  Wilmington,  and  died  there  May   9,    1809,  set.  77. 
Eunice,  his  widowt  died  June  2,  1815,  aet.  84  years. 

5.  Hon.  Timothy  Walker,  a    grandson  of  Deacon  Timothy, 
and   a   son   of  Benjamin   Walker,  Esq.  and   Susanna  (Cook) 
Walker  his  wife,  was  born  in  Wilmington,  December  1,  1802, 
graduated  at  Harvard  College,  1826 ;  studied  law;  settled  as  a 
lawyer  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  was  eventually  promoted  to  be 
a  Judge  in  one  of  the  Courts  of  that  State.     He  received  from 
his  Alma  Mater,  in  1854,  the  honorary  degree  of  LL.D.,  and 
died  in  1856. 

6.  Sears    Cook   Walker,   brother    of  Hon.    Timothy   above 
named,  and  son  of  Benjamin,  Esq.  and  Susanna  (Cook)  Walker 
of  Wilmington,  was  born  in  Wilmington ;  graduated  at  Harvard 
College,  1825  ;  eminent  on  both  sides  the  Atlantic  for  his  scien- 
tific  attainments,    especially    in    Astronomy;    and    sometime 
employed  by  the  Government  of  the  United  States  in  the  Coast 
Survey.     He  resided,  principally,  it  is  believed  at  Philadelphia, 
and  died  in  1853. 

Joseph  Wright,  Senr.,  was  son  of  Deacon  John  Wright,  one  of 
the   first   settlers  of  Woburn,  and  a  subscriber  to  the   Town 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  175 

Orders,  agreed  upon  at  Charlestown,  December  18,  1640;  a 
Selectman  of  Woburn,  1645,  and  many  years  afterwards ;  one  of 
the  committee  appointed  by  the  General  Court's  Committee  in 
1668,  for  dividing  the  common  lands  "into  proprieties,"  and  a 
deacon  of  the  church  from  1664  till  his  death,  June  21,  1688. 
His  wife,  Priscilla,  died  April  10, 1687.  He  left  two  sons,  John 
and  Joseph,  born  before  the  settlement  of  Woburn,  and  three 
daughters,  Ruth,  Deborah,  and  Sarah,  born  after.  The  deaths 
of  his  son  John  and  wife  are  recorded  as  follows :  "  John  Wright 
senr.  died  April  30.  1714  [aged  84  years:  Gravestone]  Abigail 
wife  of  John  Wright  died  Apl.  6.  1726  [aged  84  years.  G.  S.] 

Joseph  Wright,  third  subscriber  to  the  Declaration  of  the 
Church  in  1703,  is  called  in  that  Instrument  Joseph  Wright, 
Senr.,  in  distinction  from  his  own  son,  Joseph  Wright,  Jr.,  who 
was  born  March  14,  1667.  Joseph  Wright,  Senr.,  was  born 
before  the  settlement  of  Woburn  in  1641,  either  at  Charlestown, 
or  possibly  before  his  father,  Deacon  John  Wright,  had  emigra- 
ted from  England  to  this  country.  He  married  Elizabeth 
Hasell,  November  1,  1661,  by  whom  he  had  a  numerous 
progeny.  He  was  one  of  the  Selectmen  of  Woburn  1670, 
1673,  1692;  and  a  deacon  of  the  church  as  early  as  1698 
(Town  Records,  Vol.  III.,  p.  124),  in  which  office  he  continued 
through  life.  His  death  and  that  of  his  wife  are  recorded  as 
follows :  '''Elizabeth,  wife  of  Dea.  Joseph  Wright,  died  June  28, 
1713."  "Deacon  Joseph  Wright  died  31  March  1724." 

In  December  1671,  Joseph  Wright,  Senr.,  was  presented  by 
the  Grand  Jury,  with  his  brother  John  and  six  others,  to  the 
court  sitting  at  Charlestown,  for  withdrawing  from  the  com- 
munion of  the  church  of  Woburn,  of  which  they  all  were  mem- 
bers, and  for  favoring  in  other  ways  the  sentiments  and  practices 
of  the  Baptists.  But,  subsequently,  being  convinced  that  he  had 
been  in  an  error,  he  became  reconciled  to  the  church  of  Woburn, 
accepted  the  office  of  a  deacon  in  it,  and  subscribed  the  "  Decla- 
ration" made  by  it,  which  is  decidedly  Paedobaptist,  in  1703. 

James  Convers,  Senr.,  familiarly  distinguished  in  the  Town 
Records  as  Ensign  or  Lieutenant  Convers,  and  whose  name 
stands  next  to  that  of  Deacon  Wright  among  the  subscribers  to 


176  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

the  above  cited  "  Declaration,"  was  born  in  England.  He  came 
to  this  country  with  his  father,  Deacon  Edward  Convers,  in  the 
fleet  which  conveyed  Governor  Winthrop,  in  1630;  sat  down 
first  at  Charlestown ;  and  thence  removed  to  Woburn,  among  its 
earliest  settlers,  in  1641.  He  married,  October  24,  1643,  Anna 
Long,18  daughter  of  Robert  Long,  of  Charlestown,  by  whom  he 
he  had  ten  children.  Through  a  long  life,  he  was  a  very  valuable 
and  highly  esteemed  citizen;  was  repeatedly  honored  by  the 
town  with  the  principal  offices  which  it  had  to  confer ;  and  sur- 
viving his  son,  the  Major,  he  died,  May  10,  1715,  aged  95 
years.19  In  his  will,  dated  August  28,  1712,  he  beqiieathed 
as  follows :  "  To  my  Reverend  Pastor,  Mr  John  Fox,  twenty 
shillings ;  and  to  the  church  of  Christ  in  Woburn,  twenty  shil- 
lings to  purchase  a  large  flagon  withall."  The  twenty  last  years 
of  his  life  were  spent  in  retirement.  But  he  was  not  one  who 
under  any  circumstances  could  live  without  care  or  concern  for 
the  good  of  others.  As  indicative  of  this,  the  following  anec- 
dote respecting  him  seems  worth  preserving.  As  Hon.  Judge 
Sewall  was  once  journeying  homeward  from  Newbury  to  Boston, 
he  took  the  road  through  Andover  and  Woburn,  then  adjoining 
towns.  His  passage  through  Woburn  he  notices  in  his  Diary 

thus:  "1702  August   12. Right   [Wright]   conducts  me  to 

Wooburn  through  the  Land  of  Nod  [in  which  he  was  largely 
interested].  This  is  ye  first  time  I  have  seen  it.  Got  late  to 
Fowl's  at  Wooburn :  Sick  there,  which  made  me  uneasy.  Aug. 
13.  Visit  Mr  Fox.  View  ye  Hop-yards.  Come  home:  very 
hot.  Met  Mr  Converse  the  Father,  &  discours'd  him  under  a 
Shady  Tree.  Won't  give  his  Grandchildren  till  after  his  death, 
for  fear  of  giving  offence.  Express'd  his  Grief  that  Govr  Dud- 
ley put  men  in  place  that  were  not  good." 

In  this  brief  extract  from  the  authentic  record  above  referred 
to,  it  is  strongly  intimated  that  Woburn,  the  mother,  was  once 
as  much  noted  for  that  now  neglected  branch  of  husbandry,  the 
raising  of  hops,  as  her  daughters,  Goshen  or  Wilmington,  and 
Shawshin  or*  Burlington,  have  been  in  recent  times.  The 

is  Woburn  Records  of  Births,  etc.  19  Gravestone. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  177 

"  shady  tree,"  likewise  there  named,  was  doubtless  the  far-famed 
Woburn  Elm,  which  stood  near  the  Convers  Mill,  in  what  is  now 
Winchester,  and  not  far  from  the  original  house  of  the  Convers 
family.20  Beneath  the  wide  spread  limbs  of  that  lofty  tree, 
upon  some  block  at  its  foot,  methinks  I  see  those  venerable 
Puritans  discussing  in  a  friendly  manner  some  knotty  point  of 
divinity ;  or  discoursing  with  solicitude  upon  matters  which  con- 
cerned the  welfare  of  their  families,  or  of  this,  their  adopted 
country;  glancing  in  their  conversation,  every  now  and  then, 
with  a  sigh  at  that  better  country,  the  heavenly  Canaan,  the 
longed-for  land  of  every  genuine  Puritan,  as  his  final  abode,  the 
land  of  his  everlasting  rest  above. 

William  Lock,  Sen.,  fifth  subscriber  to  the  Declaration,  was 
brought  to  New  England,  1635,  on  board  the  "Planter,"  from 
London,  by  Nicholas  Davis,  who,  it  is  believed,  was  his  uncle. 
He  was  then  a  child  of  but  six  years  old,  and  was  probably  born 
at  London,  December  13,  1728;  seems  to  have  lived  at  first  at 
Charlestown;  came  early  to  Woburn,  after  its  settlement; 
married  Mary,  daughter  of  William  Clark,  of  Watertown, 
November  27,  1655,  by  whom  he  had  nine  children,  one  of 
whom  (the  first)  died  in  infancy ;  lived  near  to  Kendall's  Mill, 
in  Woburn,  on  the  spot  where  the  late  Capt.  William  Fox  had 
his  dwelling;  was  of  the  Board  of  Selectmen,  1687,  1696;  was 
a  deacon  of  the  Church  in  1700;  and  died  June  16,  1720. 
His  wife,  Mary,  died  before  him,  July  18,  1715. 

His  descendants  in  Woburn,  Lexington,  and  West  Cam- 
bridge, have  been  very  numerous.  Among  them  was  Rev. 
Samuel  Locke,  D.D.,  President  of  Harvard  College.  He  was  the 
son  of  Samuel  Lock  (a  grandson  of  Deacon  William)  and  of 
Rebecca  Lock,  his  wife ;  was  born  at  Woburn,21  November  23, 

*°  This  elm  stood  in  the  front  yard  of  Deacon  Benjamin  F.  Thompson,  a 
few  steps  after  crossing  the  railroad  in  Winchester,  upon  the  left  hand 
side  of  the  road  leading  to  Medford,  and  was  cut  down  by  that  gentleman, 
(he  once  told  me)  some  twenty  years  ago  [1866]. 

*l  Biglow,  in  his  History  of  Sherborn,  claims  him  to  have  been  a  native 
of  Lancaster.  But  Woburn  Records  of  Births,  Marriages,  etc.,  state  that 
his  father  and  mother  at  marriage  were  both  of  Woburn,  and  record  the 
birth  of  this  their  son  Samuel,  and  the  births  of  four  other  of  their  chil- 
dren, as  occurring  in  the  same  town. 


178  HISTORY   OF  WOBURN. 

1731;  graduated  at  Harvard  College,  1755;  ordained  pastor 
of  the  church  in  Sherborn,  November  7,  1759;  installed  Presi- 
dent of  the  University,  March  21,  1770;  resigned  that  office 
December  1,  1773;  removed  back  to  Sherborn,  and  there  died 
suddenly  of  apoplexy,  January  15,  1778.22 

James  Convers,  Jr.,  the  last  of  those  worthies,  who  subscribed 
the  above  Declaration  of  the  church  of  Woburn  in  1 703,  and 
familiarly  known  in  his  day  as  Maj.  James  Convers,  was  the 
eldest  son  of  James  Convers,  Senr.,  and  was  born  in  Woburn 
November  16,  1645.  He  was  a  gentleman  that,  for  a  succes- 
sion of  years,  appears  to  have  faithfully  and  acceptably  dis- 
charged various  civil  trusts  reposed  in  him  by  the  town. 

But  he  is  most  celebrated  for  his  services  to  his  country  in  the 
military  line,  and  especially  for  his  gallant  defence  of  Storer's 
garrison  at  Wells,  during  the  war  against  the  French  and  East- 
ern Indians,  which  began  in  1688,  and  has  been  called,  "The 
Ten  Years  War."  That  exploit  of  Major  (then  Captain)  Con- 
vers, is  spoken  of,  both  by  Hutchinson  and  by  Belknap  in  their 
respective  Histories,  in  terms  of  commendation.23  Mather  also, 
in  his  History  of  this  War,  entitled  ''  Decennium  Luctuosum," 
gives  a  minute  and  interesting  account  of  this  celebrated  action, 
and  as  it  is  hi  hly  creditable  to  this  distinguished  son  of  Woburn, 
an  abridgment  of  it  may  not  improbably  be  gratifying  to  the 
citizens  of  Woburn  at  the  present  day. 

It  seems  that  on  November  29,  1690,  six  Indian  sachems  had 
agreed  at  Sagadahock  with  Capt.  John  Alden  upon  a  truce  till 
the  first  day  of  May  1691,  on  which  day  they  promised  to  bring 
all  the  English  captives  in  their  hands  into  Lieut.  Storer's  house 
at  Wells,  and  there  conclude  upon  terms  of  a  firm  and  lasting 
peace. 

Accordingly,  on   the  day  appointed,  Deputy  Governor  Dan- 

**  Woburn  Records,  Savage's  Genealogical  Register,  Biglow's  History. 

83  HutcMnson's  History,  Vol.  II.,  pp.  67,  68,  72.  Belknap's  History  of 
New  Hampshire,  p.  135.  "  But  on  the  tenth  day  of  June,  [1691]  an  army 
of  Trench  and  Indians  made  a  furious  attack  on  Storer's  garrison  at  Wells, 
where  Capt.  Convers  commanded;  who,  after  a  brave  and  resolute  defence, 
was  so  happy  as  to  drive  them  off  with  great  loss." 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  179 

forth  and  certain  other  gentlemen  came  from  Boston  to  Wells, 
suitably  guarded,  expecting  the  fulfilment  of  this  engagement  by 
the  Indians.  But,  as  Mather  expresses  it,  "  the  Indians  being 
poor  musicians  for  keeping  of  time,"  Capt.  Convers  went  out, 
and  returned  with  some  of  them,  who  brought  in  six  English  cap- 
tives in  company,  and  promised  « that  in  twenty  days  more  they 
would  bring  in  to  Capt.  Convers  all  the  rest."  After  waiting  for 
the  Indians  beyond  the  term  agreed  upon,  the  Deputy  Governor 
and  company  withdrew ;  and  Capt.  Convers,  suspecting  treach- 
ery, made  earnest  application  to  the  County  of  Essex  for  help  to 
be  sent  him  as  speedily  as  possible ;  and  received  from  that 
quarter  thirty-five  men.  This  providential  reinforcement  saved 
the  place.  For  scarcely  half  an  hour  had  elapsed  from  their 
entering  Storer's  house  on  June  9,  1691,  before  Moxus,  a  fierce 
sachem,  beset  it,  with  two  hundred  Indians.  But,  receiving  a 
brave  repulse  from  the  garrison  within,  he  became  discouraged 
and  drew  off.  This  gave  occasion  to  Madockawando,  another 
noted  Indian  sachem,  and  a  virulent  foe  to  the  English,  to  say, 
as  was  afterwards  reported,  "  My  brother  Moxus  has  miss'd  it 
now ;  but  I  will  go  myself  the  next  year,  and  have  the  dog  Con- 
vers out  of  his  hole."  The  event  proved  that  this  was  no 
empty  threat ;  that  Madockawando  meant  as  he  said.  For,  on 
June  10,  1692,  just  a  year  and  a  day  from  the  time  that  Moxus 
commenced  his  attack  on  the  garrison  of  Wells  the  year  before, 
the  cattle  of  that  place  came  suddenly  home  from  the  woods 
affrighted,  and  some  of  them  wounded.  Warned  by  this  infalli- 
ble sign  that  Indians  were  nigh,  the  inhabitants  of  the  place  fled 
for  refuge  to  the  garrison  house ;  and  the  next  morning,  an  army 
of  French  and  Indians,  from  300  to  500  in  number,  commanded 
by  Labocree,  a  Frenchman,  and  under  him,  by  Moxus,  Madock- 
awando, Egeremet,  and  other  Indian  sachems,  was  discovered 
lurking  around.  To  defend  himself  against  this  host,  Capt. 
Convers  had  only  fifteen  men  in  the  garrison,  and  as  many  more 
aboard  of  two  sloops  and  a  shallop  in  the  river  hard  by,  which 
had  recently  arrived  from  Boston  with  ammunition  for  the 
soldiers,  and  a  contribution,  of  supplies  for  the  impoverished 
inhabitants  of  that  vicinity.  So  weak  and  contemptible  did  the 


180    .  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

Indians  account  these  few  opponents,  and  so  sure  were  they  of 
victory,  that  one  of  the  first  things  they  did  after  their  arrival 
was  to  agree  upon  a  division  among  themselves  of  the  prisoners 
and  of  the  spoils. 

They  then  made  a  violent  assault  upon  the  garrison.  But 
meeting  there  a  hot  reception,  and  having  no  cannon,  they  were 
glad  to  leave  it  for  that  time,  and  try  their  efforts  upon  the 
sloops.  So  narrow  was  the  river  or  inlet  where  these  lay,  that 
the  enemy  could  approach  them  within  twelve  yards  of  the  land ; 
and  from  hence,  behind  a  pile  of  plank,  and  a  haystack  fortified 
with  posts  and  rails,  they  discharged  their  volleys  upon  them. 
By  means,  too,  of  fire  arrows,  they  succeeded  several  times  in 
setting  the  sloops  on  fire.  But  the  sailors,  "  with  a  swab  at  the 
end  of  a  rope  tied  to  a  pole,  and  so  dipt  into  the  water,"  con- 
trived to  extinguish  the  spreading  flames ;  and,  encouraged  by 
their  resolute  commander,  Lieutenant  Storer,  they  made  such 
stout  resistance,  that  before  night  their  assailants,  disappointed, 
withdrew.  But  they  soon  returned,  to  try  the  effect  of  strata- 
gem and  threatening.  In  the  course  of  the  night,  they  inquired  of 
the  men  on  board  the  sloops,  Who  were  their  commanders  ?  And 
being  answered,  "We  have  many  commanders,"  the  Indians 
replied,  "  You  lie ;  you  have  none  but  Converse,  and  we  will 
have  him  too  before  morning."  But  morning  arrived,  and  found 
Convers  still  alive  and  well  within  the  walls  of  Storer's  house. 
On  that  morning,  by  daylight,  the  Indians  commenced  prepara- 
tions for  another  assault  upon  the  garrison.  They  began  to 
march -to  wards  it  in  a  body,  with  great  display;  and  so  terrific 
was  their  appearance,  that  one  of  the  garrison  ventured  to  sug- 
gest the  expediency  of  a  surrender.  But  Captain  Convers, 
rendered  indignant  by  such  a  proposal,  "  vehemently  protested 
that  he  would  lay  the  man  dead  who  should  so  much  as  mut- 
ter that  base  word  any  more."  When  the  Indians  had  come 
within  a  short  distance  from  the  garrison,  they  raised  a  shout 
that  caused  the  earth  to  ring :  and  crying  out  in  English,  "  Fire, 
and  fall  on,  brave  boys,"  they  all,  being  drawn  into  three  ranks, 
fired  in  a  body  at  once. 

But,  violent  as  this  onset  was,  Capt.  Convers  was  prepared  to 


HISTORY   OP   WOBTTRN.  181 

meet  it.  His  men  were  all  ready,  waiting  his  commands ;  and 
the  female  inhabitants  of  the  town,  who  had  fled  to  the  garrison 
for  protection  at  the  approach  of  the  enemy,  were  not  only 
active  in  handing  ammunition  to  the  men,  but  several  armed 
themselves  with  muskets,  and  discharged  them.  Capt.  Convers 
had  given  orders  to  his  men  to  refrain  from  firing  till  they 
could  do  it  to  most  advantage ;  and,  when  they  came  to  discharge 
their  artillery  at  his  word,  such  was  the  execution  done,  that 
many  of  the  enemy  were  swept  down  before  them,  and  many 
others  were  constrained  to  flee.  Baffled  in  this,  their  second 
attack  upon  the  garrison,  the  enemy  now  renewed  their 
attempts  upon  the  sloops.  They  constructed  a  raft,  eighteen  or 
twenty  feet  square,  which  they  loaded  with  combustible  mate- 
rials, and  then  towing  it  as  near  as  they  dared,  set  fire  to  it, 
and  left  it  for  the  tide  to  float  it  towards  the  sloops.  And  now 
the  men  on  board,  perceiving  their  imminent  danger  of  perish- 
ing by  fire,  commended  themselves  to  God  for  help.  And 
suddenly,  it  is  recorded,  the  wind  shifted,  and  the  raft  was 
driven  upon  the  opposite  shore,  and  so  much  split  as  to  let  in 
water,  with  which  the  fire  was  quenched.  By  this  time,  the 
enemy's  ammunition  was  nearly  exhausted,  and  numbers  of 
them  disheartened  with  their  ill  success,  began  to  draw  off. 
The  rest,  after  some  consultation,  thought  best  to  send  a  flag 
of  truce  towards  the  garrison  advising  them  to  surrender.  But 
Capt.  Convers  sent  them  word,  that  "  he  wanted  nothing  but  for 
men  to  come  and  fight  him."  The  Indians  replied,  "  Being  you 
are  so  stout,  why  don't  you  come  and  fight  in  the  open  field, 
like  a  man,  and  not  fight  in  a  garrison  like  a  Squaw  ?  "  The 
Captain  rejoined,  "  What  a  fool  are  you !  do  you  think  thirty 
men  a  match  for  five  hundred  ?  No :  come  with  your  thirty  men  " 
upon  the  plain,  and  I'le  meet  you  with  my  thirty  as  soon  as 
you  will."  Upon  this,  the  Indian  answered,  "  Nay,  mee  own, 
English  fashion  is  all  one  fool ;  you  kill  mee,  mee  kill  you  !  No : 
better  ly  somewhere,  and  shoot  a  man,  and  he  no  see ;  that  the 
best  soldier ! " 

With  this,  the  Indian  enemy,  from  daring  Capt.  Convers,  had 
recourse  to  coaxing  and  flattery.     But,  finding  him  too  wise  to 
16 


182  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

trust  the  promises  of  insidious  foes,  and  that  all  their  devices  to 
induce  him  to  surrender,  or  to  draw  him  from  his  stronghold, 
were  ineffectual,  they  were  thrown  into  a  rage,  and  with  a  horrid 
imprecation  declared,  "  We'll  cut  you  as  small  as  tobacco  before 
to-morrow  morning."  But  the  only  reply  which  the  intrepid 
captain  made  to  this  vaporing  threat,  was,  "  to  bid  them  come 
on ;  for  he  wanted  work."  The  enemy  themselves,  notwithstand- 
ing their  boast  what  they  would  do  with  him,  came  near  him  no 
more.  Having  now  continued  before  the  garrison  and  in  its 
neighborhood  forty-eight  hours,  and  been  disappointed  in  all 
their  confident  expectations,  and  defeated  in  all  their  efforts  to 
get  the  dog  Convers  (as  they  had  called  him)  and  his  men  into 
their  power,  they  first  wreaked  their  vengeance  upon  all  the  cat- 
tle they  could  light  upon,  and  cruelly  tortured  to  death  a  poor 
unhappy  captive  they  had  taken  on  the  morning  they  came  to 
Wells,  and  then  marched  off,  leaving  some  of  their  dead  behind 
them,  Labocree,  their  commander-in chief,  among  the  rest;  thus 
giving  cause  of  joy  and  thanksgiving  unto  God  to  the  garrison, 
and  to  the  country  at  large,  for  so  wonderful  a  deliverance. 

For  this,  his  brave  and  successful  action,  Captain  Convers 
was  promoted  the  following  year,  by  Governor  Phipf>s,  to  the 
rank  of  a  Major,  and  appointed  to  the  command  of  all  the  Massa- 
chusetts forces  then  in  Maine.  Here,  and  in  the  Legislature, 
he  still  continued  to  serve  his  country  during  the  remainder  of 
the  war :  and  shared  at  last  in  the  honor  of  bringing  it  to  an 
end.  Towards  the  close  of  the  year  1698,  he  and  Colonel  John 
Phillips,  a  member  of  the  Council  of  the  Province,  with  Captain 
Cyprian  Southack,  commander  of  the  Province  Galley,  sailed 
from  Boston  for  the  Eastern  country,  intrusted  by  the  Govern- 
ment with  full  powers  for  effecting  a  peace  with  the  Indians. 
Proceeding  to  Casco  Bay,  they  there  met  with  the  leading 
Indian  sachems,  and  persuaded  them,  January  7,  1699,  to 
accede  to  and  solemnly  subscribe  a  treaty,  which  was  the  same, 
in  the  main,  with  the  one  they  had  entered  into  at  Pemaquid, 
but  which  they  had  broken,  as  they  alleged,  through  the  persua- 
sion of  the  French.  Peace  had,  previously  to  this,  been  made 
with  the  French  by  the  treaty  of  Ryswick,  1697. 

In  1699,  the  year  in  which  peace  with  the  Indians  was  con- 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  183 

eluded,  and  in  the  four  preceding  years,  and  again  in  1701,  and 
the  four  following  years,  Major  Convers  was  sent  a  member  for 
Woburn  to  the  General  Court ;  and  in  three  of  those  years,  viz, 
1699,  1702,  1703,  he  was  chosen  Speaker  of  the  House.  In 
1706,  he  was  again  returned  to  the  lower  branch  of  the  Legis- 
lature ;  but  did  not  live  to  finish  the  term  for  which  he  had  been 
elected.  Being  seized,  apparently,  with  some  sudden,  violent 
sickness,  death  put  an  end  at  once  to  his  usefulness  and  his  life, 
July  8,  1706,  in  the  61st  year  of  his  age. 

Major  Convers  married,  January  1,  1668-9,  Hannah,  a 
daughter  of  Capt.  John  Carter.  By  her,  he  had  nine  children, 
six  sons  and  three  daughters.  Four  of  these  died  in  infancy  or 
childhood,  or  in  youth  unmarried.  Two  of  his  sons,  Robert  and 
Josiah,  the  second  son  of  the  name,  were  men  of  influence  and 
distinction  in  their  day,  and  descendants  of  Josiah,  of  the  third 
and  fourth  generations  from  his  son  Josiah,  Jr.,  still  live  in 
Woburn,  and  maintain  a  highly  respectable  position  and  char- 
acter in  society. 

While  this  distinguished  citizen  of  Woburn  was  Town  Clerk, 
he  performed  one  piece  of  service,  for  which  the  town  doth  now, 
and  ever  will,  owe  him  a  grateful  remembrance.  After  his  acces- 
sion to  that  office,  observing  that  his  predecessors  had  recorded 
the  Births,  Marriages  and  Deaths  in  Woburn  upon  sundry  loose 
papers,  which  were  then  in  a  shattered  and  perishing  condition,  he 
procured  a  blank  folio  volume,  well  bound,  at  his  own  expense,  and 
transcribed  those  Records  into  it,  adding,  in  his  own  records  of 
births,  the  names  of  both  the  parents,  instead  of  the  father  only, 
as  had  previously  been  the  custom.  By  this,  his  laudable  care, 
and  by  the  subsequent  purchase  of  the  new  volume  by  the  town, 
at  the  recommendation  of  his  successor  in  the  Clerk's  office, 
Lieutenant  Fowle,  the  valuable  records  of  almost  fifty  years 
on  the  above  mentioned  topics,  were  preserved  for  posterity  in 
a  fair  hand,  and  in  a  durable  form,  which  otherwise  had  long 
since  perished,  or  been  scattered  and  lost.24 

24  The  original  letters  of  Major  Convers  to  Governor  Joseph  Dudley 
having  been  put  into  my  hands  by  J.  Wingate  Thornton,  Esq.,  of  Boston, 
I  have  thought  it  might  be  gratifying  to  many  of  the  citizens  of  Woburn 
to  have  copies  of  them  presented  in  the  Appendix ;  which  see,  No.  VII. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Seating  the  Meeting-House. — Location  of  the  Two  Thousand  Acres. — 
Province  Loan  Money.  —  Woburn's  Share  of  Lovewell's  Fight,  17i5. 

IT  was  observed  in  a  former  Chapter  of  this  history,  that  seat- 
ing the  meeting-house,  from  time  to  time,  became  not  unfre- 
quently  an  occasion  of  disorder  and  contention.  A  memorable 
instance  of  this  occurred  in  1710.  The  work  of  repairing  and 
enlarging  the  house  of  public  worship  the  year  before  having 
been  completed,  it  became  necessary  to  seat  it  anew.  Accord- 
ingly, at  a  general  meeting,  December  9,  1709,  John  Brooks, 
Sergeant  Eleazar  Flegg,  Sergeant  John  Tidd,  Sergeant  George 
Reed,  and  James  Fowle  were  chosen  a  committee  for  this  pur- 
pose. But  so  irksome  was  this  office  accounted,  and  at  the 
same  time  so  thankless  and  invidious,  that  two  of  the  persons 
nominated  for  it  on  this  occasion,  Messrs.  Tidd  and  Powle, 
immediately  declined.  To  supply  their  places,  Messrs.*  Peir son 
Richardson  and  Ensign  Samuel  Blogget,  were  then  elected. 
But  Mr.  Blogget,  signifying  at  once  his  unwillingness  to  serve,  a 
vacancy  was  again  made  in  the  committee.  This  vacancy,  the 
town  did  not  attempt  to  fill ;  and  the  remaining  four  members 
went  on  to  perform  the  work  of  their  appointment.  But  in  the 
discharge  of  their  office,  they  were  far  from  giving  general  satis- 
faction. At  the  time  of  their  election,  the  town  had  instructed 
them  to  have  respect,  in  their  official  labors,  to  three  things  j 
viz,  to  age,  to  what  men  had  done  towards  building  the  meet- 
ing-house at  the  first,  and  towards  its  recent  repairs  and  enlarge- 
ment ;  and  finally,  to  their  proportion  in  the  public  charges. 

But,  in  seating  the  people,  the  committee  seem  to  have  paid 
more  regard  to  the  last  two  of  these  qualifications  than  to  the 
first ;  and  to  have  preferred  to  the  front  seats  in  the  temple  the 
wealthy  and  liberal,  though  young,  before  the  aged  members  of 
the  church  and  community  that  were  poor,  and  so  of  necessity 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  185 

but  slender  contributors  towards  the  cost  of  the  late  work  upon 
the  house  of  God.  This  manner  of  proceeding  laid  the  founda- 
tion of  much  murmuring  and  discontent.  At  a  meeting  of  the 
Selectmen,  February  6,  1709-10,  a  petition  was  handed  in  to 
them,  signed  by  about  fifty-seven  inhabitants,  alleging  that  what 
the  Seating  Committee  had  done,  in  the  fulfilment  of  their  trust, 
was  illegal,  and  greatly  prejudicial  to  the  peace  of  the  town ; 
and  praying  that  the  town  might  be  called  together  for  the 
choice  of  another  Committee,  who  should  perform  the  work 
anew.  Two  of  the  Selectmen  were  opposed  to  granting  this 
petition,  apprehensive  of  the  difficulties  which  might  ensue.  But 
the  other  three  were  so  far  convinced  of  the  necessity  of  the 
meeting  petitioned  for,  that  they  gave  orders  for  warning  one  to 
be  held  March  6th,  the  day  for  the  annual  choice  of  town 
officers,  at  8  o'clock  in  the  morning.  By  fixing  upon  this  early 
hour  for  the  meeting  requested,  the  Selectmen  who  called  it, 
doubtless  intended  to  have  the  petition  acted  upon  under  their 
own  supervision  and  authority,  before  a  new  choice  of  Selectmen 
was  made.  Accordingly,  the  day  being  come,  and  the  town 
assembled  at  the  hour  specified,  as  soon  as  the  meeting  was 
opened,  and  a  Moderator  chosen,  those  three  Selectmen,  at  the 
motion  of  many  of  the  people,  ordered  the  Moderator,  Ensign 
John  Peirce,  to  call  for  votes  for  the  choice  of  a  new  Seating 
Committee.  But  this,  he  utterly  refused  to  do ;  and  the  Select- 
men, in  consequence,  commanded  the  Town  Clerk  to  record  his 
refusal.  A  motion  was  then  made  and  carried,  that  the  Town 
Clerk  should  record  the  reason  which  the  Moderator  had 
rendered  for  his  refusal  to  make  the  choice  of  the  Committee 
petitioned  for,  the  first  thing  to  be  done  on  that  occasion ;  viz : 
that  he  thought  it  most  proper,  that  the  choice  of  town  officers, 
which  was  the  regular  business  of  the  day,  should  be  first 
attended ;  and  then,  if  there  were  time  left,  the  petition  might  be 
acted  upon  by  the  town,  if  they  saw  fit. 

The  consequence  of  this  altercation  was,  that  no  seating  com- 
mittee was  chosen  at  this  time,  and  the  people  were  obliged  to 
acquiesce  for  the  present  in  the  arrangements  of  the  committee 
appointed  at  the  former  meeting.     Still,  the  dissatisfaction  with 
16* 


186  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

those  arrangements  did  not  cease.  At  a  meeting  of  the  Select- 
men May  7,  1711,  a  petition  was  presented  them  from  several 
of  the  inhabitants,  declaring  themselves  "  much  aggrieved  at  the 
disorderly  seating  of  many  persons,  in  the  House  of  God,  the 
aintient  behind  the  backs  of  the  youth,  which  they  apprehended 
not  to  be  according  to  the  Law  of  God,  which  requireth  the  youth 
to  rise  up  before  the  hoary  head,  and  to  honour  the  person  of  the 
old  man : "  and,  therefore,  the  petitioners  moved  the  Selectmen  to 
call  the  town  together,  "  to  regulate  such  disorders,  that  so  peace 
and  order  may  be  in  the  house  of  God."1  In  compliance  with 
this  request,  the  Selectmen  directed  the  Constables,  in  warning 
a  town  meeting,  May  18th,  for  the  choice  of  a  Representative,  to 
give  notice  also,  that  at  the  same  meeting  some  proper  method 
would  be  considered  for  the  redress  of  the  irregularitcs  com- 
plained of.  At  the  meeting  thus  notified,  the  petition  referred 
to  was  read,  and  some  debate  arising  respecting  it  and  the  dis- 
orders alleged  therein,  it  was  moved  by  some,  as  a  good  expe- 
dient for  remedying  them,  that  the  town  declare  the  last  seating 
of  the  meeting-house  void.  This  question  was  put,  and  the 
majority  voting  in  the  affirmative,  the  last  seating  was  annulled, 
and  no  provision  being  made  at  the  same  time  for  a  new  seating, 
it  is  presumed  that  the  people,  upon  some  acknowledged  princi- 
ples of  propriety,  seated  themselves,  and  probably  to  better 
mutual  satisfaction,  than  any  committee,  in  the  existing  state  of 
feeling,  could  have  done  it  for  them. 

In  view  of  this  and  similar  contentions  among  our  ancestors  on 
this  subject,  we  have  cause  of  congratulation  that  houses  of  pub- 
lic worship  at  the  present  day  are  constructed,  and  seats  assigned 
in  them,  on  a  plan  which  supersedes  the  need  of  a  seating  com- 
mittee. It  is  readily  granted,  that  respect  is  always  and  every- 
where due  to  age,  especially  in  the  house  of  God,  and  were  the 
floors  of  our  meeting-houses  now  occupied  with  long  seats,  as  of 
old,  it  might  be  justly  regarded  as  a  gross  impropriety,  and  one 
that  ought  to  be  rectified,  if  aged  and  respectable,  yet  poor  mem- 
bers of  the  church  were  seated  behind  the  young,  who  had 

1  Town  Records,  Vol.  V.,  p.  185. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  187 

nothing  but  wealth  and  a  large  share  in  the  public  taxes  to 
recommend  them.  But  then,  while  the  old  custom  prevailed, 
there  would  unavoidably  arise  cases,  almost  innumerable,  of  per- 
sons, whose  respective  claims  to  precedence  it  would  be  next  to 
impossible  to  adjust  with  exactness.  And  the  grievance  spring- 
ing from  a  supposed  erroneous  decision  in  such  instances  would, 
doubtless,  be  greatly  increased  by  the  prevailing  sensitiveness 
in  former  days  upon  the  subject  of  rank  in  society.  The  first 
settlers  of  New  England  were  men  to  be  ever  deeply  venerated 
for  their  piety,  and  their  many  sterling  virtues.  But  they 
brought  over  with  them  high  notions  of  family  rank,  and  station. 
Such  distinctions,  the  institutions  and  customs  of  the  mother 
country  had  created  and  cherished ;  and  under  the  influence  of 
education  and  habit,  our  earliest  ancestors  here  attached  an 
inordinate  importance  to  them  themselves,  and  were  jealous  of 
any  neglect  of  them  by  others.  And  while  their  descendants  of 
the  first  and  second  generations  had  much  degenerated,  it  is  to 
be  feared,  from  their  praiseworthy  qualities,  they  retained  with 
little  or  no  diminution  their  sentiments  with  regard  to  rank  and 
condition  in  society.  Many  illustrations  of  this  state  of  feeling, 
at  the  commencement  of  the  last  century,  might  be  given  were  it 
necessary.  But  there  is  an  anecdote  showing  its  existence  in 
Woburn  and  its  vicinity  at  that  period,  which  may  not  be  amiss 
to  relate.  A  tradition  of  unquestionable  correctness  states, 
that  a  certain  lady,  a  daughter  of  a  prominent  family  in  this 
town,  who  was  married  and  lived  in  Billerica,  observing  one  of 
her  sons  connecting  himself  in  marriage  with  a  young  woman 
whom  she  deemed  to  be  of  a  family  far  inferior  to  her  own,  felt 
sufficiently  chagrined  at  the  circumstance,  but  thought  best,  for 
that  time,  to  keep  her  feelings  to  herself.  But,  hearing  after- 
wards, that  another  of  her  boys  was  following,  in  this  respect, 
his  brother's  steps,  she  could  forbear  no  longer,  but  vented  her 
mortification  with  exclaiming,  «  One  slice  of  the  brown  loaf  to  a 
family  is  surely  enough." 

In  1664,  it  will  be  recollected,  the  General  Court  made  a 
grant  to  this  town  of  two  thousand  acres  of  land,  to  be  taken  up 
wherever  they  could  find  it  in  this  then  wilderness,  clear  of  any 


188  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

prior  claim.2  Votes  had  been  passed  by  the  town  at  different 
times  in  relation  to  this  grant ;  but  fifty  years  were  suffered  to 
pass,  before  anything  effectual  was  done  towards  its  location. 
But,  in  1714.  the  town  took  up  this  business  in  earnest.  At  a 
general  meeting,  May  llth,  of  that  year,  a  committee  was 
appointed  to  look  out  a  place  for  the  location  of  the  2000 
acres  formerly  granted  to  the  town.  But  that  committee 
neglecting  to  fulfil  their  appointment,  (possibly  from  an  appre- 
hension that  in  consequence  of  the  long  delay  there  had  been 
on  the  part  of  Woburn,  to  lay  down  the  land,  some  new  author- 
ity from  the  Court  had  become  necessary  or  expedient,)  a  com- 
mittee of  two,  viz :  Ensign  John  Peirce  and  Sergeant  John  Tidd, 
was  chosen  November  14,  1716,  "to  prefer  a  petition  to  the 
General  Court,  for  the  renewal  of  their  grant." 3  Accordingly,  a 
petition  was  addressed  by  these  gentlemen  to  the  Court,  which 
was  favorably  accepted.  The  grant  was  renewed,  and  at  the 
annual  town  meeting,  March  4,  1716-17,  Messrs.  Ebenezer 
Johnson  and  Eleazar  Flegg  were  chosen  a  committee  to  look  out 
a  place  where  they  might  take  it  up.4  These  gentlemen  pro- 
ceeded forthwith  to  the  discharge  of  their  commission.  For  the 
location  of  the  tract  of  land  in  question,  they  pitched  upon  a 
place,  called  Turkey  Hill,  near  Lancaster,  west  of  Groton,  and 
within  the  bounds  of  what  was  afterwards  incorporated  as  the 
town  of  Lunenburg.  Here,  with  the  assistance  of  others  whom 
they  took  with  them  from  Woburn,  and  of  a  committee  from 
Lancaster,  they  ran  its  lines,  and  established  boundaries,  which 
from  time  to  time  were  subsequently  renewed.5 

Before  the  location  and  bounds  of  this  grant  were  determined, 
it  had  been  contemplated  to  sell  it,  and  to  let  the  money  upon 
interest  for  the  benefit  of  the  town ;  and  a  committee  had  been 
appointed  to  carry  this  scheme  into  effect.  But  at  a  meeting, 
May  15,  1724,  the  proprietors  voted  that  the  land  should 
remain  for  the  present  in  the  hands  it  was  then  in.  They  also 
forbade  any  one  interested  therein,  and  all  others,  to  cut  or  carry 


*  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  29,  30.  »  Town  Records,  Vol.  V.,  p.  353. 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  V.,  p.  357.  "  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  20. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  189 

off  from  it  either  wood  or  timber ;  and  chose  Ensign  Josiah 
Convers  and  John  Russell  as  a  committee  to  take  it  into  their 
care,  and  to  prosecute  any  who  might  trespass  upon  it.6  In  this 
condition,  it  continued  about  ten  years.  How  it  was  ultimately 
disposed  of,  will  appear  in  a  subsequent  chapter. 

In  1721,  March  31st,  to  remedy  the  scarcity  of  money  then 
much  complained  of,  and  to  facilitate  the  payment  of  taxes,  the 
Legislature  of  Massachusetts,  issued  what  was  called,  the 
£5 0,000  Loan.  By  this,  was  intended  that  amount  in  Bills  of 
Credit,  which  were  distributed  among  the  several  towns,  accord- 
ing to  the  taxes  they  paid,  and  to  be  returned  into  the  Province 
Treasury,  within  a  limited  time. 7  At  a  general  meeting  in 
Woburn,  October  12,  1721,  it  was  voted,  that  they  would  take 
their  proportion  of  "  the  fifty-thousand  pound  "  out  of  the  public 
treasury,  and  would  commit  it  to  three  trustees,  to  manage  it  as 
the  town  should  direct,  and  to  receive  one-sixth  part  of  the 
interest  for  their  trouble.  The  persons  chosen  for  this  trust 
were,  Major  Eleazar  Flegg,  Mr.  John  Brooks  and  Capt.  John 
Fowle ;  who  were  instructed  by  the  town  to  let  the  money,  in 
sums  not  less  than  ten  pounds,  nor  greater  than  twenty  pounds, 
to  any  one  man ;  to  let  it  at  an  interest  of  five  per  cent  per 
annum,  to  be  for  the  town's  use ;  to  keep  it  in  their  hands  till 
the  last  of  the  following  May ;  and  that,  if  by  that  time,  inhab- 
itants of  Woburn  did  not  appear  to  take  up  the  whole  upon 
good  security,  to  let  it  to  any  person  in  the  County,  who  should 
offer  landed  or  other  security  satisfactory  to  the  trustees.8 
Woburn's  share  in  this  public  loan  was  £624 :  and  much  to 
the  praise  of  the  trustees,  it  was  managed  by  them  on  the 
town's  behalf  with  entire  fidelity.  In  volume  VII.,  p.  2,  of  the 
Town  Books  are  recorded  five  distinct  receipts,  acknowledg- 
ing their  payment  of  the  principal  into  the  Province  Treasury, 
in  five  equal  instalments  of  £1 24: 16*.  each;  the  first  being 
dated  July  29,  1726,  and  the  last,  July  29,  1730.  And  there 
is  also  upon  record,  in  the  same  volume,  paere  1st,  a  long 
particular  account  of  their  disposal  of  the  interest  of  this  sum, 

•  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  196. 
»  Felt's  Massachusetts  Currency,  p.  77.  »  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  pp.  130, 131. 


190  HISTORY   OF   WOBUBN. 

agreeably  to  vote  of  the  town,  for  the  payment  of  pauper  bills, 
county  tax,  representatives,  school-masters  and  hire  of  preach- 
ing, during  the  frequent  indisposition  of  Rev.  Mr.  Fox.  Never, 
apparently,  was  a  public  trust  more  faithfully  discharged  than 
this;  never  was  there  a  happier  illustration  of  following  the 
Apostle's  example  in  a  like  case,  of  "providing  for  honest 
things,  not  only  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  but  also  in  the  sight 
of  men." 

But  the  town  was  not  so  fortunate  in  its  investment,  a  few 
years  afterwards,  of  its  share  in  the  £60,000  loan  so  called. 
The  act  of  the  Legislature  granting  this  loan  was  passed  early 
in  the  year  1728,  and  was  styled  "An  act  for  raising  and  settling 
a  public  revenue  for  and  towards  defraying  the  necessary 
charges  of  the  government,  by  an  emission  of  £60,000  in  bills 
of  credit."  "  This  was  done  to  bring  it  within  the  words  of  the 
[king's]  instruction,  which  restrained  the  governor  from  consent- 
ing to  the  issuing  bills  of  credit,  except  for  charges  of  govern- 
ment. The  interest  of  4  per  cent,  or  £2400,  was  to  be  applied 
annually  to  the  public  charges,  and  gave  colour  for  issuing  the 
principal  sum  of  £60,000."  9  This  loan,  like  the  preceding  one, 
was  distributed  among  the  several  towns  in  the  Province,  accord- 
ing to  their  proportion  in  the  public  taxes.  The  sum  to  which 
Woburn  was  entitled  is  not  upon  the  Records  of  the  town,  but 
could  not  have  been  far  from  £750.  At  a  general  meeting  in 
Woburn,  April  4,  1728,  it  was  voted  "that  the  town  would 
take  their  proportion  of  the  Sixty  thousand  pound,  provided  the 
trustees  would  be  bound  to  indemnifie  the  Town." 

At  the  same  time,  three  trustees,  viz,  Samuel  Richardson, 
Caleb  Blogget,  and  John  Fowle,  were  chosen  to  receive  the 
town's  part  of  this  loan,  and  to  let  it  out;  and  the  Selectmen 
were  appointed  a  committee  to  take  security  of  them  against  loss 
by  their  means.  It  was  also  voted,  that  the  trustees  should  not 
let  more  than  £20,  nor  less  than  £10,  to  any  one  person;  and 
should  be  allowed  a  sixth  part  of  the  interest  for  their  compen- 
sation.10 No  mention  is  made  in  the  Record  of  the  rate  of 

»  Felt's  Historical  Account  of  Massachusetts  Currency,  p.  84. 
»o  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  347. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  191 

interest  to  be  demanded.  But  as  four  per  cent  of  it  was  to  be 
paid  annually  into  the  Province  Treasury,  and  a  sixth  part  of  it 
was  to  go  to  the  trustees,  it  appears  evident  that  the  money  was 
to  be  let  at  the  rate  of  six  per  cent  interest,  and  that  the  remain- 
ing sixth  part  was  to  go  towards  defraying  town  charges.9  No 
account  is  to  be  found  in  the  Records  of  the  manner  in  which 
either  the  principal  or  interest  of  Woburn's  share  of  this  loan 
was  at  any  time  disposed  of;  and  six  years  passed  away,  from 
the  time  the  town  voted  to  accept  it,  before  any  inquiry  was 
instituted  as  to  the  manner  in  which  it  was  managed.  At  a  gen- 
eral meeting,  May  16,  1734,  a  committee  of  three  was  chosen 
to  reckon  with  the  trustees  "  about  the  lone  money  of  the  first 
and  second  Banck,"  n  and  to  give  an  account  of  their  doings  at 
the  next  annual  meeting  in  March.11  But  no  Report  of  this 
committee  is  upon  record ;  and  four  years  more  rolled  on  before 
the  town  awaked  to  a  proper  sense  of  its  responsibility  on  this 
subject,  and  to  a  suitable  care  for  its  own  security.  At  a  meet- 
ing of  the  freeholders  and  other  inhabitants,  November  20, 
1738,  they  chose  a  committee  of  three,  viz.,  Messrs.  William  Tay, 
Benjamin  Johnson,  and  Samuel  Eames,  whom  they  fully  author- 
ized "  to  reckon,  receive,  and  recover  in  the  Law,  for  the  town's 
use,  all  such  sum  or  sums  of  Province  Bills  as  are  due  from 
Capt.  John  Fowle,  Mr  Samuel  Richardson  and  Capt.  Caleb 
Blogget,  as  trustees  for  the  town  for  the  .£60,000  loan  .... 
and  also  to  see  that  the  trustees  pay  the  full  parte  of  said 
money,  that  is  due  to  the  Province  Treasurer,  into  the  Treasury ; 
and  also  to  see  that  the  town  have  the  parte  that  is  due  to  said 
town":  and  to  make  return  of  their  proceedings  at  the  next 
general  town  meeting  after  the  May  meeting  ensuing.12 

But  before  the  meeting  here  designated  (which  was  not  held 
till  December  28,  1739,)  arrived,  Woburn's  proportion  of  the 
above  named  loan,  or  a  part  of  it,  was  called  for  into  the  public 
treasury ;  and  the  sum  demanded  not  being  forthcoming  from  the 
trustees,  the  town  was  obliged  to  provide  for  the  deficiency.  A 
« Loan  Tax,"  so  called,  of  £250  7*.  6</.  (which  was  probably 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  113.  "  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  286. 


192  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

about  one  third  part  of  the  whole  sum  received  by  the  trustees) 
was  assessed  upon  the  inhabitants,  February  13,  1739,  to  be 
collected  and  paid  by  the.  Constables  "  unto  the  Province 
Treasurer,  according  to  the  direction  of  his  Warrant." 13  This 
sum  now  became  due  from  the  trustees  to  Woburn,  instead  of 
the  Treasurer  of  the  Province;  and  the  town  seemed  deter- 
mined to  recover  it,  if  possible,  together  with  the  proportion  of 
the  interest  of  the  loan  to  which  it  was  entitled,  but  which 
appears  to  have  been  still  unpaid.  At  a  meeting,  December 
28, 1739,  it  granted  anew  to  the  Committee  appointed  Novem- 
ber 20,  1738,  full  power  and  authority  to  demand,  and  "to 
recover  in  the  Law  all  such  sum  or  sums  of  this  Province's 
Bills  of  Creditt  as  are  due  to  the  Inhabitants  of  Woobourn  from 
Mr  Samuel  Richardson,  Capt.  John  Fowle  and  Capt.  Caleb 
Bloggett,  as  they  are  Trustees  for  said  Town  for  their  part  of 
the  Sixty  Thousand  Pound  Loan ;  and  the  same  to  pursue  to 
final  judgment  and  execution." 14  At  a  subsequent  meeting,  May 
4, 1741,  two  members  of  this  committee,  viz :  Lieut.  Samuel  Eames 
and  Mr  William  Tay,  were  re-appointed  "to  demand  and 
receive  .the  interest  of  the  Loan  Bills  of  Creditt,  due  to  the  town 
from  Capt.  Caleb  Bloggett  and  Mr  Samuel  Richardson ;  and  to 
prosecute  that  affair  in  the  Law  to  final  judgment,  if  need  be." 15 
And  finally,  at  a  meeting,  May  7,  1742,  in  acting  upon  an 
article  in  the  Warrant,  to  "consider  whether  the  Town  will  remitt 
all  or  any  part  of  the  interest  due  from  the  Committee  [Trustees] 
about  the  X60.000  Loan  on  a  bond  of  forty  two  pounds  ?  "  it 
was  decided  in  the  negative.15  This  was  taking  a  firm  stand, 
on  the  part  of  the  town.  But  what  was  the  effect  of  these  votes 
and  resolutions,  what  was  actually  done  by  the  Committee  so 
amply  empowered  by  them,  and  what  was  the  result  of  the 
measures  which  the  Committee  adopted,  the  Records  nowhere 
show.  These,  on  all  the  points  just  named,  maintain  every 
where  a  studied  silence.  Considering,  however,  the  respectable 
standing  which  the  Trustees  had  hitherto  occupied  in  society, 
the  integrity  which  one  of  them  had  manifested  as  a  trustee  for 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  VH.,  pp.  323-330.  "  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  315. 

"Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  pp.  368,  399. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  193 

the  management  of  the  town's  part  of  the  preceding  loan,  the 
security  which  they  were  severally  required  to  give  the 
Selectmen  to  indemnify  the  town  at  their  appointment  to  office, 
and  the  apparent  omission  of  the  Committee  to  use  their  power 
to  commence  a  suit  against  them  to  recover  what  they  owed  to 
the  town,  it  seems  more  probable  than  otherwise,  that  they  grad- 
ually recovered  from  the  embarrassments,  under  which  they  may 
have  labored  for  a  time,  and  eventually  satisfied  all  the  demands 
of  the  town  against  them,  as  trustees  in  the  affair  of  the 
£60,000  loan. 

It  is  lamentable  to  witness,  or  to  have  occasion  to  relate 
instances,  even  of  temporary  delinquency,  in  persons  intrusted 
with  public  money.  Such,  of  all  men,  are  concerned  to  be  faith- 
ful to  their  trust.  Generally  speaking,  a  man  may  do  what  he 
will  with  his  own ;  but  he  has  no  right  to  be  careless  or  lavish 
of  that  which  is  another's,  or  the  property  of  the  community. . 
By  unfaithfulness  in  the  latter  case,  many  are  injured ;  many 
are  aggrieved  by  his  abuse  of  their  confidence,  and  his  own 
reputation  and  usefulness  inevitably  suffer.  But  in  the  instance 
before  us,  powerful  reasons  demand  a  charitable  construction 
upon  the  conduct  of  the  trustees,  and  forbearance  in  the 
sentence  we  pass  on  it.  For  many  years,  the  General  Court  of 
the  Province  had  been  making  issues  in  paper  money  from  time 
to  time,  without  any  adequate  provision  to  keep  up  its  nominal 
value.  The  consequence  was,  a  growing  scarcity  of  specie,  and 
a  constant  depreciation  of  their  bills  of  credit.  And  yet,  as 
these  bills  were  almost  the  only  currency  in  the  market,  the 
people  were  generally  urgent  in  their  calls  for  an  increase  of 
them,  and  a  majority  in  the  popular  branch  of  the  Legislature 
was  always  ready  to  gratify  the  wishes  of  their  constituents  in 
this  respect.  But  the  more  bills  of  credit  were  multiplied,  the 
more  and  faster  did  their  value  diminish :  So  that  whereas,  in 
1710,  eight  shillings  in  bills  were  accounted  equal  in  value  to 
an  ounce  of  silver,  sixty  shillings  in  bills  were  reckoned,  in  1 750, 
but  an  equivalent  to  the  same  standard  value.16  Hence  arose 


i«  Felt's  Historical  Account  of  Massachusetts  Currency,  pp.  83, 186. 
17 


194  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

universal  embarrassment  in  the  community;  and  to  several 
descriptions  of  people,  severe  and  increasing  suffering  and 
distress.  Avaricious  administrators  of  estates  lay  under  a 
strong  temptation  at  least  to  detain  the  property  of  widows 
and  orphans  in  their  hands,  and  to  pay  it  at  last  in  depreciated 
paper ;  ministers  and  other  salaried  men  were  reduced  to  great 
straits,  by  being  obliged  to  receive  their  salaries  in  a  currency 
not  worth  half  its  original  nominal  value ;  and  creditors  were 
kept  out  of  their  honest  dues  altogether,  or  compelled  to  take 
up  with  what  was  far  below  their  just  claims.  It  is  no  ground- 
less presumption  therefore  to  suppose,  that  the  delinquency  of 
the  trustees  of  Woburn  in  the  present  instance  was  owing  to 
the  failure  of  those  to  whom,  with  the  town's  authority,  they  had 
lent  the  town's  loan  money  to  fulfil  on  demand  their  obligations, 
rather  than  to  any  intention  in  the  trustees  to  defraud.  Nor  is 
it  likely  that  their  case  was  a  singular  one.  Were  inquiry 
made,  it  would  very  probably  be  found,  that  the  trustees  for 
this  loan,  in  a  considerable  number  of  our  towns,  even  men  of 
fair  and  unimpeachable  characters,  were  rendered  unable,  by  the 
difficulties  of  the  times  to  meet,  at  once,  their  public  responsibil- 
ities, and  so,  through  dire  necessity,  and  to  their  own  grief, 
became,  for  a  season,  the  unwilling  instruments  of  trouble  and 
loss  to  their  fellow-citizens,  and  of  disappointing  the  confidence 
reposed  in  them. 

In  1725  occurred  that  bloody  encounter  with  Indians,  which  is 
commonly  distinguished  as  Lovewell's  Fight.  It  took  place, 
May  8,  0.  S.,  and  its  centennial  anniversary  was  commemorated 
on  the  spot,  in  an  address  before  a  large  and  intelligent 
audience  by  Charles  S.  Davies,  Esq.,  on  the  corresponding  day  in 
N.  S.,  May  19, 1825.  As  a  considerable  number  of  the  English, 
who  fought  in  this  engagement,  were  either  inhabitants 
of  Woburn,  or  had  originated  from  it,  and  as  the  event  of  it 
was  heard  by  the  people  of  this  place,  at  the  time,  with  bitter 
lamentation  or  with  deep  concern,  a  particular  account  of  it  will 
not,  I  presume,  be  uninteresting  to  their  descendants  at  this  dis- 
tant day. 

During  the  war  carried  on  by  the  English  against  the  Abena- 


HISTORY   OF   WOBUEN.  195 

quis  or  Eastern  Indians,  from  1722  to  1726,  the  government  of 
Massachusetts,  to  encourage  scouting  parties  for  the  defence  of 
the  frontiers,  offered  a  bounty  for  Indian  scales  and  captives  in 
1723,  which  was  raised  the  next  year  to  X100  each.  With  a 
view  to  obtaining  this  bounty,  as  well  as  from  motives  of  patriot- 
ism, Capt.  John  Lovewell,  of  Dunstable,  raised  a  company  of 
volunteers,  and  made  two  successful  expeditions  in  pursuit  of 
Indians  in  December  1724,  and  early  in  1725.  In  the  latter 
expedition  of  the  two,  he  and  his  men  killed  ten  Indians,  whom 
they  surprised  lying  round  a  fire  asleep  near  a  pond  in  Wake- 
field,  N.  H.,  since  called  Lovewell's  Pond ; 17  and  bringing  their 
scalps  to  Boston,  they  were  paid  XI, 000  for  them  out  of  the 
public  treasury.17  Emboldened  by  this  repeated  success,  he 
quickly  after  undertook  a  third  expedition  for  the  same  object. 
On  the  16th  of  April,  1725,  he  and  forty-five  others,  inclusively 
of  a  surgeon  and  a  chaplain,  marched  from  Dunstable  for  the 
Indian  villages  at  Pigwacket  near  the  upper  part  of  Saco  River, 
once  the  residence  of  a  powerful  tribe  of  Indians,  and  since 
places  of  their  occasional  resort.17  Before  he  had  proceeded  far, 
one  of  his  men  disabled  by  lameness,  and  another  by  an  old  wound, 
were  dismissed  and  returned  home.  When  they  had  reached  the 
great  Ossipee  pond,  another  of  the  company  falling  sick,  they 
halted,  and  built  a  small  fort,  which  might  serve  as  a  place  of 
refuge  in  case  of  necessity.17  Here  they  left  the  sick  man,  and 
the  surgeon  to  take  care  of  him,  and  eight  other  men  for  a  guard, 
together  with  a  considerable  quantity  of  provision  for  their  own 
use,  on  their  return.17 

The  company  was  now  reduced  to  thirty-four,  inclusively  of 
the  captain ;  and  their  names  (excepting  that  of  one  who  fled  at 
the  beginning  of  the  fight,  which  it  was  therefore  thought  best  to 
consign  to  oblivion)  were  as  follows :  viz,  Capt.  John  Lovewell, 
Lieutenants  Joseph  Farwell  and  Jonathan  Bobbins,  Ensign 
John  Harwood,  Sergeant  Noah  Johnson,  Robert  Usher  and 
Samuel  Whiting  of  Dunstable ;  Ensign  Seth  Wyman,  Corporal 
Thomas  Richardson,  Timothy  Richardson,  Ichabod  Johnson  and 

17  Belknap's  New  Hampshire,  in  one  vol.,  pp.  209,  210,  etc.    See  also  Hutchinson's  History, 
Vol.  II.,  pp.  314,  315. 


196  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

Josiah  Johnson  of  Woburn ;  Eleazar  Davis,  Josiah  Davis,  Josiah 
Jones,  David  Melvin,  Eleazar  Melvin,  Jacob  Farrar  and  Joseph 
Farrar  of  Concord;  Mr  Jonathan  Fry  of  Andover,  Chaplain ; 
Sergeant  Jacob  Fullam  of  Weston;  Corporal  Edward  Ling- 
field  of  Nutfield,  now  Londonderry;  Jonathan  Kittredge  and 
Solomon  Keyes  of  Billerica ;  John  Jefts,  Daniel  Woods,  Thomas 
Woods,  John  Chamberlain,  Elias  Barron,  Isaac  Lakin  and 
Joseph  Gilson  of  Groton ;  and  Ebenezer  Ayer  and  Abiel  Asten 
of  Haverhill.17  Pursuing  their  journey  northward,  about 
twenty-two  miles  in  a  direct  course,  but  forty  miles  by  the  indi- 
rect road  they  are  supposed  to  have  taken,  they  came  to  a  pond 
near  the  Pigwacket  villages  by  the  Saco,  and  now  within  the 
township  of  Fryburg,  by  the  side  of  which  pond  they  encamped.17 
On  Saturday,  May  8  (the  day  so  fatal  to  many  of  them — so  full 
of  peril  to  them  all),  very  early  in  the  morning,  while  they  were 
at  prayers,  they  heard  a  gun  discharge ;  and,  not  long  after,  they 
espied  an  Indian  standing  on  a  point  of  land,  which  ran  into  the 
pond,  more  than  a  mile  distant.  This  point  was  a  noted  fishing 
place:  and,  at  the  present  day,  there  seems  good  reason  to 
believe  that  the  Indian  they  observed  was  not  stationed  there 
with  any  insidious  design,  but  was  entirely  ignorant  of  there 
being  any  English  in  the  neighborhood,  and  that  the  gun  which 
they  heard,  he  had  fired  at  a  flock  of  ducks.17  But  Captain 
Lovewell  and  company  had  been  alarmed  the  night  before  by 
sundry  noises,  which  they  had  attributed  to  enemies ;  and  now 
the  sight  of  this  solitary  Indian  confirmed  them  in  the  persua- 
sion that  their  suspicions  had  been  well  founded ;  that  a  party 
of  the  enemy  was  lying  in  wait  between  him  and  them ;  and  that 
he  had  been  set  where  he  stood  for  a  decoy  to  draw  them  that 
way.  Accordingly,  a  consultation  was  held  by  Captain  Love- 
well  with  his  men,  whether  they  should  attempt  a  retreat,  or 
venture  to  face  and  fight  an  enemy,  whom  they  could  not  expect, 
as  they  had  hoped,  to  take  by  surprise.  Their  answer  generally 
was,  "  We  came  out  to  meet  the  Enemy ;  we  have  all  along 
prayed  God  we  might  find  'em ;  and  we  had  rather  trust  Provi- 
dence with  our  lives,  yea,  die  for  our  country,  than  try  to  return, 
without  seeing  them,  if  we  may,  and  be  called  cowards  for  our 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  197 

pains."18  Upon  receiving  this  bold  reply,  the  captain  at  once 
decided,  though  with  some  misgivings,  and,  apparently,  against 
his  own  judgment,  to  go  forward  :  and,  still  supposing  the 
enemy  to  be  before  him,  he  ordered  his  men  to  lay  down  their 
packs  where  they  were,  that  they  might  be  as  free  from  incum- 
brance  as  possible ;  to  march  with  the  utmost  circumspection, 
and  in  perfect  readiness  for  an  assault  at  an  instant's  warning. 

But,  while  Capt.  Lovewell,.  with  his  men,  was  moving 
cautiously  onward,  expecting  that  his  wily  foes  lay  concealed  in 
his  front,  they  were  in  reality  gathering  and  laying  wait  for  him 
in  his  rear.  For  it  so  happened,  that  in  his  march  he  crossed  a 
carrying  place,  to  which,  presently  after  he  left  it,  came  two 
parties  of  Indians,  with  Paugus,  a  noted  chief,  and  Wahwa  at 
their  head,  who  had  been  scouting  down  Saco  river,  and  were 
now  on  their  return  to  the  lower  village  of  Pigwacket,  situate 
upon  a  meadow  by  the  Saco,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the 
pond.17  These  Indians,  perceiving  the  tracks  of  Lovewell's 
company  at  the  carrying  place,  traced  them  back  to  their  packs, 
which  they  immediately  seized  upon  and  removed  for  their  own 
use ;  and  ascertaining  by  counting  them,  that  their  owners  were 
fewer  in  number  than  themselves,  they  skulked  in  ambush  hard 
by,  and  watched  for  their  return.  In  the  mean  while,  as  Capt. 
Lovewell  and  men  were  marching  round  the  pond,  to  come  at 
the  place  where  they  had  seen  the  Indian  standing,  they  met  him 
returning  by  another  path  to  the  village,  with  his  game  and  two 
fowling  pieces  in  his  hands.  Several  of  the  company  fired  upon 
him,  and  he  returned  the  fire,  and  mortally  wounded  Capt.  Love- 
well,  it  was  supposed,  though  he  made  but  little  complaint,  and 
was  able  to  keep  on  his  march.  Ensign  Wyman  then  fired  and 
killed  the  Indian;  and  another  took  his  scalp.  Having  dis- 
covered no  enemy  in  their  march,  as  they  had  anticipated,  the 
company  now  bent  their  way  back  toward  the  place  where  they 
had  left  their  packs.  But,  when  they  had  reached  the  spot,  and 
while  they  were  looking  for  their  baggage,  which  had  been 
removed,  (it  being  about  10  o'clock  in  the  forenoon)  the  Indians 


u  Historical  Memoirs,  etc.,  by  Rev.  Thomas  Symmes,  of  Bradford. 
17* 


198  HISTORY   OF  WOBUKN. 

rose  in  two  bodies  in  their  front  and  in  their  rear ;  and,  with  a 
hideous  yell,  ran  towards  them  with  their  arms  presented.  The 
English  likewise  instantly  presented  arms,  and  ran  to  meet 
them.  Both  parties  fired  when  they  had  come  within  a  few 
yards  of  each  other;  and  many  of  the  Indians  were  killed  at 
once,  while  the  English,  most  of  them,  escaped  the  first  shot 
unhurt.  But  so  superior  were  the  Indians  to  the  English  in 
respect  to  numbers,  that  nine  of  the  latter  were  slain  quickly 
after.  These  were,  Capt.  Lovewell,  Sergeant  Fullam,  Ensign 
Harwood,  John  Jefts,  Jonathan  Kittredge,  Daniel  Woods, 
Ichabod  Johnson,  Thomas  Woods,  and  Josiah  Davis.  Three 
also  were  badly  wounded,  viz :  Lieut.  Farwell,  Lieut.  Bobbins 
and  Robert  Usher;  and  the  rest,  perceiving  the  Indians  were 
endeavoring  to  surround  them,  retreated  to  the  pond,  which  now- 
covered  their  rear,  while  they  were  in  some  measure  sheltered  in 
other  quarters  by  a  few  large  pine  trees,  and  by  a  rocky  point 
running  into  the  pond. 

In  this  position,  under  the  direction  of  Ensign  Wyman,  upon 
whom  devolved  the  command  after  Capt.  Lovewell  was  killed, 
and  the  two  Lieutenants,  Farwell  and  Bobbins,  were  disabled  by 
their  wounds,  they  maintained  a  sharp,  resolute  contest  till 
about  night.  To  intimidate  them,  the  Indians  kept  up  a  constant 
howling  like  wolves,  and  barking  like  dogs,  and  all  manner  of 
hideous  noises ;  but  the  English  answered  them  only  by  frequent 
shouts  and  huzzas,  such  as  they  had  made  at  firing  their  first 
round.  At  one  time,  some  of  the  Indians  holding  up  ropes  to 
them,  proposed  to  them  to  ask  for  quarter,  but  they  spiritedly 
replied,  they  would  take  none  but  at  the  muzzle  of  their  guns. 
Nothwithstanding  their  inferiority  in  number  to  the  Indians,  and 
the  faintness  they  experienced  for  want  of  food,  of  which  they 
had  taken  none  since  early  in  the  morning,  they  continued  fight- 
ing courageously  as  men  resolved  to  die  rather  than  yield. 

It  was  apparently  during  the  afternoon  fight,  that  Paugus,  a 
noted  Indian  chief,  was  killed  by  John  Chamberlain  of  Groton,who 
knew  him.  In  the  engagement,  their  guns  having  become  foul, 
they  both  went  to  the  pond  about  the  same  time  to  cleanse  them, 
and  there  met.  The  following  lively  description  of  their 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  199 

encounter,  confirmed  in  the  main  by  tradition,  though  embellished 
probably  by  fancy  in  some  of  its  minor  circumstances,  is  quoted 
by  Lemuel  Shattuck,  Esq.,  in  his  History  of  Concord,  from  the 
"Philadelphia  Album,"  in  1828. 

"  They  slowly  and  with  equal  movements  cleansed  their  guns 
and  took  their  stations  on  the  outer  border  of  the  beach.  '  Now, 
Paugus,'  said  Chamberlain,  '  I'll  have  you  j '  and  with  the  quick- 
ness and  steadiness  of  an  old  hunter,  sprung  to  loading  his  rifle. 
'  Na,  na,  me  have  you,'  replied  Paugus ;  and  he  handled  his  gun 
with  a  dexterity  that  made  the  bold  heart  of  Chamberlain  beat 
quick,  and  he  almost  raised  his  eyes  to  take  his  last  look  upon  the 
sun.  They  rammed  their  cartridges,  and  each  at  the  same 
instant  cast  his  ramrod  upon  the  sand.  '  I'll  have  you,  Paugus,' 
shouted  Chamberlain,  as  in  his  desperation  he  almost  resolved 
to  rush  upon  the  savage,  with  the  breech  of  his  rifle,  lest  he 
should  receive  his  bullets  before  he  could  load.  The  woods 
across  the  pond  echoed  back  the  shout.  Paugus  trembled  as  he 
applied  his  powder-horn  to  the  priming ;  Chamberlain  heard  the 
grains  of  his  powder  rattle  lightly  upon  the  leaves  beneath  his 
feet.  Chamberlain  struck  his  gun  breech  violently  upon  the 
ground  —  the  rifle  primed  herself,  he  aimed,  and  his  bullets 
whistled  through  the  heart  of  Paugus.  He  fell,  and  as  he  went 
down,  the  bullet  from  the  mouth  of  his  ascending  rifle  touched 
the  hair  upon  the  crown  of  Chamberlain,  and  passed  off  with- 
out avenging  the  death  of  its  dreadful  master."  19 

The  fight  was  maintained  with  great  obstinacy  and  resolution 
on  both  sides ;  and  continued,  with  but  little  intermission,  about 
ten  hours.  Shortly  after  sunset,  the  Indians  withdrew,  being 
the  first  to  desist  and  quit  the  ground.  They  carried  with  them 
their  wounded  and  most  of  their  dead ;  and  left  the  bodies  of 
Lovcwell,  and  the  others  whom  they  had  killed  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  action,  unscalped ;  and  so  much  had  they  suffered  in 
the  fight,  through  the  firm  resistance  and  skilful  manoeuvring  of 
the  English,  that  they  went  off  with  greatly  reduced  numbers. 
In  accounts  subsequently  received,  it  was  stated,  that  "  they  were 

19  Shattuck's  History,  p.  69. 


200  HISTORY   OF  WOBURN. 

seventy  in  the  whole,  whereof  forty  were  said  to  be  killed  on 
the  spot,  eighteen  more  died  of  their  wounds,  and  that  twelve 
only  returned." 

About  midnight,  after  the  moon  had  risen,  the  remnant  of 
Capt.  Lovewell's  company,  who  were  able  to  travel,  withdrew 
from  the  field,  and  began  their  march  towards  the  fort,  which 
they  had  built  in  coming,  for  a  refuge.  They  left  behind  the 
bodies  of  their  nine  companions  who  were  killed  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  engagement ;  also  Jacob  Farrar,  who  was  just 
expiring;  and  Lieut.  Bobbins  and  Robert  Usher,  who  were 
mortally  wounded,  and  unable  to  accompany  them.  At  parting, 
Lieut.  Bobbins  requested  them  to  load  his  gun,  and  leave 
it  with  him,  saying,  "  The  Indians  will  come  in  the  morning  to 
scalp  me,  and  I'll  kill  one  more  of  'em,  if  I  can."  They  com- 
plied with  his  request :  but  the  Indians  do  not  appear  to  have 
returned  to  the  ground;  and  his  body  and  those  of  the  other 
two  were  shortly  after  found  dead,  and  lying,  apparently,  where 
they  severally  breathed  their  last.  They  who  marched  from 
this  fatal  spot  were  twenty  in  number,  of  whom  eleven  had  been 
badly  wounded.  But  their  troubles  did  not  cease  upon  quitting 
the  field  of  battle.  They  suffered  extremely  from  hunger ;  their 
provisions  having  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  Indians  on  the 
morning  of  the  attack. 

They  had  proceeded  but  about  a  mile  and  a  half  in  their  way, 
when  four  of  them,  viz :  Lieut.  Farwell,  Mr.  Frye,  Eleazar  Davis 
and  Josiah  Jones,  were  compelled,  by  the  anguish  of  their 
wounds,  to  stop,  receiving  encouragement  from  the  rest,  that  as 
soon  as  they  reached  the  fort,  they  would  send  some  of  the  guard 
they  had  left  there,  to  their  assistance.  Shortly  after,  on 
coming  to  a  thick  piece  of  woods,  the  fear  of  making  a  track,  by 
which  the  Indians  might  discover  and  follow  them,  led  the 
remainder  of  this  little  band  to  separate  into  three  divisions, 
and  one  of  these  divisions  consisting  of  Ensign  Wyman  and  four 
others,  being  actually  pursued  by  three  Indians  to  a  considerable 
distance,  Elias  Barron,  an  individual  belonging  to  it,  went  astray 
from  his  companions ;  and,  though  his  gun  case  was  found  after- 
wards by  the  side  of  Ossipee  river,  yet  he  himself  was  never  more 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  201 

heard  from.  The  other  two  divisions,  eleven  men  in  all,  at  length 
recovered  the  fort.  But  to  their  surprise  and  grief,  they  found 
it  abandoned  by  those  whom  they  had  left  there,  who  had  been 
frightened  away  by  a  terrific  report  brought  them  by  the  nameless 
deserter,  who  had  basely  run  from  his  post,  and  forsaken  his 
friends,  when  they  most  needed  him,  at  the  commencement  of  the 
battle.  Here,  however,  they  were  presently  rejoiced  by  the 
arrival  of  Solomon  Keyes,  who  was  not  with  them  when  they 
began  their  march  from  the  battle  ground,  and  who  had  been 
preserved  to  see  them  by  means  truly  astonishing,  as  well  as  unex- 
pected to  himself.  His  report  was,  that,  on  the-  day  of  battle, 
after  continuing  to  fight  till,  through  loss  of  blood  from  three 
wounds  he  had  received,  he  could  stand  no  longer,  he  crawled 
to  Ensign  Wyman,  and  told  him,  "  He  was  a  dead  man :  But 
(says  he)  if  it  be  possible,  I'll  get  out  of  the  way  of  the  Indians, 
that  they  mayn't  get  my  scalp."  In  his  efforts  to  reach  a  place 
where  the  Indians  would  not  discover  him,  he  lighted,  provi- 
dentially, upon  a  canoe  in  the  pond :  and,  rolling  himself  into  it, 
he  was  driven  by  the  wind  a  considerable  distance  towards  the 
fort ;  and,  then,  being  wonderfully  strengthened,  he  was  enabled 
to  perform  the  rest  of  the  journey  on  foot,  and  so  as  to  come  to 
the  fort  about  the  same  time  that  the  eleven  just  referred  to 
did.so  And  now  these  twelve  men,  having  refreshed  themselves 
with  provisions,  which  they  found  at  the  fort,  proceeded  to  Dun- 
stable,  where  they  arrived,  May  13,  at  night,  being  the  fifth  day 
after  the  engagement.  On  May  15,  they  were  rejoined  by 
Ensign  Wyman  and  three  of  his  party.  By  him  they  were  told 
that  they  had  not  tasted  food  of  any  sort  from  Saturday  morn- 
ing, the  day  of  the  fight,  till  the  Wednesday  following:  when 
two  mouse-squirrels,  which  they  caught  and  roasted  whole, 
seemed  a  delicious  morsel  to  them ;  and  that,  afterwards,  par- 
tridges and  other  game  which  they  killed,  comfortably  supplied 
their  wants  the  rest  of  their  journey.90 

In  the  mean  while,  their  four  companions,  whom  they  had  left 
behind  shortly  after  commencing  their  march  from  the  battle- 
field, waited  patiently  several  days,  in  hope  of  receiving  the 

*>  Bynames'  Memoirs,  etc, 


202  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

assistance  from  the  fort  which  they  had  encouraged  them  to 
expect,  but  which  they  failed  to  send  them,  in  consequence  of 
their  finding  the  fort  deserted.  But  at  length  these  four  for- 
saken ones,  giving  up  the  prospect  of  help  in  despair,  set  out 
themselves  on  their  way  homeward,  though  their  wounds  had 
become  corrupt  for  want  of  dressing,  and  they  themselves  were 
almost  famished  with  hunger.  Two  of  them,  Davis  and  Jones, 
after  acute  suffering,  succeeded  in  their  attempts  to  reach 
the  English  settlements,  the  former  coming  in  at  Berwick,  the 
latter  at  Saco.  But  the  effort  proved  too  great  for  Lieut.  Far- 
well  and  Mr.  Fry.  According  to  information  subsequently 
given,  by  Davis,  who  kept  with  them  both  as  long  as  they  were 
able  to  travel,  Fry  first  gave  up ;  but  Farwell  held  out  several 
days,  till  he  had  come  within  a  few  miles  of  the  fort,  and  they 
both  doubtless  died  in  the  places  where  they  were  severally  left 
by  Davis,  being  never  seen  or  heard  from  more.  Both  these 
gentlemen  were  very  highly  esteemed,  and  their  deaths  were 
deeply  lamented. 

But  there  was  something  peculiarly  affecting  in  the  circum- 
stances of  the  death  of  Mr.  Fry,  the  chaplain.  He  was  the  son 
of  Mr.  James  Fry,  of  Andover,  was  graduated  at  Harvard  Col- 
lege, 1723;  and  at  his  decease  had  a  journal,  which  he  kept  of 
the  expedition,  in  his  pocket.  He  had  much  endeared  himself 
to  the  company,  both  by  the  excellency  of  his  devotional  per- 
formances as  chaplain,  and  also  by  his  personal  courage  and 
readiness  to  share  with  them  in  their  dangers  and  hardships. 
In  the  afternoon  of  the  day  of  battle,  he  received  a  severe  wound 
fighting  with  the  rest ;  and,  being  disabled  by  it  from  further 
active  service,  he  was  repeatedly  heard  praying  aloud,  that  God 
would  preserve  and  prosper  his  brethren  in  arms,  in  their  then 
sharp  conflict.  After  the  fight  had  ceased,  he  travelled  with  the 
rest  a  little  way  towards  the  fort;  and,  then,  with  Farwell, 
Davis,  and  Jones,  was  left  behind,  being  unable  to  go  any 
further.  Here  he  stayed  with  them  several  days,  looking  in  vain 
for  help  from  the  fort ;  and  then  set  forward  in  company  with 
them  again.  But,  after  travelling  several  miles  with  them,  per- 
ceiving his  strength  fail  him,  and  his  end  draw  near,  Mr.  Fry 

v 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  203 

lay  down,  and,  addressing  Farwell  and  Davis,  desired  them 
not  to  wait  for  him,  for  that  he  felt  himself  to  be  a  dying  man, 
and  should  never  rise  any  more.  He  likewise  charged  Davis, 
if  God  should  spare  his  life  to  get  home,  to  go  and  tell  his 
father,  "that  he  expected  in  a  few  hours  to  be  in  eternity  ;  and  that 
he  was  not  afraid  to  die"20  This  is  the  last  that  is  known  of 
this  good  man.  He  probably  breathed  his  last  in  the  place  and 
posture  in  which  his  companions  left  him.  No  monument  marks 
the  spot  where  his  untimely  decease  took  place,  and  where  his 
remains  rest.  But  an  elm  tree,  which  he  planted  with  his  own 
hands  before  his  father's  door  in  Andover,  still  lives,  or  did 
recently,  and  will  be,  while  it  stands,  a  memorial  of  him. 

Such  was  the  issue  of  this  disastrous  conflict.  Twelve  of  our 
men  lay  dead  or  dying  on  the  field  of  battle :  two  were  left  in 
their  retreat  to  die  of  their  wounds  in  the  wilderness ;  and  one 
went  astray,  and  was  never  after  heard  of.  Of  the  thirty-three 
English  who  engaged  in  the  fight,  only  eighteen  lived  to  return 
to  their  families :  and  of  these,  only  nine,  viz.,  Ensign  Wyman, 
Edward  Lingfield,  Thomas  Richardson,  David  Melvin,  Eleazar 
Melvin,  Ebenezer  Ayer,  Abiel  Asten,  Joseph  Farrar,  and  Joseph 
Gilson,  escaped  any  considerable  injury.  The  other  nine,  viz, 
Sergt.  Noah  Johnson,  Timothy  Richardson,  Josiah  Johnson, 
Samuel  Whiting,  John  Chamberlain,  Isaac  Lakin,  Eleazar  Davis, 
Josiah  Jones,  and  Solomon  Keyes,  were  badly  wounded,  and 
some  of  them  were  made  cripples  or  invalids  for  life. 

The  report  of  this  fight  and  its  lamentable  result  excited  deep 
concern,  as  well  as  sympathy  for  afflicted  survivors,  throughout 
the  community.  In  a  message  from  Lieut.  Governor  Went- 
worth  of  New  Hampshire  to  the  House  of  Representatives  there, 
May  17,  1725,  he  thus  alludes  to  this  melancholy  affair.  "I 
received  an  express-  from  Lieut.  Governor  Dummer,  giving  an 
account  that  Capt.  Lovewell  met  a  party  of  Indians  at  or  near 
Pigwacket,  which  broke  Capt.  Lovewell's  company  in  pieces.  I 
have  sent  fifty-two  men,  under  command  of  Capt.  John  Chesley,  to 
make  the  best  of  his  way  to  Ossapy  and  Pigwacket,  and  thence 
make  diligent  search  for  Capt.  Lovewell's  fort,  &c.,  and  to 
relieve  any  wounded  men  they  may  meet  in  their  way  thither  or 


204  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

elsewhere."  The  House,  in  their  answer,  May  22,  say :  "  As  for 
the  misfortune  of  Capt.  Lovewell  and  his  men,  we  desire  to  be 
humble  before  God  for  so  great  a  frown  of  his  Providence,  and 
thank  your  Honour  for  sending  a  company  for  the  relief  of 
any  that  may  be  yet  alive."  But  the  company  of  men  sent  on 
this  benevolent  errand  by  Lieut.  Governor  Wentworth,  some 
how  or  other,  missed  their  way,  and  never  reached  the  scene  of 
the  engagement.  But  Col.  Tyng  of  Massachusetts,  with  a  com- 
pany of  men  from  D  unstable,  went  to  the  spot,  and  there  found 
and  buried  beneath  an  aged  pine  the  twelve  men  of  ours  that 
had  been  left  there,  dead  or  dying,  on  the  night  after  the  battle, 
and  carved  their  names  on  the  neighboring  trees.  He  also  dis- 
covered there  three  graves,  one  of  which  being  opened  was 
found  to  contain  the  body  of  Paugus,  the  Indian  chief,  killed  by 
Chamberlain,  as  above  related.  Rev.  Dr.  Belknap,  who  visited 
the  place  in  1784,  observes  in  a  note  to  his  History  of  New 
Hampshire,21  that  "  the  names  of  the  dead,  on  the  trees,  and  the 
holes  where  balls  had  entered  and  been  cut  out,  were  [then] 
plainly  visible.  .  .  .  The  trees  had  the  appearance  of  being  very 
old,  and  one  of  them  was  fallen." 

The  intelligence  of  Lovewell's  fight  was  heard  at  Woburn 
with  bitter  mourning  and  lamentation.  Inclusively  of  Sergt. 
Noah  Johnson  (a  native  of  Woburn,  though  then  an  inhabitant 
of  D  unstable)  six  of  her  sons,  belonging  to  three  of  her  most 
numerous  and  respectable  families,  and  four  of  them  grandsons 
of  Maj.  William  Johnson,  had  been  engaged  in  it.  Of  these 
six  men,  three  were  wounded,  and  one  slain.  The  wounded 
persons,  Timothy  Richardson,  Noah  Johnson  and  Josiah  John- 
son seem  all  to  have  ultimately  recovered.  But  the  death  of 
Ichabod  Johnson,  who  fell  in  the  beginning  of  the  battle,  proved 
too  hard  a  stroke  for  his  fond  father.  Capt.  Edward  Johnson, 
born  March  19,  1658,  was  the  second  son  of  Maj.  William 
Johnson,  and  a  grandson  of  Capt.  Edward  Johnson,  one  of  the 
principal  settlers  of  the  town,  whose  name  he  bore,  and  who 
remembered  him  in  his  will.  He  lived  about  half  a  mile  from 
where  Burlington  meeting-house  was  afterwards  built,  in  a  house 

«  Belknap's  New  Hampshire,  p.  212,  note. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  205 

on  the  most  easterly  path  to  Shawshin,  now  the  road  to  Bedford, 
opposite  to  Mr.  Alfred  B.  Shaw's,  the  cellar  of  which  was,  till 
recently,  visible;  and  through  life  he  stood  high  among  his 
fellow-townsmen,  in  reputation  and  usefulness.  He  was  many 
years  one  of  the  Selectmen  of  Woburn ;  its  representative  to  the 
General  Court  in  1700,  and  about  1720*  was  chosen  a  deacon 
of  the  church.  He  was  also  a  gentleman  of  handsome  property 
for  that  day ;  and  was  blessed  by  his  first  wife,  Sarah  Walker, 
with  seven  children,  and  with  two  by  his  second  wife,  widow 
Abigail  Thompson,  whose  maiden  name  was  Gardiner.  But  of 
these  nine  children,  though  all  were  deservedly  dear  to  him, 
Ichabod,  the  youngest  son  by  his  first  wife,  appears  to  have  been 
his  Benjamin,  the  darling  of  his  heart ;  and  when  the  news  of  the 
sudden,  bloody  death  of  this  favorite  child,  reached  his  ear,  he 
was  so  overcome  by  it,  as  that  his  gray  hairs  were  brought 
quickly  down  with  sorrow  to  the  grave.  Neither  honor,  nor 
wealth,  nor  any  worldly  blessing  could  now  yield  him  consola- 
tion or  support.  His  surviving  sons  and  daughters,  his  numer- 
ous relatives  and  friends,  all  rose  up  to  comfort  him,  but  in  vain. 
Even  that  holy  religion  which  he  professed  (for  want  doubtless 
of  a  due  application  on  his  part  of  its  blessed  truths,  promises 
and  exhortations  to  his  own  case)  failed  to  minister  its  soothing, 
healing  balm  to  his  wounded  spirit.  He  seems  to  have 
imagined,  that  with  Ichabod  the  glory  of  his  house  had  departed 
(as  the  name  denotes) ;  and  to  have  sunk  in  grief  and  despond- 
ency. Before  three  months  from  the  death  of  his  son  had  fully 
elapsed,  the  father  went  down  to  the  grave  mourning.  He  died 
August  7,  1725,  in  the  68th  year  of  his  age;  and  as  a  venerable 
granddaughter  of  his  (Miss  Abigail  Johnson)  once  told  me,  he 
died  of  a  broken  heart. 

The  Legislature  of  Massachusetts  gave  prompt  and  sub- 
stantial evidence  of  sympathy  for  these  unfortunate  soldiers  and: 
their  heirs.  Soon  after  the  battle,  the  widow  of  Capt.  Lovewell 
petitioned,  that  the  Province  would  allow  her  for  what  he  paid 
for  the  supplies  of  the  men  who  accompanied  him.  To  this,  the 

*  Compare  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  pp.  67,  78. 
18 


206  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

Court  agreed ;  and  gave  her  assurance,  that  when  they  came  to 
reward  those  who  fought  in  the  battle,  they  would  consider  her 
case  more  particularly.  Accordingly,  June  17,  1725,  they  voted 
to  allow  Capt.  Love  well  and  company  or  heirs,  £300,  for  the 
scalps  of  the  three  Indians  killed  (doubtless  those  whose  graves 
were  found  by  Col.  Tyng),  though  the  scalps  were  not  produced, 
as  the  law  required ;  also,  £30  to  be  paid  to  or  for  each  of  the 
thirty-three  men  who  had  fought  in  the  battle,  amounting  in  all  to 
.£990;  also,  £210  to  the  heirs  of  the  six  men  killed,  Capt. 
Lovewell's  portion  to  be  <£60,  the  rest  £30  apiece.  By  the 
six  men  killed,  referred  to  in  the  last  donation,  were  unquestion- 
ably meant  the  six  officers  who  were  killed  in  the  battle,  or 
died  quickly  after  of  their  wounds,  viz  :  Capt.  Lovewell,  Lieuts. 
Robbins  and  Farwell,  Ensign  Harwood,  Sergt.  Fullam,  and 
the  Chaplain,  Rev.  Mr.  Fry.  They  also  engaged  with  regard 
to  the  wounded,  that  the  subject  of  paying  their  physician's 
bills,  and  of  granting  them  pensions  out  of  the  public  treasury, 
should  be  considered  the  next  session. 

The  result  of  their  deliberations  on  this  question  appears  to 
have  been  in  favor  of  the  unfortunate  men  concerned.22  And 

28  "  1726,  June  14.  A  Petition  of  Josiali  Johnson  of  Woburne,  shewing 
that  the  wound  he  received  in  the  late  Battle  of  Pigwackett  is  now  open, 
and  that  he  has  expended  since  last  November  £4  :Hs.  in  order  to  get  a 
Cure,  Praying  the  compassionate  consideration  of  the  Court  for  such  fur- 
ther alloicance  in  the  Premises,  as  to  them  in  their  Wisdom  shall  be  thought 
meet : 

"  Read  and  committed  to  the  Committee  for  Muster  Rolls. 

"June  16.  Mr  Lewis  from  the  Committee  for  Muster  Rolls  Reported 
on  the  Petition  of  Josiah  Johnson,  as  Entred  on  the  14th,  which  was  Read 
and  Accepted ;  and  Resolved  that  the  sum  of  Eighteen  Pounds  Fourteen 
Shillings  be  allowed  and  paid  out  of  the  Publick  Treasury  to  the  Petitioner 
Josiah  Johnson,  in  Answer  to  the  said  Petition:  viz.  £4:14s  to  discharge 
the  Doctor's  Bill,  the  remaining  £14  in  Consideration  of  his  Pain,  and  Loss 
of  Time,  and  Inability  for  Labour.  Sent  up  for  Concurrence."  —  Votes  of 
Representatives. 

In  December  of  the  same  year,  in  answer  to  the  Petition  of  Timothy 
Richardson,  another  of  the  wounded  men  from  Woburn,  praying  the  Court 
for  relief  "  in  consideration  of  the  Wounds  he  received  in  the  Battle  of 
Pigwackett  against  the  Indian  Enemy ;  "  a  Resolve  passed  the  House  (which 
was  sent  up,  and  was  doubtless  concurred  in  by  the  Council)  granting 
five  pounds  to  be  paid  him  out  of  the  public  treasury.  Similar  grants 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  207 

finally,  the  General  Court,  in  1728,  made  a  grant  of  Suncook, 
now  Pembroke,  N.  H.,  then  conceived  to  be  within  the  bounds  of 
Massachusetts,  to  sixty  persons,  forty-six  of  whom  were  the  sur- 
vivors or  heirs  of  those  who  were  engaged  in  this  fight  with  the 
Indians.  Among  the  first  settlers  of  this  township  was  Sergt. 
Noah  Johnson,  who  had  been  wounded  in  that  engagement.  He 
was  a  grandson  of  Maj.  William  Johnson,  being  the  third  son 
of  his  eldest  son  William  and  of  his  wife  Esther  Gardiner;  and 
is  remembered  in  his  grandfather's  will,  dated  April  2,  1700. 
He  was  born,  1699,  at  Woburn,  or  possibly  at  Charlestown, 
where  his  father,  William  Johnson,  Jr.,  was  living  and  wrought 
as  a  shipwright  in  1698.  At  the  time  of  Lovewell's  Fight,  he 
was  a  resident  of  D  unstable,  whence  he  removed  to  Pembroke, 
after  becoming  entitled  to  a  share  in  that  grant,  and  there 
became  a  deacon  of  the  church.  When  advanced  in  life, 
he  moved  his  abode  once  more,  to  Plymouth,  N.  H.,  and  there 
died,  August  13,  1798,  at  the  great  age  of  99  years,  6  months 
and  11  days,  being  the  last  survivor  of  that  little  band,  who 
hazarded  their  lives  in  the  service  of  their  country  in  the  fight 
at  Pigwacket. 

Before  closing  this  article,  some  further  notice  seems  justly 
due  to  Ensign  Seth  Wyman,  who  had  the  conduct  of  Capt. 
Lovewell's  men  the  greater  part  of  that  eventful  day.  He  was 
a  grandson  of  Lieut.  John  Wyman,  a  man  of  wealth  and 
distinction  among  the  first  settlers  of  Woburn,  and  the  eldest 
son  of  Mr.  Seth  Wyman  and  Esther,  daughter  of  Maj.  William 
Johnson,  his  wife.  He  was  born,  September  13,  1686,  probably 
on  a  farm  in  the  westerly  part  of  Burlington,  given  his  father  by 
his  grandfather  Wyman  in  his  Will:  and,  January  26,  1715, 
[1715-6  ?]  he  married  Sarah  Ross,  of  Billerica.  At  Lovewell's 
Fight,  he  greatly  distinguished  himself  by  his  self-possession, 
fortitude  and  valor.  All  his  superior  officers  having  been  killed 
or  mortally  wounded  early  in  the  engagement,  he  had  the  corn- 
were  subsequently  voted  by  the  House  to  Josiah  Johnson,  whose  wound 
appears  to  have  been  worse  and  more  difficult  to  be  healed  than  those  of 
Richardson :  the  last  as  late  as  June  15,  1731.  —  See  Records  of  General 
Court. 


208  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

mand  of  our  men  almost  the  whole  time  of  its  continuance ;  and, 
by  his  prudent  management  and  courageous  example,  he  was 
doubtless,  mainly  instrumental,  under  God,  for  preserving  so 
many  of  them  as  there  were  from  being  utterly  cut  off.  Seeing 
them  in  danger  of  becoming  dispirited  in  the  contest,  in  view  of 
the  greatly  superior  numbers  and  other  advantages  of  the 
enemy,  he  animated  them  to  action  (it  was  afterwards  reported 
by  Eleazar  Davis,  who  was  one  of  them),  by  assuring  them 
"  that  the  day  would  yet  be  their  own,  if  their  spirits  did  not 
flag";  and  so  encouraged  were  they  by  his  exhortations,  and  so 
briskly  did  they  fire  in  consequence,  that  several  discharged 
their  muskets  "between  twenty  and  thirty  times  apiece."  Imme- 
diately upon  his  return,  he  was  honored  by  Lieut.-Governor 
Dummer,  then  Commander-in-Chief  of  Massachusetts,  with  a 
Captain's  commission.  He  had  also  presented  him,  in  testi- 
mony of  the  public  approbation  of  his  valor,  a  silver-hilted 
sword.  But  he  did  not  live  long  to  enjoy  his  honors.  To 
encourage  volunteers  to  enlist  against  the  Indian  enemy,  the 
General  Court  offered  four  shillings  wages  per  day,  in  addition  to 
the  bounty  of  XI 00  for  every  scalp.  Upon  this,  many  enlisted, 
and  marched  under  the  command  of  Capt.  Wyman  and  others. 
But  the  extreme  heat  of  the  weather,  and  the  prevalence  of  the 
dysentery,  prevented  them  from  going  far,  and  several  of  them 
died  upon  their  return,  Capt.  Wyman  among  the  rest,  who 
deceased  September,  5,  1725,  before  he  had  completed  his 
thirty-ninth  year.  His  widow  survived  him  but  little  more  than 
two  years,  dying  November  5,  1727.  Worthy  descendants  of 
the  third  and  fourth  generations  from  this  worthy  man  are  still 
living  in  Woburn  and  West  Cambridge. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Schools  from  1690  till  1775, — Wages:  Teachers:  Master  Fowle:  School 
Houses :  Moving  System :  Schools  beside  Grammar  School :  School 
Books  :  Contention  about  Masters,  1725. 

IN  the  second  chapter  of  this  Work,  notice  was  taken  of  the 
Schools  in  Woburn  during  the  first  half  century  from  its  incor- 
poration. In  this  chapter,  the  consideration  of  this  interesting 
subject  will  be  resumed.  It  is  proposed  to  give  in  it  a  some- 
what minute  and  extended  account  of  the  condition  and  progress 
of  the  public  schools  in  the  town,  from  1690  till  the  beginning 
of  the  Revolutionary  War,  in  1775. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  period  above  mentioned,  in 
regard  to  women's  schools,  the  same  ten  shillings,  or  rather  six 
and  eight  penny  per  annum  system,  which  had  previously  pre- 
vailed in  the  town,  still  continued.  For  instance,  the  Selectmen, 
say  the  Records,  at  a  meeting  of  theirs,  March  7,  1691—2,  "sent 
to  speak  with  Mrs.  Walker  in  order  to  keepe  a  scoole  for  lesser 
children  to  learn  them  to  read ;  and  agreed  with  her  to  performe 
said  servis,  the  Towne  allowing  her  in  pay,  the  sum  of  ten  shil- 
lings per  the  year."1  By  pay,  is  here  meant,  country  produce, 
as  pork,  Indian  corn,  rye,  etc.,  upon  which  a  discount  was  made 
in  those  days  of  30  or  33£  per  cent  for  money.  Mrs.  Walker 
was  the  widow  of  Mr.  Samuel  Walker,  the  earliest  progenitor  in 
Woburn  of  that  well  known  and  highly  respected  family  of  the 
name,  which  has  furnished  the  town  with  many  valuable  citizens, 
and  the  country  at  large  with  some  of  its  most  distinguished 
individuals.  Leading  a  solitary  life,  this  lady  was  willing  to 
keep  school,  both  for  company  and  for  employment's  sake.  She 
had  served  as  a  school  teacher  before,  and  living  apparently  in 
the  centre  of  the  town,  she  doubtless  appropriated  a  room  in  her 
own  house  for  a  school-room.  The  good  woman  fulfilled  the 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  m.,  p.  157. 
18* 


210  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

above  engagement  with  the  Selectmen ;  and,  two  years  afterwards, 
she  was  credited  by  Constable  Ebenezer  Johnson  with  seven 
shillings  in  money  on  her  tax  bill  for  her  year's  work,2  the  rent 
of  her  room  being  reckoned  gratis.  This  must  have  been  cold 
comfort  to  a  widow's  heart.  Still,  she  ventured  to  try  the  busi- 
ness one  year  more.  At  a  meeting  of  the  Selectmen,  May  7, 
1694,  they  agreed,  the  Records  state,  "with  Mrs.  (Mistress) 
Walker  to  keep  a  scoole  for  the  smaller  sort  of  children,  to  learn 
them  to  read,  for  the  year  insueing ;  and  the  year  to  begin  upon 
the  first  of  Aprill  last  past ;  and  she  to  have  ten  shillings  in  pay 
allowed  her  by  the  town  for  the  same."  3  Accordingly,  Mrs. 
Walker  went  on  and  completed  this  engagement,  and  at  a  final 
settlement  between  her  and  the  town,  the  account  stands 
recorded  thus : 

"  The  Widow  Walker  is  Creditor : 

"  for  scooling  small  children  in  the  year  1694  until  the  first 
of  Aprill  1695,  according  to  agreement  with  her  per  the 
Selectmen,  pay,  10s  :  money          -----       £00 :06  :8 
"  To  Widow  Walker  Dr. 

"  her  rate  to  Jams  ffoull  in  money £00 :02 :03 

and  to  Ben.  Simonds 00 :03 :02 

paid  by  James  Simonds,  Constable  in  96        -        -        -  00 :01 :03 


0  :06  :08."3 

From  this  authentic  document,  it  appears  that  this  worthy 
woman,  having  waited  for  her  wages  a  whole  year  from  the  time 
her  work  was  done,  received,  after  two  years'  taxes  were 
deducted,  the  sum  of  one  shilling  and  threepence  in  silver  for 
her  toil  and  pain  in  teaching  a  twelve-month  all  the  little  boys 
and  girls  in  Woburn  that  were  sent  to  her,  their  alphabet,  or 
reading  and  spelling ;  reckoning  her  room  for  their  accommo- 
dation as  rent  free.  A  fact  like  this  can  hardly  fail  to  strike  a 
modern  reader  with  surprise.  One  would  have  supposed,  that 
the  least  the  town  could  have  done  in  this  case  would  have 
been,  to  set  off  her  taxes  for  the  use  of  her  room  in  their  ser- 
vice. No  thanks  to  the  Selectmen,  that  she  did  not  starve  long 
before  the  term  of  her  engagement  with  them  was  half  expired. 

*  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  8,  «  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  pp.  24,  28. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  211 

Notwithstanding  the  wide  difference  between  the  price  of  the 
necessaries  of  life  at  that  day  and  this,  it  is  plain  she  must  have 
had  other  resources  for  a  livelihood  than  school-teaching.  Had 
she  depended  solely  on  this,  she  must  obviously  have  soon  been 
forced  to  relinquish  it ;  or  else,  like  the  widow  of  Sarepta,  the 
meal  in  her  barrel,  and  the  oil  in  her  cruse,  (to  say  nothing  of 
her  wood)  must  have  been  daily  replenished  by  miracle. 

Such  was  the  condition  of  primary  schools  in  Woburn  at  the 
close  of  the  17th  century.  Nor  did  grammar  schools  fare 
any  better.  The  studies  of  such  schools  were  then  held  in  low 
estimation  in  the  town ;  and  but  few,  if  any  of  its  youth,  were 
willing  to  attend  to  them.  And  hence,  schools  of  this  descrip- 
tion were  but  inconstantly  kept;  and  sometimes  only  after 
intervals  of  several  years.  From  the  appointment  of  Mr.  Samuel 
Carter  in  1686,  as  grammar  school-master,  and  his  failure  to 
get  scholars  to  teach,  no  attempt  seems  to  have  been  made  in 
Woburn  to  get  up  a  grammar  school  again,  till  four  years  after. 
At  a  meeting  of  the  Selectmen,  March  3,  1689-90,  they  agreed 
with  Mr.  Carter  anew,  "to  record  the  Selectmen's  acts  about 
towne  affaires " :  and  also  "  to  keep  a  grammar  school,  paying 
him  thirty  shillings  for  his  service."4  But  whether  he  kept  the 
grammar  school  as  agreed  upon,  and  whether  his  success  was 
any  better  than  before,  there  is  nothing  upon  record  to  show. 
The  person  next  engaged  for  this  office,  was  Rev.  Jabez  Fox, 
with  whom  the  inhabitants  agreed,  at  a  town  meeting,  March 
26,  1694,  that  "he  should  teach  and  instruct  any  children  that 
belong  to  this  town  of  Woobourne,  to  wright,  and  in  the  gramer, 
all  and  so  many  as  shall  be  sent  unto  him  now  for  one  year 
insueing."5  A  similar  engagement  was  made  with  him  by  the 
Selectmen^  May  24,  1699,  to  keep  school  a  year  for  instruction 
in  grammar  alone.5  But  in  neither  of  these  engagements  is 
there  any  mention  of  compensation ;  and  as  none  appears  from 
the  Records  to  have  been  ever  paid,  there  is  ground  for  pre- 
suming, that  none  was  ever  stipulated ;  and  that  Mr.  Fox,  antici- 
pating he  should  have  but  few  or  no  scholars  to  teach,  demanded 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  III.,  p.  138.  «  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  pp.  22, 14«. 


212  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

nothing  for  his  labor.  The  next  "year,  at  a  general  meeting, 
March  1,  1699-1700,  a  committee  of  three  was  chosen  to  inquire 
for,  and  treat  with  some  suitable  person  to  keep  a  grammar 
school  in  the  town,  and  occasionally  to  assist  the  Rev.  Mr.  Fox 
in  the  ministry ;  and  to  make  report  to  the  town  of  their  doings 
herein,  before  they  agreed  with  the  man.5  But  nothing  was  done 
to  effect  by  this  committee  in  fulfilment  of  their  commission ;  and, 
within  three  months  from  their  appointment,  the  town  was  pre- 
sented at  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions,  for  want  of  a  school 
according  to  law.  Startled  in  view  of  a  presentment  for  such  a 
cause,  the  town,  at  a  general  meeting,  May  31,  appointed  Maj. 
William  Johnson  and  Lieut.  Josiah  Convers  a  new  committee 
"  to  agree  with  Sir  ffox  or  any  other  gentleman  upon  as  easy 
terms  as  they  can,"  to  keep  school  in  Woburn  for  four  months, 
from  June  10,  upon  trial.6  Accordingly,  this  committee  applied 
to  "  Sir  Fox,"  as  Mr.  John  Fox,  son  of  their  minister,  was 
called,  in  common  with  all  graduates  of  Harvard  College  during 
the  interval  between  taking  their  first,  and  their  second  or  Mas- 
ter's degree.  With  him  they  agreed  to  keep  a  grammar  school  in 
Woburn  for  four  months,  from  the  day  named,  for  <£9.6  And 
so  acceptable  were  his  services  during  the  term  of  his  probation, 
that  the  inhabitants,  at  a  general  meeting,  December  4,  following, 
hired  him,  "  by  a  very  clear  voat,"  for  this  service  again,  for  a 
year,  to  begin  December  9,  at  a  salary  of  £28  per  annum.6 
These  terms  were  of  Mr.  Fox's  own  proposing ;  and  the  salary, 
a  handsome  one  for  that  day.  But  it  was  larger  than  Woburn 
had  ever  as  yet  paid  a  master,  or  than  it  was  willing  the  next 
year  to  grant  him  again,  especially  as  he  had  but  few  pupils  to 
instruct.  At  a  meeting,  January  28,  1701—2,  the  town  being 
notified  that  they  were  then  destitute  of  a  school-master,  voted 
to  choose  a  committee  to  procure  one  forthwith,  as  the  law 
requires,  "  provided  that  a  suitable  person  can  be  found  to 
officiate  in  that  place,  and  will  undertake  the  worke  for  the 
space  of  one  yeare  in,  and  for  said  town,  for  such  a  sum  as  may 
be  agreed  for,  not  exceeding  twenty  pounds,  for  one  year." 7 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  pp.  165, 167.  »  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  pp.  194,  200. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  213 

The  committee  chosen  for  this  purpose  reported  to  the  town, 
March  2,  1701-2  following,  that  they  had  agreed  with  Mr.  John 
Fox,  to  keep  a  grammar  school  for  one  year  from  February  2d, 
preceding ;  and  that,  for  this  service,  they  had  engaged  to  give 
him  "  eighteen  pounds  certain ;  and  in  case  he  should  have  more 
worke  in  that  place  than  he  had  the  last  year,  he  should  have  forty 
shillings  more."  7  This  report  was  accepted  by  the  people ;  and 
yet,  reluctant  to  pay  their  worthy  school-master  even  this  greatly 
reduced  salary,  less  by  more  than  a  third  than  that  which  they 
had  given  him  the  year  before,  they  voted  at  the  same  meeting, 
"  that  every  person  that  shall  send  any  children  or  servants  to 
the  above  said  schoole  in  Woobourne,  shall  pay  in  to  the  select- 
men of  said  town  three  pence  per  week  for  every  child  or  ser- 
vant that  is  sent  or  comes  to  the  said  schoole ;  and  the  selectmen 
to  improve  all  such  sums  so  payd  in  to  them  towards  the  dis- 
charging the  schoolmaster's  sallery :  but  if  any  shall  send  their 
children  to  said  schoole,  that  in  the  judgment  of  the  selectmen 
are  not  well  able  to  pay  as  above  said,  they  have  their  liberty  to 
send  their  children  to  said  schoole  at  the  publick  charge  of  the 
town."7  But  this  requirement  of  heads  of  families,  who  had 
children  or  servants  to  send  to  school,  to  pay  tuition  money, 
beside  their  proportion  of  the  school  tax,  if  indeed  it  were 
legal,  seems  never  to  have  been  executed.  No  mention  is  made, 
in  the  settlement  of  town  accounts  for  that  year,  of  the  payment 
of  any  money  to  the  Selectmen  from  the  source  here  indicated  j 
and  the  town  appears  never  to  have  had  recourse  afterwards  to 
this  expedient  for  lightening  the  school  rates  of  some,  legally 
and  equitably  imposed,  by  laying  a  double  portion  of  the  expense 
of  schooling  upon  others. 

Mr.  John  Fox  continued  to  keep  the  grammar  school  in 
Woburn  quite  up  to  the  time  of  his  ordination  as  their  minister, 
in  October  1703,  when  he  became  disqualified,  by  a  law  then 
recently  enacted,  for  the  office  of  a  school  teacher  any  longer.8 
At  March  meeting,  1703-4,  the  inhabitants  chose  Lieut.  Josiah 
Convers,  one  of  the  Selectmen  of  that  year,  and  Lieut.  John 

•  Colony  and  Province  Laws,  p.  372. 


214  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

Carter,  to  inquire  for  and  to  hire  a  suitable  person  to  keep  a 
grammar  school.  This  committee  promptly  attended  to  their 
duty  in  this  matter :  and  not  long  after  reported  to  the  Select- 
men, that,  having  made  an  unsuccessful  application  at  the  Col- 
lege, they  had  gone  to  Andover,  and  proposed  to  Mr.  Dudley 
Bradstreet,  of  that  town,  to  come  and  do  the  work  of  a  school- 
master at  Woburn  for  the  present,  till  they  could  provide  them- 
selves with  another;  that  Mr.  Bradstreet  had  signified  his 
agreement  to  their  proposal  under  his  hand ;  that  he  had  been 
"  personally  at  Woobourne  at  the  time  of  Charlestown  Court  " ; 
but  no  scholars  presenting  themselves  as  his  pupils,  he  had 
returned  to  Andover  again;  and,  having  "had  his  expences 
borne,  while  he  was  in  Woobourne,  he  had  eighteen  shillings  in 
silver  for  a  gratuity." 9  Here  is  another  striking  token  of  the 
indifference  of  the  people  of  Woburn  for  grammar  school 
instruction  at  the  commencement  of  the  last  century.  But 
why  is  it  specified  in  the  Committee's  Report,  that  Mr.  Brad- 
street  was  at  "Woobourne  at  the  time  of  Charlestown  Court"? 
He  was  doubtless  here  at  that  particular  time  by  an  under- 
standing with  the  committee,  and  to  answer  the  same  purpose 
that  another  teacher,  some  thirty  years  afterwards  was 
expected  to,  who  had  a  consideration  made  him  by  the  town 
"for  standing  in  (as  the  Records  express  it)  School  master  Two 
Courts." 10  In  both  these  cases,  and  in  others  that  might  be 
named,  the  school  committee  (though  men  of  good  character, and 
very  respectable  standing),  wishing  to  save  the  town  expense, 
and  yet  avoid  a  legal  presentment,  resorted  to  artifice.  In 
making  an  agreement  with  a  school-master,  they  would-  stipulate 
with  him,  that  he  must  by  all  means  be  at  Woburn,  and  keeping 
school,  in  Court  time,  even  if  he  were  to  be  off  the  very  next 
week;  fearing  that  otherwise,  the  Grand  Jury,  who  were  the 
eye  of  the  county,  might  spy  out  the  deficiency,  and  present  the 
town ;  and  that  the  Justices  of  the  Sessions  might  impose  on  it 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  265. 

10  "To  Mr  Ebenr  Flegg  in  full  for  keeping  Grammar  School  in  the  year 
past  [1731]  and  standing  in  School  Master  two  Courts,  £13  :10 :0."  —  Town 
Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  HO. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  215 

a  fine  of  £20  for  its  default,  as  the  law  required.  But,  in  having 
recourse  to  measures  of  this  description,  the  committee  cheated 
themselves,  their  children,  and  the  town,  more  than  they  did  the 
County  and  Province ;  and,  for  the  sake  of  saving  a  few  paltry 
shillings  or  pounds  to  the  town,  they  defrauded  the  town  and 
its  children  of  one  of  the  most  indispensable  means  to  the  pros- 
perity and  happiness  of  both. 

In  stating,  however,  the  above  facts,  showing  the  backwardness 
of  the  people  of  Woburn,  at  the .  beginning  of  the  last  century, 
to  encourage  public  schools,  it  is  by  no  means  intended  to 
insinuate  that  they  were  singularly  faulty  in  this  thing.  The 
like  delinquency,  in  other  places,  was  at  that  time  a  matter  of 
complaint.  And,  hence,  the  General  Court  felt  it  incumbent  on 
them,  iii  1701,  to  pass  an  additional  Act  relating  to  Schools  and 
School-masters.  In  the  Preamble  to  that  Act,  they  declare,  that 
the  observance  of  the  "  wholesome  and  necessary  Law,"  then  in 
force,  requiring  all  towns  containing  fifty  families  to  be  constantly 
provided  with  a  school-master  to  teach  children  and  youth  to 
read  and  write,  and  every  town  containing  a  hundred  families 
to  establish  a  grammar  school  in  it,  and  to  procure  by  suitable 
encouragement,  a  discreet  person  of  good  conversation,  and  well 
instructed  in  the  tongues,  to  keep  it,  was  "  shamefully  neglected 
by  divers  towns,  and  the  penalty  thereof  not  required,  tending 
greatly  to  the  nourishment  of  ignorance  and  irreligion,  whereof 
grievous  complaint  is  made." 

And  then,  for  the  prevention  of  this  evil,  they  proceed  to 
enact,  among  other  particulars,  that  the  penalty  for  the  non- 
observance  of  the  law  referred  to,  should  be  twenty  pounds  per 
annum,  instead  of  ten,  as  it  had  been  hitherto.11  And  this 
increased  penalty  proving  insufficient  for  the  end  intended,  the 
Court,  in  1718,  passed  another  additional  act,  in  which,  after 
setting  forth,  that  "  many  towns,"  which  were  both  obliged  by 
law,  and  abundantly  able  to  support  a  grammar  school,  chose  to 
incur  and  pay  the  fine  for  the  neglect  of  the  law,  rather  than 
maintain  one,  went  on  to  enact,  that  fine  should  be  increased  to 

11  Province  Laws,  1702,  Cbap.  Ixxxil.,  pp.  371-2. 


216  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

thirty  pounds,  in  the  case  of  towns  that  had  one  hundred  and 
fifty  families,  and  to  forty  pounds  in  the  case  of  those  which  had 
two  hundred  families.12  No  peculiar  reproach  then  attaches 
itself  to  Woburn,  on  account  of  its  occasional  failure  at  that 
period  to  observe  the  law  respecting  schools  and  school-masters, 
or  of  its  reluctant  compliance  with  it.  The  delinquency  com- 
plained of  was  a  common  one ;  and  in  view  of  the  fact,  it  became 
an  interesting  inquiry,  How  we  are  to  account  for  it  ?  Whence 
proceeded  the  too  general  neglect  at  the  commencement  of  the 
last  century,  suitably  to  encourage  and  cherish  Common  Schools, 
that  far  famed  institution  of  our  Puritan  ancestors  ? 

One  reason  of  this  neglect,  it  may  be  plausibly  conjectured, 
was,  that  the  generation  then  on  the  stage  appreciated  learning, 
and  the  means  of  acquiring  it,  at  a  much  lower  rate  than  their 
predecessors  in  general  did.  A  considerable  proportion  of  the 
first  settlers  of  Massachusetts  came  to  this  country  an  enlightened 
people,  and  they  were  kept  so  by  sitting  under  the  ministry  of 
men,  who,  generally  speaking,  were  lights  in  the  world,  and 
whom  for  love,  they  had  followed  to  these  ends  of  the  earth,  that 
they  might  continue  to  enjoy  the  benefit  of  their  instructions. 
From  their  pious  and  learned  teachers,  they  had  imbibed  exalted 
conceptions  of  the  importance  of  learning,  as  an  excellent  hand- 
maid of  religion,  and  that  high  estimate  of  it  which  they  had 
brought  with  'them  across  the  Atlantic  they  still  retained  amidst 
their  numerous  trials  and  hardships  in  this  their  adopted  country. 
Hence,  they  could  not  endure  the  thought  (to  use  an  expression 
of  their  own),  "  that  learning  [should]  be  buried  in  the  graves 
of  [their]  forefathers  in  church  and  commonwealth ;  " 13  but 
were  earnestly  desirous,  by  erecting  the  college,  and  founding 
common  schools,  to  transmit  the  treasure  to  their  posterity,  as 
the  best  earthly  legacy  they  could  leave  them.  But  the  mass  of 
their  descendants  of  the  two  next  generations  seem  to  have  been 
far  more  absorbed  in  earthly  cares,  and  in  pursuits  merely  secu- 
lar, than  their  fathers  were.  As  they  had  confessedly  declined 
from  the  strict  piety  of  their  predecessors,  so  they  appear  to 

"  Province  Laws,  1718,  Chap,  cxxviii.,  p.  420. 
13  Colony  Laws,  Chap.  Ixxxviii.,  p.  186. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  217 

have  had  but  a  diminished  sense  of  the  importance  of  knowledge 
and  learning,  and  hence  were  less  solicitous  about  providing  the 
means  for  educating  their  children  in  it. 

Another  reason  seems  to  be,  that  competent  instructors  for 
grammar  schools  were  then  scarce  j  too  few,  to  supply  the  wants 
of  the  whole  community.  This  was  a  difficulty  particularly  felt 
at  Woburn.  At  the  commencement  of  the  last  century,  recent 
graduates  of  Harvard  College,  though  not  a  numerous  body  of 
men,  were  almost  the  only  persons  willing  and  qualified  to  teach 
schools  of  this  description.  And,  as  these  few  would  naturally 
go  where  they  found  most  encouragement,  and  as  Woburn  then 
too  often  made  a  point  of  engaging  teachers  who  could  be  got 
for  the  lowest  wages,  the  School  Committees  sometimes  expe- 
rienced great  difficulty  in  procuring  masters,  even  when  they 
earnestly  exerted  themselves  to  do  it.  Take  the  following 
instance,  particularly  noticed  in  the  Records. 

"  Friday  the  3d  of  November  1710.  The  Selectmen  of  Woobourn 
met  to  consider  how  they  might  obtain  a  suitable  person  to  keep  a 
grammar  schoole  in  said  town,  but  found  it  very  difficult  to  do  [so] 
by  reason  that  they  heard  that  there  was  none  to  be  had  at  Colledge  : 
whereupon  they  appointed  Ensign  John  Peirce  to  goe  to  Boston, 
and  try  if  Dr  Oaks  his  son,  14  or  Mr.  Kallender's  son  15  might 
be  obtained  for  that  end  "  etc.16  "  December  the  8th,  1710.  The 
Selectmen  of  Wooburn  being  met  together,  Ensign  John  Peirce 
made  the  following  Return :  that  according  to  the  Selectmen's 
orders  and  appointment,  he  had  been  at  Boston  to  speak  with  Dr 
Oaks  his  son,  and  Mr  Callender's  son,  and  found  that  they  were 
already  improved,  and  so  could  not  be  obtained :  and  that  he  had 
made  inquiry  after  some  other  suitable  person  to  keep  a  grammar 
schoole  in  Woobourn,  but  could  not  hear  of  any  to  be  had.  Soon 
after,  the  Selectmen  were  informed,  that  it  was  probable,  that  Sir 
Wigglesworth  17  might  be  obtained  to  keep  a  grammar  schoole  for 
our  town.  Whereupon  the  said  Selectmen  appointed  Lieut.  John 
Carter  to  goe  to  Cambridge,  and  treat  with  him  about  that  matter. 

14  Mr.  Josiah  Oakes,  Harvard  College,  1708,  son  of  Dr.  Thomas  Oakes,  of  Boston. 

u  Mr.  Elisha  Callender,  Harvard  College,  1710,  a  son  of  Rev.  Ellis  Callender,  minister  of 
the  Baptist  Church  in  Boston.  '«  Town  Records,  Vol.  V.,  p.  165. 

17  Edward  Wigglesworth,  Harvard  College,  1710,  and  afterwards  first  Holiis  Professor  of 
Divinity  there. 

19 


218  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

Accordingly,  soon  after,  Lieut.  Carter  made  return  to  the  Select- 
men, that  he  had  been  at  Cambridge,  and  had  had  a  discourse  with 
Sir  Wigglesworth  with  reference  to  keeping  a  grammar  schoole  in 
Woobourn  ;  and  that  he  the  said  Sir  Wigglesworth  did  give  some 
encouragement  in  the  matter,  but  could  not  give  a  full  answer 
until  the  beginning  of  the  following  week,  and  then  appointed  him 
to  come  again  for  an  answer.  Accordingly  the  Selectmen  ordered 
Lieut.  Carter  to  attend  the  time  that  Sir  Wigglesworth  had  appoin- 
ted to  give  his  answer,  and  to  wait  upon  him  for  it.  But  when 
the  said  Lieut.  John  Carter  came  to  Cambridge  at  the  time  before 
appointed,  he  was  informed  that  Sir  Wigglesworth  was  engaged  or 
gone  to  Casco  Bay  Fort  to  keep  a  schoole  there  ;  and  there  was  no 
further  hope  of  obtaining  of  him." 

"  After  this,  Mr  John  Turft  [Tufts]  18  informed  that  Mr  Recom- 
pence  Wadsworth 19  had  left  the  Schoole  at  Barnstable  ;  and  was  in 
hopes  we  might  obtain  him  to  keep  a  Grammar  Schoole  in  Woo- 
bourn. Whereupon  the  Selectmen  appointed  Lieut.  John  Carter 
and  Mr  Josiah  Johnson  to  go  to  Boston,  and  discourse  with  said 
Mr  Wadsworth  on  Monday  the  llth.  of  December  currant,  with 
reference  to  his  keeping  a  Grammar  Schoole  in  Woobourn.  Accord- 
ingly on  the  12th.  currant,  agreement  was  made  with  the  said  Mr 
Recompence  Wadsworth  to  keep  a  Grammar  Schoole  in  Woobourn 
for  the  space  of  six  months,  and  to  begin  the  Schoole  on  the  18th. 
currant,  and  so  six  months  from  that  time,  for  the  sum  of  twelve 
pounds,  and  his  board  found  him  free  by  the  Town  of  Woobourn. 
Accordingly  the  said  Mr  Wadsworth  came  to  Woobourn  on  Satur- 
day the  sixteenth  day  of  the  same  month,-  and  the  Selectmen 
ordered  James  Fowle  to  board  him  upon  the  Town's  accompt.  But 
in  case  the  said  Mr  Wadsworth  should  be  called  off  from  keeping 
said  schoole  by  any  other  business  within  the  said  six  months,  [he 
is]  to  give  the  Town  seasonable  warning."  20 

Here  was  an  instance  in  which  the  Selectmen,  who  were  the 
School  Committee  for  1710,  were  obliged  to  despatch  three  of 
their  number  in  succession  upon  four  several  journeys,  two  to 
Boston,  and  two  to  Cambridge,  in  order  to  obtain  a  person 

»  Of  Harvard  College,  1708 ;  subsequently  minister  of  Newbury. 

»  Son  of  Timothy  Wadsworth,  of  Boston,  and  grandson  of  Capt.  Samuel  Wadsworth,  of 
Milton;  born  1688;  Harvard  College,  1708 ;  diedl713. 

»Town  Records,  Vol.  V.,  p.  170. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  219 

suitable  to  keep  the  grammar  school ;  and  were  repeatedly  baf- 
fled in  their  expectations,  and  kept  six  weeks  in  suspense  before 
they  could  secure  a  teacher  to  their  mind,  and  get  him  on  the 
ground.  School-masters,  or  those  who  sought  the  employment^ 
were  not  then  to  be  met  at  every  corner  ;  nor  was  there  a 
choice  of  them  to  be  selected  from  applicants  twofold,  or  even 
fourfold  more  numerous  than  the  schools  to  be  kept,  as  is  often 
the  case  at  the  present  day.  Then,  if  a  committee  would  obtain 
a  well  qualified  master,  they  must,  generally  speaking,  diligently 
search  him  out,  go  from  town  to  town,  far  and  near,  and  be  will- 
ing to  bear  repeated  disappointments,  and  still  to  persevere  in 
their  efforts,  before  they  lighted  upon  a  man  who  would  serve 
their  purpose.  But  so  much  difficulty  as  this,  in  obtaining  a 
competent  teacher,  must  needs  have  rendered  the  office  of  School 
Committee  a  burdensome  one,  and  doubtless  often  operated  as  a 
hinderance  or  discouragement  from  duly  attempting  to  fulfil  it. 

But  the  principal  cause,  it  is  apprehended,  why  towns  were 
backward  at  the  period  mentioned,  to  sustain  schools,  or  to  pro- 
vide for  them  competent  instructors,  was  the  scarcity  of  money, 
the  burden  of  taxes,  and  the  consequent  general  poverty  of  the 
people.  Notwithstanding  the  issues  of  the  mint  in  Massachu- 
setts, which  coined  the  famous  New  England  shillings  and  pine 
tree  money  for  about  thirty-six  years,  from  1652,  specie  had 
become  so  scarce  at  the  close  of  the  17th  century,  that  many 
towns  found  it  very  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  pay  their 
taxes  to  the  country,  except  in  the  produce  of  their  soil,  or  in 
articles  of  their  own  home  manufacture.  Thus,  Hingham  was 
allowed  the  privilege,  in  1687,  of  paying  their  taxes  to  govern- 
ment in  pails ; 21  and  Woburn  paid  in  part  its  County  tax,  for 
1693,  in  shoes.21  In  1685,  the  towns  of  Springfield  and 
Suffield  petitioned  the  Government,  setting  forth  "  the  difficulty 
of  their  paying  money  taxes,  which  were  assessed,  beside  those 
payable  in  grain."  The  former  town  desired  Government  "  to 
receive  their  rates  as  formerly,  in  corne ;  and  noe  more  require 
any  money  of  your  moneyless  petitioners."  And  the  inhabitants 

»  Felt's  History  of  Massachusetts  Currency,  p.  47.    Town  Records,  Vol.  III.,  p.  53. 


220  HISTORY   OP   WOBUEN. 

) 

of  the  latter  town,  say  in  their  petition,  "  Doe  not  for  Charitie'a 
sake  enjoyne  us  to  pay  one  penny  more  in  money.  Let  it  be 
adjudged  abundantly  enough  for  us  to  pay  henceforward  our 
country's  dues  in  Corne,  when  we  can  raise  it,  and  are  not  forced 
to  go  to  other  towns  to  work  for  corne  for  our  familyes."  But 
not  only  was  money  scarce,  but  the  public  taxes  were  exces- 
sively burdensome.  Notice  was  taken  in  a  former  chapter  of 
the  heavy  taxes  during  Philip's  war,  in  1675-1676,  and  the  dis- 
tress occasioned  thereby  to  the  community.  In  1690,  to  defray 
the  public  debt,  contracted  in  the  unfortunate  expedition  of  that 
year  to  Canada,  the  government  issued  the  first  paper  currency 
in  this  country.22  And  the  next  year,  to  discharge  Woburn's 
proportion  of  this  debt,  a  tax  was  assessed,  in  which  every 
man's  single  rate  was  increased  twenty-three  fold  ;23  and  which 
amounted  to  the  enormous  sum,  for  that  day,  of  £532  and 
upward.23 

Other  instances  of  very  heavy  taxes,  imposed  while  the  wars 
against  the  Indians  and  French  in  the  reigns  of  King  William 
III.  and  Queen  Anne  were  going  on,  might  be  produced  from 
the  Records.  No  wonder  then,  that  the  people,  ground  down  to 

22  Felt's  History  of  Massachusetts  Currency,  pp.  49,  50. 

23  Town  Records,  Vol.  III.,  p.  150.  '.'August  the  27.  1691.  The  Select- 
men met  to  make  the  Country  Rate  for  the  year  ensuing  [present  ?]  ;  the 
Commissioner  [of  the  rate]  and  Constables  also  joining  with  them  .... 
August  the  31.  1691.  The  Selectmen  met  at  the  house  of  Israel  Reed  with 
the  Commissioner  and  Constables,  and  finished  the  Country  Rate  which 
they  had  before  begun :  they  then  also  writ  out  a  List  of  the  said  Rate,  and 
delivered  it  to  the  Commissioner,  to  carry  to  the  Commissioners  of  the 
County,  according  to  law. 

"  October  the  5.  1691.  The  Selectmen  met  and  perfected  the  Rate  made 
for  the  raising  of  the  24  thousand  pounds ;  and  for  the  raising  of  the  town's 
proportion  in  the  said  sum,  every  man's  single  rate  were  [was]  23  times 
doubled.  October  the  6.  1691.  Delivered  for  Constable  John  Peirce  at  his 
house  a  List  of  his  part  of  the  23  rates,  containing  the  sum  of  £272  :18  :08. 
with  a  warrant  under  the  hands  of  the  Selectmen  to  gather  the  same.  The 
same  day  abovesaid  delivered  for  Constable  John  Teed  at  his  house  a  list  of 
his  part  of  the  aforesaid  23  rates,  containing  the  sum  of  £259  :05  :06,  with 
a  warrant  under  the  hands  of  the  Selectmen  to  gather  the  same."  The 
country  rate  assessed  Sept.  30,  1689,  was  but  little  over  £32.  —  Town 
Records,  Vol.  III.,  pp.  132-135. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  221 

the  earth,  as  it  were,  by  the  public  burdens,  should  feel  unable, 
and  at  times  disinclined  to  give  due  support  to  institutions, 
confessedly  of  the  first  necessity  and  importance.  In  1704,  a 
considerable  number  of  the  inhabitants  of  Woburn,  it  has  been 
seen,  remonstrated  against  granting  at  that  time  to  Rev.  Mr. 
Fox  a  fixed  salary,  for  the  express  reason  of  the  pressure  of 
the  war  then  carried  on,  and  the  weight  of  the  taxes  assessed  to 
sustain  it.24  Much  more  likely  then  would  they  be,  under  such 
circumstances,  to  object  to  the  expense  of  schooling,  and  at  times 
be  tempted  to  evade,  if  possible,  the  requirements  of  the  law 
respecting  it.  In  the  condition  they  were  then  in,  they  were 
averse  to  bestowing  the  encouragement  that  was  desirable,  both 
upon  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  and  upon  their  public  schools  ? 
not  because  they  deemed  those  institutions  of  inferior  moment, 
or  grudged  their  expense,  but  because  they  were  reduced  to  such 
straits,  as  that  they  could  scarcely  pay  their  taxes  for  their 
country's  defence,  and  provide  bread  for  themselves  and  families. 
And,  accordingly,  within  a  few  years  after,  when  they  had  be- 
come more  numerous  and  able,  and  their  taxes  lighter,  they 
immediately  made  more  liberal  grants  for  schools ;  and  not  only 
punctually  paid  their  minister's  stipulated  salary,  but  year  after 
year  made  voluntary  additions  to  it,  especially  in  seasons  when 
provisions  were  unusually  scarce  and  dear.25 

The  town  being  without  a  school-master  the  greater  part  of 
the  year  1 706,  was  presented  for  that  deficiency,  in  September,  at 
Cambridge  Court  j  and  the  Selectmen  were  summoned  to  answer 

»Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  269. 

85  At  a  general  town  meeting,  March  5,  1715-16,  it  was  voted  to  add 
twenty  pounds  to  Rev.  Mr  Fox's  salary  for  that  year.  The  original  con- 
tract was  for  £80  per  annum.  At  March  meeting,  1716-17,  it  was  voted 
"  that  the  Reverend  Mr  John  Fox  should  have  20  pounds  added  to  his 
Fourscore  this  year,  provided  that  he  keep  a  Lecture  once  in  six  weeks  if 
he  be  able."  At  the  same  meeting,  provision  was  made  for  the  supply  of 
his  pulpit,  when  he  was  "  sick  and  unable  to  preach."  In  March  1724-5, 
by  voluntary  vote  of  the  town  £30  was  added  to  his  original  salary  of  £80, 
without  any  condition,  (Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  213,)  and  in  March 
1725-6,  and  again  in  March  1726-7,  his  salary  was  raised  to  £120  for  each 
of  those  years.  —  Town  Records,  Vol.  VL,  pp.  265,  296. 
19* 


222  HISTORY   OF  WOBURN. 

the  presentment.26  In  this  exigency,  they  authorized  Capt. 
Josiah  Convers,  one  of  their  number,  to  appear  on  their  behalf, 
who  informed  the  Court,  that  the  Selectmen  had  not  been  negli- 
gent to  inquire  for  a  suitable  school  teacher ;  and  that,  though 
they  had  hitherto  been  unsuccessful,  yet  their  efforts  to  procure 
one  were  still  continued.26  This  assurance  seems  to  have  satis- 
fied the  Court  for  the  present.  A  teacher  for  the  grammar 
school  in  Woburn26  was  soon  after  engaged  for  six  months, 
from  November  9,  for  ,£15;  and,  at  the  expiration  of  that  term, 
in  1707,  his  engagement  was  prolonged.26  The  year  following, 
the  town  having  learned  by  experience,  that  grand  jurors  would 
do  their  duty  in  this  case,  according  to  their  oaths,  took  season- 
able care  to  prevent  another  presentment.  At  a  general  meet- 
ing, March  1,  1707—8,  they  chose  the  Selectmen  as  a  committee 
to  look  out  for  and  agree  with  some  suitable  person  to  keep  a 
grammar  school  in  Woburn ;  and  "  to  provide  one  against  the 
next  Court,  which  is  the  9th.  currant,  if  possible."  27  Agreeably 
to  the  above  appointment,  the  Selectmen  employed  Capt.  Josiah 
Convers,  one  of  their  number,  to  attend  to  this  business :  who 
reported  to  the  Selectmen,  March  12,  that  he  had  agreed  with 
Mr.  John  Tufts  to  keep  a  grammar  school  in  Woburn  for  the 
space  of  one  year,  beginning  with  March  8:  "And  to  improve 
and  pay  him  for  eight  months  of  the  said  time ;  he  to  stay  in 
Town  one  month  from  the  said  eighth  day  of  March ;  and  then 
to  come  again  when  the  town  sends  for  him.  And  he  to  receive 
out  of  the  Town  Treasury  after  the  rate  of  thirty  pounds  per 
annum  for  the  time  he  stays  in  town  as  our  school  master."28 
This  arrangement  is  evidently  another  instance  of  contrivance  to 
give  the  town's  money  and  credit  at  the  same  time. 

To  prevent  a  presentment  of  the  town,  Mr.  Tufts,  the  school- 
master elect,  must  be  at  their  call  for  a  whole  twelve-month. 
He  must  commence  his  school  the  day  before  the  Court  sat ;  and 
after  keeping  it  a  month,  he  might  go  about  his  own  private 
occasions,  if  he  pleased,  but  must  come  again  when  the  town 
sent  for  him,  that  so  they  might  have  him  among  them,  keeping 

*  Town  Records,  Vol.  V.,  pp.  35,  48.  «  Town  Records,  Vol.  V.,  p.  76. 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  V.,  p.  82. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  223 

school,  whenever  the  Court  sat  during  that  period,  and  especially 
in  March  Term  the  next  year.  But  at  the  same  time,  the  Com- 
mittee gave  him  to  understand,  that  he  would  be  actually 
employed  and  paid  only  eight  months  of  the  twelve ;  apprehend- 
ing, perhaps,  that  unless  he  should  prove  a  popular  teacher,  the 
town's  money  for  a  longer  time  than  that  would  be  no  better 
than  thrown  away.  But,  contrary  to  the  Committee-men's 
fears  perhaps  in  this  respect,  Mr.  Tufts'  labors  proved  so  very 
acceptable,  that  at  the  next  March  meeting,  1 708-9,  the  town 
as  a  body  voted  him  an  invitation  to  continue  them  here  the 
whole  of  the  next  year,  and  authorized  the  Selectmen  to  hire  him 
for  this  end  "  upon  as  reasonable  terms  as  may  be." 29  And, 
accordingly,  the  Selectmen,  at  a  meeting  of  theirs,  March  21st, 
engaged  Mr.  Tufts  to  be  the  grammar  school-master  of  Woburn 
for  the  year  ensuing;  and,  for  this  service,  promised  not  only 
to  pay  him  in  money,  at  the  same  rate  as  the  year  preceding, 
viz:  £30  per  annum,  but  also  that  when  he  went  into  the 
different  quarters  of  the  town  to  keep  school,  the  inhabitants  of 
each  quarter  "  should  find  him  a  horse  to  ride  to  meeting  on  "  ; 
a  privilege  which  at  that  day  was  highly  set  by,  and  which  was 
afterwards  indulged  other  masters  in  like  circumstances,  as 
contributing -much  to  their  general  respectability,  and  especially 
as  increasing  their  influence  over  their  pupils.29  And  now,  from 
this  time,  1709,  till  1775,  the  year  of  the  Revolutionary  war 
began,  Woburn  appears  to  have  been  uniformly  supplied  with  a 
grammar  school-master,  for  a  longer  or  shorter  portion  of  every 
year  save  one.  Influenced  not  only  by  desire  to  escape  the 
penalty  of  the  law,  all  attempts  to  elude  which  they  had  found  to 
be  vain  or  injurious  to  themselves,  but  also,  it  is  to  be  hoped, 
by  a  due  regard  for  their  own  reputation,  and  for  the  best  inter- 
ests of  their  posterity,  they  henceforth  constantly  manifested  a 
disposition  to  maintain  and  encourage  their  grammar  school ; 
and  so  vigilant  were  they  to  see  it  duly  provided  with  a  teacher, 
that  they  never  allowed  themselves,  as  late  as  1775,  to  be  again 

*>  Town  Records,  Vol.  V.,  pp.  109,  111. 


224  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

presented  for  the  want  of  one  but  once,  viz :  during  the  unfortu- 
nate circumstances  of  the  town,  in  1732.30 

Their  School  Committees  were  careful  every  year  to  make 
seasonable  inquiry  for  a  master ;  they  were  concerned  to  find 
one  competent  for  the  work ;  and  seemed  willing  to  pay  him  an 
equitable  compensation.  And  the  result  of  this  wise  policy  was 
an  inestimable  benefit  to  the  rising  generation,  and  the  giving  of 
an  impulse  to  the  cause  of  education  that  has  continued  to  the 
present  day.  The  masters  whom  they  employed  during  this 
period  were  commonly  young  gentlemen  of  liberal  education 
from  abroad,  and  especially  students  in  theology,  resident  at 
Cambridge  and  in  the  vicinity;  and  some  of  them  afterwards 
distinguished  themselves  in  the  Christian  ministry  or  in  civil 
life :  as  Hon.  Nathaniel  Saltonstall  of  Haverhill  ;  Hon.  Jonathan 
Sewall,  Esq.,  the  noted  Attorney  General  at  the  commencement 
of  the  Revolution;  Rev.  John  Hancock  of  Braintree,  now 
Quincy,  father  of  Governor  Hancock;  Rev.  Habijah  Weld  of 
Attleborough ;  and  that  profound  theologian  and  eminent  minis- 
ter of  the  Gospel,  Rev.  Peter  Clark  of  Danvers.  But  a  con- 
siderable proportion  of  their  grammar  school-masters  were 
Woburn's  own  sons,  who  were  born  and  instructed  in  the  first 
rudiments  of  learning  within  her  own  precincts,  and  then  com- 
pleted their  education  at  the  College  in  Cambridge.  Of  these, 
some  were  honored  in  civil  life :  as  Col.  Jabez  Fox  of  Portland, 
son  of  Rev.  John  Fox  of  Woburn.  Some  eventually  preached, 
and  became  respected  ministers  of  the  gospel :  as  Rev.  John 
Gardner  of  Stow,  Rev.  Timothy  Walker  of  Pennicook,  now  Con- 
cord, N.  H. ;  Rev.  Ebenezer  Flegg  of  Chester,  N.  H.,  and  Rev. 
Ebenezer  Wyman  of  Union,  Ct.  And  others  still  of  them  were 
either  school-masters  by  profession,  or  at  least,  excellently  quali- 
fied for  the  employment,  judging  by  the  frequency  with  which 

30  In  an  account  of  the  disposal  of  money  raised  by  the  town,  March 
1732-3,  for  the  payment  of  the  town's  debts  and  expenses,  is  the  following 
item:  "Paid  to  Mr  Josiah  Johnson,  due  last  year,  £1.0.0.  and  for  .... 
money  he  paid  at  the  Court  for  the  Town's  being  presented  for  want  of  a 
Schoole  master,  and  about  the  Highway  £11 :14 :10."  —  Town  Records,  Vol. 
VII.,  p.  168. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  225 

they  were  engaged  in  it,  in  their  native  town.  Such  were  Mr. 
Isaac  Richardson,  Mr.  Adam  Richardson,  Mr.  Jabez  Richardson, 
Mr.  Ebenezer  Thompson,  Mr.  James  Fowle,  and  more  par- 
ticularly, Mr.  John  Fowle ;  a  gentleman  for  many  years  distin- 
guished by  way  of  eminence  in  Woburn,  by  the  title  of 
Master  Fowle ;  one  whose  stern  manners,  strict  discipline  and 
aptness  to  teach,  rendered  him  the  terror  of  all  idlers  and 
rogues  in  his  school,  but  recommended  him  to  the  esteem  of  the 
diligent  and  ingenuous,  and  whom  such  eminently  scientific  men 
as  Col.  Loammi  Baldwin  and  Benjamin  Thompson,  Count  Rum- 
ford,  were  not  ashamed,  in  their  younger  days,  to  attend  upon 
his  instructions,  and  to  call  their  master. 

This  noted  teacher  was  a  son  of  Maj.  John  Fowle,  and  of 
Mrs.  Mary  (Coiivers)  Fowle,  his  wife;  was  born  in  Woburn, 
February  1,  1726,  [1726-7]  graduated  at  Harvard  College, 
1747;  commenced  keeping  school  in  Woburn,  1758,  and  from 
that  year  till  1770,  was  constantly  employed  there  in  that  work. 
He  died  of  a  nervous  fever,  October  15,  1786.  The  following 
anecdote,  illustrative  of  his  management  and  discipline  in  school, 
was  told  me  by  Mrs.  Mary,  widow  of  Mr.  James  Bennett,  and 
daughter  of  Capt.  Joshua  Walker,  of  Woburn  Precinct,  who  in 
her  childhood,  attended  Master  Fowle's  school,  when  it  was 
keeping  in  the  Precinct,  and  who  died,  1857,  in  the  94th  year  of 
her  age.  He  had  a  class  of  young  men,  studying  Latin,  who, 
presuming  upon  their  advanced  age  and  standing,  ventured  to 
take  unwarrantable  liberties  in  school  hours.  Master  Fowle 
.saw  and  watched  them  for  some  time  without  making  complaint. 
But  he  at  length  broke  out,  and  addressed  them  in  such  words 
as  these : 

"  Ho,  you  Latiners,  up  there :  you  seem  by  your  actions  to 
think,  that  because  you  sit  in  a  higher  seat,  and  are  more  forward 
in  jTour  studies  than  the  rest  of  the  school,  you  may  do  here  as  you 
like.  But  I'll  quick  let  you  know  that  you  shan't.  I  have  had  my 
eyes  upon  you  for  some  time,  though  you  did  not  know  it.  And  now 
I  tell  you  what,  boys.  You,  every  one  of  you,  deserve  for  what  I've 
seen  in  you  a  sound  thrashing ;  and  a  sound  thrashing  every  one  of 
you  shall  have,  unless  you  instantly  come  forward,  and  upon  your 


226  HISTORY   OP   WOBUBN. 

knees  on  the  floor  ask  pardon  of  me  and  of  the  whole  school  for 
your  misbehaviours.  Come  on  then,  I  say  ;  come  at  once,  and  no 
waiting  ;  or  I'll  be  at  you." 

This  command  was  dreadfully  humiliating  to  the  young  rogues. 
But,  knowing  that  their  master  in  his  threats  always  meant  as  he 
said,  and  that  with  him,  it  was  but  a  word  and  a  blow,  they  at 
once  reluctantly  came  forward,  and  ashamed  and  mortified,  did 
as  they  were  bid.  And  we  may  be  sure  that  Master  Fowle  had 
never  afterwards  occasion  to  speak  to  them  for  the  like  offence. 

Schools  in  Woburn  seem  to  have  been  kept  originally  in  the 
dwelling-houses  of  their  instructors,  or  of  other  persons  inter- 
ested in  the  promotion  of  learning,  who  severally  fitted  up  a 
room  in  their  homes  for  this  use  at  their  own  cost.  The  first 
distinct  notice  on  record  of  a  place  provided  by  the  town  to 
keep  school  in  was  in  1700.  After  the  town,  at  a  general  meet- 
ing, December  4th,  of  that  year,  had  agreed  with  Mr.  John  Fox  to 
keep  the  grammar  school  a  twelve-month,  the  Selectmen  hired 
for  his  accommodation  the  house  of  George  Reed,  Jr.,  nigh  the 
meeting-house,  at  twenty  shillings  rent  per  annum.31  This  house 
was  accordingly  fitted  up  as  a  school-house,  at  the  town's 
expense,  and  continued  to  be  used  for  this  purpose  several 
years  afterwards.32  In  1707,  when  the  grammar  school  began 
to  be  moved  occasionally  into  different  quarters  of  the  town, 
other  private  houses  were  hired  by  the  town  for  the  time  they 
were  needed  to  keep  it  in.  At  a  general  town  meeting,  March 
2,  1712-13,  liberty  was  granted  to  any  persons,  who  should  be 
disposed,  to  erect  at  their  own  cost  a  convenient  school-house  for 

si  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  167. 

32  The  Town  Dr.  Oct.  1,  1700,  for  "  Boards  and  Nayls  for  a  table  and 
bench  for  ye  Scoolhous  two  shillings  and  flue  pence." —  Town  Records, 
Vol.  IV.,  p.  16G. 

The  Town  Cr.  1705.  "By  Cash  paid  to  Sergt  Geo.  Heed  for  his  house 
rent  last  year,  8  shillings." 

The  Town  Cr.  1705.  By  cash  paid  "  to  Constable  Thos.  Peirce  for  work 
about  repairing  the  forms  &  tables  of  the  Schoole  House,"  etc.  —  Town 
Records,  Vol.  V.,  p.  21. 

The  Town  Dr.  1705.  "  To  Sergt  George  Read  for  the  rent  of  his  house 
for  the  Schoole  this  present  year  0 :9  :0."—  Town  Records,  Vol.  V.,  p.  22. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  227 

the  town's  use  upon  the  town's  land,  "  at  any  convenient  place 
between,  the  meeting  house  &  Lieut.  John  Coggin's  " ;  the  par- 
ticular spot  to  be  stated  by  the  Selectmen. ra  Accordingly,  a 
subscription  paper  for  this  purpose  was  put  in  circulation,  which 
obtained  eighty  subscribers.  Rev.  Mr.  Fox  headed  the  list  with 
£1.  Among  other  principal  subscribers,  Mr.  Jacob  Wyman 
put  down  «£!  15s.;  Capt.  Josiah  Convers,  £1  5s. ;  Col.  Jona- 
than Tyng,  £1  5s.;  Mr.  William  Symmes,  16s.  6d.  The  whole 
amount  of  the  subscription  was  £41  15s.  Gd.  With  this 
encouragement,  the  undertakers  proceeded  to  build  a  school- 
house,  which,  when  completely  finished,  cost  <£43  18s.  4rf.,  a 
trifle  over  the  sum  subscribed  for  this  end  at  the  first.  This 
school-house,  by  direction  of  the  Selectmen,  was  erected,  say  the 
Records,  "on  the  East  side  of  the  highway  [to  Wilmington?], 
over  against  Thomas  Leppingwells."  34  In  compliance  with  the 
request  of  sundry  petitioners,  liberty  was  given  them  at  March 
meeting,  1735—6,  to  remove  it  from  its  original  location  "  down 
near  the  meeting  house,"  on  condition  of  their  being  at  the  cost 
of  removing  it,  and  fitting  it  up  again  "  in  good  order  to  keep 
schoole  in."  35  But  this,  it  seems,  was  not  its  final  resting  place. 
For,  at  March  meeting,  1744,  it  was  voted,  that  the  stated  place 
for  the  grammar  school  in  the  Old  Parish,  for  that  year,  should 
be  as  near  the  meeting-house  as  a  spot  to  set  a  school-house  on 
could  be  procured.36 

Accordingly,  in  1748,  and  other  subsequent  years,  reference 
is  repeatedly  made  in  the  Records  to  the  School-house  in  the 
First  Parish,  as  standing  near  the  Meeting-house.  And  as  this 
school-house  was  the  first  one  erected  in  the  town,  so,  as  late 
as  1760,  it  appears  to  have  been  the  only  one,  unless  that  in  the 
Precinct,  the  date  of  whose  erection  is  not  known,  be  an  excep- 
tion. In  1736,  it  was  furnished  not  only  with  benches,  a  table 
etc.,  as  is  usual,  but  also  with  a  "  Great  Chair  ",  designed,  no 
doubt,  to  add  dignity  to  the  master,  in  presiding  over  the 
miniature  kingdom  under  his  rule.37  This  chair  was  probably  a 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  V.,  p.  254.  »«  Town  Records,  Vol.  V.,  p.  279. 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  pp.  217,  224.  »«  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  440. 

17  1736,  Sept.  13.  The  Town  Dr.  "  To  Ebenezer  Johnson  for  a  great 
Chear  for  the  Schoole  House  £0  :10 :0."  —  Town  Records,  Vol.  VIL,  p.  247. 


228  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

large  flag  bottomed  one,  with  a  high  back,  and  with  legs  and 
arms  all  curiously  wrought  and  carved,  like  other  chairs  manu- 
factured in  those  days,  that  are  yet  occasionally  to  be  seen.  And 
such  a  favorite  was  this  important  article  of  school-house  furni- 
ture with  the  master,  and  so  constantly  used  by  him,  that,  within 
eleven  years,  it  had  come  to  need  seating  anew.  For  at  a  meeting 
of  the  Selectmen,  September  25,  1747,  an  order  was  granted  on 
the  Treasurer  to  pay  Mr.  Isaac  Richardson  £27  10s.  Old  Tenor 
for  keeping  school  that  year;  and  10  shillings  Old  Tenor  more 
that  he  paid  to  Mr.  Samuel  Kendall  for  "  Bottoming  the 
School  House  Cheer."38 

From  the  time  that  a  grammar  school  was  established  and 
constantly  kept  in  Woburn,  the  town  seems  to  have  considered 
this  school  as  fully  answering  the  design  of  the  law,  and  so  to 
have  neglected  the  maintenance  of  other  schools  for  teaching 
children  to  read  and  write :  for  the  Records  make  no  mention, 
after  1 700,  of  the  appointment  of  any  teachers,  male  or  female, 
for  this  office,  or  of  granting  them  any  compensation.  There 
can  be  no  doubt,  however,  that  women's  schools,  for  this  purpose, 
were  still  kept  here  by  private  subscription.  For,  at  a  general 
meeting,  March  1,  1724-5,  liberty  was  voted  and  given  "to 
several  of  the  inhabitants  thatT  should  agree  to  set  up  a  school 
house  for  children  to  learn  to  read  in,  upon  the  town's  land  in 
the  street,  where  it  may  be  most  convenient ;  and  the  Selectmen 
to  set  out  the  place."  39  And  the  liberty  granted  by  this  vote 
not  being,  apparently,  for  some  reason,  improved,  another  vote 
was  passed  at  a  general  meeting,  March  4,  1733-4,  by  which 
leave  was  given  to  several  persons  who  had  petitioned  for  that 
end,  to  erect  a  small  school-house  near  the  meeting-house, 
where  the  Selectmen  shall  appoint,  for  the  accommodation  of  a 
school-mistress  to  instruct  their  children  to  read,  and  other 
things  that  are  necessary  to  learn.40  And  such  a  house,  it  is 
probable,  was  built,  and  employed  for  the  use  intended,  though 
the  Records  are  afterwards  silent  respecting  it. 

The  grammar  school  in  Woburn  was  originally  kept,  year 

»»  Town  Records,  Vol.  VH.,  p.  521.  »  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  213. 

_  «  Town  Records,  Vol.  VTL,  p.  171. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  229 

after  year,  in  one  place  only,  viz,  in  the  centre  of  the  town. 
But  at  a  general  meeting,  March  3,  1706-7,  it  was  agreed  as 
follows:  "Forasmuch  as  our  Town  of  Woobourne  (is)  situated 
very  scattering  and  remoat,  so  that  the  whole  Town  (cannot)  be 
benefitted  alike,  by  the  Schoolmaster's  keeping  the  Schoole  in 
the  Senter  of  the  Town  at  all  times,  that  therefore  the  Schoole 
Master  for  the  time  being  (shall)  keep  the  Schoole  one  quarter 
of  the  year  in  the  Center  of  the  Town,  and  the  other  three  quar- 
ters of  the  year  in  three  of  the  remoat  Quarters  of  the  Town, 
according  to  the  direction  and  appointment  of  the  Selectmen  for 
the  time  being."41  This  vote  laid  the  foundation  of  the  moving 
school  system,  which  was  much,  though  not  uniformly  practised 
in  this  town  during  a  large  part  of  the  last  century.  By  this, 
the  grammar  school  and  its  instructor  were  moved  round  into 
the  different  sections  of  the  town,  for  lengths  of  time  propor- 
tionate to  the  taxes  they  paid,  by  order  of  the  Selectmen,  or 
some  other  committee  of  the  town's  appointment.  At  first,  only 
three  of  the  remote  quarters  were  named  for  the  school  to  be 
moved  to ;  and  in  each  of  these  it  was  to  be  kept  an  equal  time 
as  in  the  centre.  But  as  settlements  in  the  town  extended  and 
multiplied,  the  school  seems  to  have  been  wholly  omitted  some 
years  in  the  centre ;  and  the  number  of  places  in  which  it  was 
kept  in  the  outskirts  was  increased. 

The  erection  of  a  school-house  in  the  centre,  by  private 
individuals,  in  1713,  caused  a  temporary  check  to  the  moving 
system,  as  it  was  probably  intended  to ;  for  we  read  nothing  in 
the  Records  of  keeping  school  in  the  quarters  for  six  years 
afterwards.  But  at  the  annual  meeting,  March  2, 1718-9,  it  was 
voted  that  the  grammar  school-master  for  the  time  to  come 
should  "  goe  into  the  quarters  of  the  Town  "  :  from  six  weeks 
to  two  months  into  the  end  of  the  town  where  Deacon  Walker 
lives  [Goshen,  or  Wilmington] ;  as  long  as  that,  into  the  end 
where  Deacon  Johnson  lives  [Shawshin,  or  Burlington]  ;  and  as 
long  as  that  into  the  West,  and  then  as  long  into  the  East  end.42 
At  March  meeting,  1728-9,  it  was  voted  "that  the  School  Master 

41  Town  Records,  Vol.  V.,  p.  42.  •    «*  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  jjp.  48,  49. 


230  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

should  move  j "  and  further,  "  that  the  School  should  be  moved 
so  far  as  Mr.  Thomas  Belknap's  [on  the  road  to  South  Woburn, 
or  Winchester]  their  proportion;  and  to  Sergeant  Thomas 
Reed's  house  [West  end]  their  proportion  j  and  to  Sergt.  Ben- 
jamin Johnson's  [Burlington]  their  proportion;  and  to  the 
School  house  at  Goshen  [Wilmington]  their  proportion ;  and  to 
the  house  of  Samuel  Eames  [East  Woburn]  their  proportion." 43 
At  a  town  meeting,  February  2,  1737—8,  after  resolving  that  the 
school  should  be  a  movable  one,  the  present  and  the  ensuing 
year  (that  is,  the  remainder  of  1737,  as  then  calculated,  and 
through  1738),  it  was  voted  that  (1)  the  Precinct,  (2)  the  Rich- 
ardsons  and  the  Carters  at  the  southerly  part  of  the  town,  (3) 
the  West,  (4)  the  East,  (5)  New  Bridge,  should  each  have  the 
school  among  them  according  to  what  they  pay ;  that  the  school 
should  move  to  the  southerly  part  of  Richardson's  Row  for  them 
and  the  Carters ;  and  that  the  Selectmen  should  state  the  place 
where  the  school  should  be  kept.44  And  at  March  meeting, 
1741-2,  the  town  having  appointed  the  Selectmen  a  committee  to 
provide  a  master  for  the  grammar  school  that  year,  and  voted 
that  he  should  move  into  the  different  quarters,  proceeded  to 
choose  Lieut.  Joseph  Richardson,  Lieut.  James  Proctor,  Lieut, 
Samuel  Carter,  Ensign  Samuel  Wyman,  Mr.  Ebenezer  Flagg,  Mr. 
William  Tay  and  Mr.  Timothy  Brooks,  as  a  committee  "  to  agree 
and  determine  on  the  severall  places  the  Schoolmaster  shall  keep 
the  Schoole  at,  in  said  Town,  and  the  time  at  each  place,  the 
year  ensuing " ;  and  to  report  to  the  Selectmen,  who  were 
empowered  to  direct  the  master  to  go  to  the  places,  and  to  keep 
the  terms  of  time  agreed  upon,  agreeably  to  the  committee's 
Report.45  Accordingly,  the  Selectmen  immediately  engaged  Mr. 
James  Fowle  to  keep  the  grammar  school  in  Woburn  a  year,  for 
£10,  Old  Tenor ;  and  shortly  after,  the  committee  for  determin- 
ing the  places  where  the  school  should  be  kept,  and  how  long 
in  each  place,  reported  to  the  Selectmen  as  follows :  That  the 
school  should  remove : 


»  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  369.  «*  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  267. 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  pp.  394-396. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBUBN.  231 

1.  To  Lieut.  Samuel  Kendall's  (Kendall's  Mill)  on  the  22d  day  of  March 

inst.  and  there  keep  till  May  9th. 

2.  Thence  to  the  School  house  (in  the  Centre)  till  July  llth. 

3.  Thence  to  New  Bridge,  "  house  of  Martha  Tidds',  or  elsewhere,"  till 

August  8th. 

4.  Thence  to  the  house  of  Lieut.  Joseph  Richardson  Jr.  till  Sept'  19th. 

5.  Thence  to  the  Precinct,  at  some  place  that  they  shall  agree  upon,  till 

Decr  31st. 

6.  Thence  to  the  Carter's  Quarter  (South  Village)  house  of  Mr.  Ebene- 

zer  Convers,  till  (1st)  Monday  in  March  next. 

Signed  by  the  Committee,  March  18,  1741-2.44 

In  this  brief  view  of  the  operation  of  the  moving  school 
system  in  Woburn.  from  its  commencement  in  1707  till  1742, 
we  may  observe,  that  while  the  school-house,  in  the  centre  of  the 
Old  Parish,  is  mentioned  only  once  among  the  places,  in  which, 
in  the  different  years  enumerated  above,  the  grammar  school  was 
ordered  to  be  kept,  the  places  in  the  outskirts  for  keeping  it  in 
had  increased  from  three  to  five.  While  some  conveniences 
resulted  from  this  plan  of  conducting  the  school,  its  incon- 
veniences to  all  parties  concerned  were  many  and  serious.  So 
much  trouble  was  it  wont  to  occasion  the  teacher,  that  Master 
Fowle  petitioned  the  town  one  year,  1760  (but  without  success), 
to  make  him  some  additional  allowance  besides  his  salary,  "  in 
consideration  of  the  fatigues  he  hath  had  by  reason  of  there 
being  so  many  removals  of  (his)  school." 46  The  frequency  of 
these  removals  in  the  course  of  a  year,  and  the  shortness  of  the 
time  the  school  was  kept  in  some  of  the  quarters,  (viz :  from  a 
month  to  six  weeks  only)  were  both  of  them  unfavorable  circum- 
stances to  the  comfort  and  improvement  of  the  scholars.  The 
appointments,  too,  of  time  and  place  for  the  school  by  the  com- 
mittee (judging  of  them  as  well  as  we  can  at  this  distance  of 
time)  appear  to  have  been,  in  some  instances,  injudicious,  and  in 
others  to  lie  open  to  the  suspicion  of  partiality.  For  example, 
by  the  last  quoted  arrangement  for  January  and  February, 
1 742-3,  a  season  of  the  year,  when  the  severity  of  the  weather, 
the  badness  of  the  travelling,  and  the  superior  opportunities 
which  children  in  the  country  then  usually  enjoy  for  attending 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  VIII.,  pp.  285,  288. 


232  HISTORY    OP    WOBDRN. 

school,  would  naturally  have  led  the  committee,  one  would  sup- 
pose, to  fix  upon  the  school-house  in  the  centre,  as  the  most 
eligible  place  for  keeping  the  school,  and  calculated  to  accommo- 
date the  largest  number  of  pupils,  it  was  ordered  to  the  south- 
ernmost extremity  of  the  town,  and  where,  in  going  to  it,  a  very 
large  proportion  of  the  children  and  youth,  probably  a  majority 
of  the  whole,  must  have  been  obliged  to  travel  from  two  to  five 
miles,  or  relinquish  the  privilege  of  attending  school  altogether. 
At  times,  too,  the  several  committees  for  fixing  the  location  of  the 
school  year  after  year,  gave  cause  to  the  inhabitants  of  some  of 
the  quarters  to  conceive  themselves  to  be  slighted.  There  is  on 
file  an  original  petition  to  the  Selectmen  without  date,  but 
written  probably  about  1742,  and  subscribed  by  twenty-eight 
inhabitants  of  Button  End,  complaining  that  they  had  not  had 
the  school  among  them  for  nearly  thirty  years ;  and  earnestly 
requesting  that  it  might  be  kept  that  year  in  their  neighborhood, 
at  the  house  of  Capt.  Joseph  Richardson,  Jr.,  where  accommo- 
dations were  provided  for  it. 

All  these  circumstances  caused  a  growing  dissatisfaction  with 
the  system,  and  eventually  a  powerful  opposition  to  it,  although 
many  years  a  majority  was  found  in  town  meeting  who  voted  in 
favor  of  it.  At  March  meeting,  1 744,  the  town  voted  that  the 
Precinct  should  have  their  proportion  of  the  school  the  year 
ensuing ;  and  their  proportional  part  of  the  time  being  deducted, 
the  school  should  be  kept  the  remainder  of  the  year  in  the  Old 
Parish,  in  one  place  as  near  the  meeting-house  as  a  spot  to  set  a 
school-house  on  could  be  procured.47  And  at  March  meet- 
ing, 1 748,  it  was  voted,  ( 1 )  that  the  Precinct  should  have  the 
school  that  should  be  kept  the  present  year,  their  proportionate 
part  of  the  time;  and,  (2)  that  the  school  should  not  be  removed 
about  in  the  First  Parish  the  ensuing  year,  "  but  be  kept  in  the 
School  House  near  the  Old  Meeting  House  in  said  town  the  rest 
of  the  year,"  after  deducting  the  Second  Parish's  proportionable 
part.48  Votes  to  the  same  purpose  with  this  last  were  passed 
in  the  years  1749,  1750,  1751,  1752,  1753,  1754  and  1755. 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  440.  ««  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  538. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  233 

In  1756,  the  town  reverted,  in  part,  to  the  moving  plan.  After 
voting,  March  1,  that  the  school  should  be  kept  in  the  Precinct, 
and  in  the  school-house  near  the  new  meeting-house  (of  the  Old 
Parish),  their  proportional  part,  voted,  that  it  should  also  be 
moved  to  the  East  and  West  sides,  as  the  Selectmen  should  pro- 
portion the  time  j  but,  if  either  side  neglected  to  provide  a  house 
for  the  school,  it  was  to  be  kept  in  the  Centre  School-house.49 
And,  although  the  three  next  years  the  school  was  ordered  again 
into  the  quarters,  yet,  the  year  following,  1760,  this  plan  was 
again  abandoned,  and  the  grammar  school  confined  to  the  Pre- 
cinct, and  the  centre  of  the  Old  Parish.  And  between  that  year 
and  1775,  the  system  of  moving  the  Grammar  School  into  the 
several  different  quarters  of  the  town  was  laid  aside,  excepting 
the  years  1762,  1767  and  1768,  and  the  school  was  kept  only 
in  the  Precinct,  and  at  the  school-house  in  the  centre  of  the 
First  Parish. 

In  1760  commenced  the  institution  of  schools  different  from 
the  grammar  school,  and  inferior  to  it,  in  the  remote  parts  of 
the  town.  That  year,  after  voting,  at  March  meeting,  that  the 
Precinct  should  have  its  proportional  part  of  "  the  School," 
(meaning,  the  grammar  school)  the  year  ensuing,  and  that  the 
rest  of  the  time  the  school  was  keeping,  it  should  be  kept  in  the 
school-house  in  the  First  Parish,  and  not  be  removed,  and  after 
choosing  a  committee  to  provide  a  person  suitable  to  take  the 
charge  of  such  school,  it  was  voted  in  May, that  "they  would  allow 
to  each  of  the  extream  parts,"  (meaning  the  East,  South  and  West 
parts)  "  of  the  first  parish  in  said  town  the  sum  of  thirty-three 
pounds  six  shillings  and  eight  pence,  Old  Tenor,  or  equivalent  in 
Lawfull  Money,  to  be  draughted  out  of  their  Treasury  by  each 
part,  provided  they  appropriate  said  money  in  hireing  some  suita- 
ble person  to  keep  a  school  for  the  instruction  of  their  children 
before  the  first  day  of  March  next."50  Votes,  of  a  similar  pur- 
port, were  passed. by  the  town,  several  of  the  subsequent  years 
previous  to  1775.  In  1761,  for  example,  £400,  Old  Tenor,  was 
raised  "  for  maintaining  the  Grammar  School  and  other  Schools  " 


«  Town  Records,  Vol.  VTII.,  p.  172.  »  Town  Record.,  Vol.  VHI.,  p.  291. 

20* 


234  HISTORY   OP   WOBTJRN. 

in  the  town  that  year.  Of  this  sum,  XI 00  was  granted,  to  be 
equally  divided  between  the  extreme  parts  of  the  First  Parish, 
"provided  they  hire  some  suitable  person  to  keep  a  school  for  the 
instruction  of  their  children,"  in  the  course  of  that  year.51  In 
1773,  £40,  lawful  money,  was  raised  for  schools  in  Woburn;  of 
which  sum,  £3  6*.  Sd.  was  allotted  expressly  to  each  of  the  east- 
erly, southerly  and  westerly  extremes,  £10  in  all,  for  the  instruc- 
tion of  the  children  in  those  quarters  j  and  a  committee  was 
chosen  to  procure  a  suitable  person  or  persons,  for  performing 
this  service  among  them,  and  for  determining  the  times  and  places 
of  each  school,  while  another  committee  was  chosen  to  provide  a 
suitable  master  to  keep  the  grammar  school  nine  months,  viz,  five 
months  in  the  school-house  in  the  First  Parish,  and  four  months 
in  the  Precinct.52  In  March  1774,  £40,  lawful  money,  was  raised 
for  the  grammar  school,  to  be  kept  in  the  Precinct  its  propor- 
tional part,  and  the  rest  of  the  time  in  the  school-house  near  the 
meeting-house  in  the  First  Parish;  and  in  May,  £15  more,  lawful 
money,  was  raised  for  schools  in  the  remote  parts  of  the  town ; 
whereof,  £5  was  appropriated  to  the  Precinct,  as  their  propor- 
tionate part,  and  the  remaining  £10,  to  the  instruction  of 
children  in  the  extreme  part  of  the  First  Parish.53  And,  finally, 
in  1775,  forty  pounds  was  raised  for  schooling  that  year,  of 
which  sum  each  parish  was  to  take  its  proportionate  part,  and 
had  liberty  to  unite  with  each  other  in  hiring  a  grammar  school- 
master to  serve  the  town  in  that  capacity  nine  months  that  year, 
and  "  the  remaining  part  of  said  forty  pounds  to  be  appropriated 
for  the  instruction  of  the  children  in  the  extream  parts  of  the 
parishes,  as"  each  parish  shall  think  will  be  for  their  best  interest, 
and  to  no  other  use."  M 

Thus  was  inaugurated  a  system  of  graded  schools  in  Woburn, 
which  had  apparently  much  influence  in  setting  aside  the  old 
custom  of  a  moving  grammar  school,  and  in  laying  the  foundations 
of  the  school  districts  which  followed.  As  late  as  1775,  there 
were  no  school-houses  in  which  to  keep  the  schools  in  the 
outskirts ;  but  they  were  kept  in  such  private  houses,  and  for 

w  Town  Records,  Vol.  VIII.,  p.  312.  52  Town  Records,  Vol.  IX.,  p.  198. 

w  Town  Records,  Vol.  IX.,  pp.  235,  239.  »*  Town  Records,  Vol.  IX.,  p.  2T6. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBUBN.  235 

such  lengths  of  time,  in  proportion  to  their  taxes,  as  a  committee, 
appointed  by  the  town  for  the  purpose,  was  pleased  to  determine. 
They  were  taught  by  male  teachers,  engaged  for  this  employment 
by  a  committee  nominated  by  the  town  at  March  or  May  meet- 
ing ;  and  as  the  pay  of  these  teachers  was  smaller,  so  it  is  to  be 
presumed  that  their  work  was  less  laborious  and  diversified 
than  that  of  the  instructors  of  the  grammar  school. 

It  would  be  gratifying  to  exhibit  here  a  complete  list  of  the 
books  used  in  the  Woburn  schools  during  the  period  of  the  above 
survey ;  but  such  a  list,  it  would  now  be  hardly  possible  to  find  or 
collect.  But  the  following  school-books  are  still  extant  in  Bur- 
lington (Woburn  precinct),  inscribed,  some  of  them,  with  the 
names  of  their  former  owners,  natives  of  Woburn,  and  pupils  of 
its  schools  before  1775,  and  all  of  them  furnishing  strong  tokens 
of  having  been  studied  in  those  schools  previously  to  the  year 
just  named. 

1.  "The   Universal  Spelling  Book  "etc.  (place  and  date   of 
printing  lost) :  Part  II.  of  which  is  styled  "  An  easy  Guide  to 
English  Grammar,  by  Way  of  Question  and  Answer  etc.  etc. 

Let  all  the  foreign  Tongues  alone, 
Till  you  can  read  and  spell  your  own." 

2.  "The  Youth's  Instructor  in  the  English  Tongue:  (Title 
page  wanting)  In  three  parts ;  of  which  part  III.  contains  "  Rules 
in  Arithmetic,  with  Forms  of  Bills,  Bonds,  Releases  etc.  etc." 

3.  «  A  New  Guide  to  the  English  Tongue :  In  Five  Parts  : 

The  Twenty  Second  Edition : 
By  Thomas  Dilworth,  School  Master  etc. 

London  1760." 

[With  a  likeness  of  the  author  prefixed,  dressed  in  the  costume 
of  an  English  school-master  of  that  day.] 

N.  B.  The  work  last  mentioned  has  lost  a  number  of  pages. 
Part  III.  contains  "  A  short,  but  comprehensive  Grammar  of  the 
English  Tongue,  delivered  in  the  most  familiar  and  Instructive 
Method  of  Question  and  Answer,"  etc.  etc.  Part  IV.  "  An  useful 
Collection  of  Sentences  in  Prose  and  Verse ;  Divine,  Moral  and 
Historical,"  etc. ;  and  Part  V.  "  Forms  of  Prayer  for  Children, 
on  several  Occasions." 


236  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

Such  was  the  condition  of  the  public  schools  in  Woburn,  and 
the  progress  evidently  made  in  them,  between  1690  and  1775. 
At  the  commencement  of  the  above  term  of  time,  primary  schools 
were  but  feebly  and  meanly  sustained  by  the  town ;  and  as  to  a 
grammar  school,  scholars  could  not  be  found  to  attend  one. 
But  long  before  the  completion  of  that  period,  a  grammar  school 
was  constantly  maintained  in  Woburn ;  highly  respectable  teach- 
ers were  encouraged  to  take  charge  of  it ;  and  parents  manifested 
much  solicitude  that  their  children  might  enjoy  its  privileges,  and 
that  it  might  be  located  where  they  could  conveniently  attend  it. 

And  here  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  give  some  account  of  a  con- 
tention respecting  one  of  the  masters  of  the  grammar  school 
during  that  period,  with  which  the  whole  town  was  agitated. 
In  July  1725,  the  Selectmen,  being  the  School  Committee,  hired 
Mr.  Ebenezer  Flegg,  a  nephew  of  their  chairman,  Col.  Eleazar 
Flegg  [Flagg],  to  keep  the  grammar  school  three  months.55  But 
it  appears  that  previously  to  this,  one  or  more  of  the  Selectmen, 
or  some  one  authorized  by  them,  had  spoken  to  Mr.  Timothy 
Walker,  a  son  of  Deacon  Samuel  Walker,  in  such  terms  as  that 
he  considered  the  school  as  engaged  to  him,  and  was  unwilling 
to  give  it  up.  Mr.  Flegg  commenced  keeping  the  school  July 
26,  according  to  agreement;  and  Mr.  Walker  still  insisting 
upon  his  right,  the  Selectmen  were  requested  to  call  a  meeting 
of  the  town  to  settle  the  difficulty;  but  this  they  refused  to  do. 
Whereupon,  application  was  made  to  Oliver  Whiting,  Esq.,  of 
Billerica,  a  justice  of  the  peace,  who  granted  a  warrant  for  the 
meeting  of  the  inhabitants  of  Woburn,  "  to  reconcile  the  differ- 
ence that  has  happened  relating  to  their  Schoolmasters,  and  to 
determine  which  of  them  shall  keep  the  said  Town  Schoole."  56 

65  Col.  "Flegg's  "  name  and  that  of  his  nephew  are  here  spelt  as  they  are 
found  in  Woburn  Kecords,  although  Gershora,  the  Colonel's  father's  name, 
and  that  of  his  remoter  descendants  in  Woburn  to  this  day,  is  spelt  Flagg. 
Dr.  Bond,  however,  in  his  "  Genealogies  "  and  History  of  the  Early  Settlers 
of  Watertown,  where  the  Woburn  Flaggs  originated,  observes,  that  there 
can  be  but  very  little  doubt  that  the  spelling  of  their  name  Flagg,  though 
now  universally  prevalent,  is  erroneous,  and  that  the  correct  orthography 
is  Flegg.  —  See  Bond's  Genealogies,  etc.,  p.  762. 

M  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  224. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  237 

At  that  meeting,  August  27,  1725,  "after  considerable  debate," 
the  Moderator,  Mr.  Ebenezer  Johnson,  ordered  Capt.  Fowle, 
the  Town  Clerk,  to  put  upon  record  the  warrant  by  which  they 
were  then  met,  and  also  to  record  Mr.  Timothy  Walker  as 
school-master  for  the  current  year.  At  the  same  time,  forty- 
three  persons  entered  a  protest  against  passing,  at  that  meeting, 
any  votes  to  be  put  upon  the  Town  Book.56  In  accordance, 
however,  with  the  above  injunction  given  by  the  Moderator  to 
the  Town  Clerk,  Mr.  Walker  seems  now  to  have  been  forcibly 
put  in  possession  of  the  town  school-house.  But  as  the  Select- 
men, who  were  the  School  Committee,  still  refused  to  acknowl- 
edge his  claims,  he  appealed  to  the  law,  by  entering  a  complaint 
in  the  Supreme  Court  against  them  and  the  Town  Clerk.  Mr. 
Flegg  appears  to  have  continued  keeping  school  in  some  private 
dwelling,  under  the  patronage  of  the  Selectmen ;  and  when  his 
first  engagement  expired,  they  prolonged  it  one  month  more ; 57 
and  then  hired  a  different  master  for  the  remainder  of  the  year. 
They  also,  in  opposition  to  the  meeting  in  August  preceding,  or 
in  order  to  justify  themselves  and  the  course  they  had  taken  in 
view  of  the  community,  called  another  meeting,  January  6, 
1725-6  :  the  warrant  for  which  is  not  upon  record,  but  at  which 
it  was  voted,  among  other  particulars, 

1.  "  That  the  publick  schoole  and  schoolehouse  in  said  Town 
should  be  under  the  care  and  regulation  of  the  Selectmen  of 
said  Town  as  formerly. 

2.  "  That  the  Selectmen  should  prosecute  in   the  Law  any 
person  or  persons  that  shall  pretend  and  doe  keep  possession  of 
the  publick   Schoolhouse  of  said  Town,   without  their   order; 
and  also  prosecute  in  the  Law  any  person  or  persons  that  shall 
demolish  or  harme  the  same. 

3.  "  That  what  was  voted  at  a  meeting  of  some  of  the  free- 
holders and  other  inhabitants  of  said  Town  upon  the  twenty- 
seventh  of  August  last  past  concerning  Schoolemasters  should  be 
null  and  void,  it  being  counted  irregular."  M 

But  before  any  votes  were  taken  on  this  occasion,  except  that 
for  the  choice  of  Moderator,  a  large  number  of  the  inhabitants 

w  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  262.  *>  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  245. 


238  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

present  entered  a  Protest  against  any  further  action  upon  the 
articles  of  the  Warrant,  for  the  following  reasons  among  others, 
viz : 

"  1 .  Because  that  in  the  Preface  to  the  Warrant  for  this  meet- 
ing it  seems  to  be  intimated,  that  the  Town  is  to  signifie  their 
minds  concerning  the  difference  in  Town  relating  to  the  Gram- 
mar Schoole :  Whereas  we  esteem  [it]  very  unnecessary  for  the 
Town  to  give  themselves  the  trouble  to  signifie  their  minds  con- 
cerning a  matter  that  is  already  in  the  hand  of  authority,  and 
waits  for  a  determination  j  the  signification  of  the  Town's  mind 
concerning  which  will  be  of  no  consequence,  neither  pro  nor 
(con) :  and  also  we  esteem  it  high  presumption  and  contempt, 
for  the  Town  thus  to  pretend  to  wrest  the  sword  of  Justice  out  of 
the  hands  of  the  King's  Justices. 

"  2.  Secondly,  Because  that  the  first  Particular  mentioned  in 
said  warrant  seems  to  be  grounded  upon  a  supposition,  that 
private  men  have  hired  a  Grammar  Schoole  master,  and  put  him 
into  the  publick  Schoole  house  of  said  Town ;  which  supposition 
is  absolutely  false ;  and  therefore  for  the  Town  to  be  convened  to 
signifie  their  minds  concerning  a  matter  that  is  not,  nor  as  we 
know  of,  ever  will  be,  is  grossly  absurd. 

"  3.  But  granting  the  supposition  to  be  true,  yet  the  Law 
prescribes  that  nothing  shall  be  enacted  at  a  Town  Meeting,  but 
what  is  plainly  set  forth  in  the  warrant,  to  the  end  that  all  men 
may  be  well  apprised  of  the  occasion  of  their  meeting ;  but  yet 
in  any  of  the  particulars  of  this  warrant  they  have  neither  set 
forth  who  the  schoole  master  is,  nor  the  private  men  that  have 
hired  him. 

"  5.  Because  —  what  in  the  second  particular  of  said  warrant, 
"  they  call  the  publick  Schoole  house,  is  a  particular  propriety ; 
and  for  the  Town  to  commit  the  care  and  trust  of  any  thing  to 
other  men  which  is  not  their  own,  is  inconsistant  with  reason. 

"  6.  Because  we  do  not  understand  what  they  mean  by  Regulat- 
ing the  Town  meeting  in  August :  for  if  they  mean  to  confirm 
and  establish  any  vote  then  passed,  it  is  a  thing  unnecessary ; 


HISTORY    OF    WOBURN.  239 

and  if  it  be,  to  repeal  and  disannul   any,  it  is   beyond   their 
power."59 

To  this  Protest,  seventy-eight  names  were  subscribed.  Among 
the  subscribers,  were  many  of  the  most  respectable  inhabitants 
of  the  town,  especially  of  the  Johnson  and  Richardson,  the 
Thompson  and  Wyman  families.  And  the  reasons  upon  which 
it  was  professedly  grounded,  do  all  seem  weighty  and  forcible, 
except  the  fifth,  denying  the  right  of  the  town  to  dispose  of  the 
school-house,  which  was  certainly  lame.  For,  although  that 
building  was  erected  at  the  expense  of  private  individuals,  yet 
it  was  built  upon  the  town's  land  and  expressly  for  the  town's 
use.  But  all  the  conflicting  votes,  opinions  and  measures  of 
these  two  several  meetings  of  the  town,  on  this  subject,  were  soon 
superseded  by  the  decision  of  the  Court,  which  was  in  favor  of 
Mr.  Walker,  the  complainant,  and  in  pursuance  of  which,  a  writ 
of  mandamus60  was  quickly  issued  against  the  Selectmen  and 
Town  Clerk.  In  compliance  with  this  writ,  the  town  came  to 
an  amicable  settlement  with  Mr.  Walker  not  long  after.  At  a 
town  meeting,  June  13,  1726,  it  was  voted,  "that  Mr  Timothy 
Walker  should  have  the  sum  of  twenty  seven  pounds,  ten  shill- 
ings paid  him  out  of  the  town  treasury  for  services  done  in 
keeping  the  school  in  Woburn  in  the  year  past :  which  money 
was  paid  for  peace  and  the  ending  of  all  former  differences."  61 
At  the  same  time,  Mr.  Walker  signed  a  certificate,  acknowledg- 
ing himself  fully  satisfied ;  and  discharging  the  Selectmen  and 
Town  Clerk  of  all  cost,  to  which  they  ever  had  been  or  might 
be  liable,  in  virtue  of  the  writ  of  mandamus,  whether  claimed 
by  him,  or  by  any  under  him.* 

M  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  246.  «o  See  Appendix,  Vin. 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  276. 

a  Mr.  Walker's  certificate  was  written  and  signed  by  him  on  a  separate 
piece  of  paper.  The  following  is  a  copy  of  it :  — 

"  Woburne  June  ye  13th.  1726  at  a  Town  meeting.  Whereas  ye  subscriber 
entered  a  Complaint,  whereby  I  obtained  a  Mandamus  against  Eliezer 
Flegg  Esqr  and  ye  other  Selectmen  and  Town  Cleark  of  ye  said  Town  in  ye 
yeare  1725,.  for  which  I  do  acknowledge  myself  fully  satisfied  for  all  Trouble 
and  Charge,  and  Ingage  to  discharge  ye  sd.  Selectmen  &  Towne  Cleark  of 
any  charge  that  hath  or  shall  ever  arise  concerning  sd.  Mandamus,  or  shall 
arise  by  me  or  any  under  me  :  as  Witness  my  hand 

"  TIMOTHY  WALKER." 


240  HISTORY    OP    WOBURN. 

And  thus  an  end  was  put  to  the  contest,  which  had  kept 
the  whole  town  in  a  state  of  turmoil  and  confusion  almost  a 
twelvemonth.  In  reviewing  it  by  the  best  light  we  can  obtain 
at  this  remote  period  of  time,  it  seems  a  striking  illustration  of 
those  words  of  Solomon,b  "  The  beginning  of  strife  is  as  when 
one  letteth  out  water."  The  source  of  this  contention  was  in 
the  beginning,  like  a  shallow  outlet,  scarcely  a  hand's  breadth 
wide,  to  a  large  pond,  which  may  be  easily  stopped.  By  some 
unaccountable  oversight,  the  Selectmen  had  hired  two  masters, 
both  of  them  gentlemen  of  unexceptionable  character,  to  keep  the 
same  school  at  the  same  time.  Or  else,  for  reasons  now  impos- 
sible to  ascertain,  they  had  suddenly  determined  to  pass  by  Mr. 
Walker,  whom  they  had  engaged  first,  and  to  take  Mr.  Flagg  in 
his  stead.  But  even  now  that  they  had  opened  a  way  for  a 
stream  of  contention,  it  seems  as  though  a  disposition  to  do 
exactly  right  by  Mr.  Walker,  and  a  little  praiseworthy  conde- 
scension to  apologize  to  Mr.  Flagg  for  the  disappointment  they 
might  occasion  him,  would  have  quickly  rectified  their  error- 
But  no.  Having  once  taken  a  wrong  step,  the  Selectmen  acted 
as  though  they  thought  they  must  go  on,  be  the  consequence  what 
it  would :  And  now  the  bitter  waters  of  Meribah  began  to  run 
apace :  and  urged  on  with  the  harsh  surmises  and  stinging 
reproaches  of  both  parties,  that  which  was  at  first  an  insignifi- 
cant rill,  soon  swelled  into  a  mighty  stream,  bearing  down  all 
before  it,  and  burying  the  peace  of  the  town,  till  checked  by  the 
mound  erected  by  the  strong  arm  of  the  Law.  This  gave  the 
passions  of  men  time  to  cool ;  and  now  a  survey  of  the  trouble 
and  expense  in  which  they  had  involved  themselves  and  the 
town,  doubtless  led  the  aggressors  in  this  affair  to  regret  that 
they  had  not  better  heeded  the  words  of  the  Wise  Man  just 
cited;  and  better  followed  his  counsel  attached  to  them,  "to 
leave  off  contention  before  it  be  meddled  with." 

b  Prov.  xvii.  14. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


Separation  of  Goshen  (Wilmington)  as  a  Town,  and  of  Shawshin  (Burling- 
ton) as  a  Precinct  or  Parish,  in  1730  :  Ordination  of  Eev.  Edward  Jack- 
son, 1729 :  Ordination  Dinner. 

WE  have  now  arrived  at  a  period  in  the  history  of  Woburn, 
when  it  was  fast  becoming  a  comparatively  populous  and 
wealthy  town.  The  number  of  persons  rated  there  in  the 
Province  tax  of  1700  was  only  187:1  but  in  the  Province  tax 
for  1725,2  it  had  increased  to  305.  According  to  a  Valuation 
for  the  County  of  Middlesex,  taken  by  order  of  the  General 
Court  in  1708,  Woburn  was  the  fourth  town  in  the  county  for 
numbers  and  real  estate ;  ranking,  in  both  these  respects,  next 
after  Charlestown,  Cambridge,  and  Watertown ;  taking  the  pre- 
cedence of  Concord ;  and  leaving  Medford,  its  present  flourish- 
ing rival,  far  behind.3 

But  a  change  was  now  impending,  by  which  the  population  of 

1  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  pp.  170-173. 

2  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  pp.  248-255. 

3  Town  Records,  Vol.  V.,  p.  82.    In  the  valuation  here  referred  to, 
returns  are  made  from  twenty  towns,  including  Lancaster,  now  in  the 
county  of  Worcester.    The  number  of  polls,  and  the  comparative  estimate 
of  "  real  estate  "  in  each  of  the  towns  above  named,  are  as  follows  :  — 

Polls.  Estate. 

Charlestown  270  £53.  7.  8. 

Cambridge  -        -        -  260        -        -      27.  9.  9. 

Watertown-  250  26.12.10. 

Woburn       -        -        -  225  22.  8.  3. 

Concord       -        -        -  223  16.19.  5. 

Medford       ...  46  4.11.  7. 

The  commissioners,  however,  to  whom  these  returns  were  submitted, 
thought  fit,  upon  examination ,  to  abate  from  the  estimate  of  "  real  estate  "  — 

In  Charlestown       - £8.0.0. 

In  Cambridge          -        .....        .        .        .        .        1.0.0. 

And  to  add  to  that  of  "  real  estate  "  in  Watertown  -*  2.0.0. 

"  "  "  "  in  Concord    ...        -        4.0.0. 

21 


242  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

the  town  was  very  considerably  diminished,  and  its  prosperity 
for  a  while,  seriously  checked.  The  change  alluded  to,  was  the 
erection  of  Goshen,  or  the  northerly  quarter  of  Woburn,  into  a 
distinct  town;  and  of  Shawshin,  or  the  northwesterly  quarter, 
into  a  precinct  or  parish.  This  alteration  did  not  originate  in 
any  disaffection  to  Rev.  Mr.  Pox :  for  at  the  very  time  it  was  in 
contemplation,  or  in  being  made,  the  people  were  giving  him 
almost  every  year  fresh  tokens  of  their  favor  and  respect  by 
voluntary  additions  to  his  salary,  and  by  generous  provision  for 
the  supply  of  his  pulpit,  when  he  was  taken  off  by  sickness  from 
preaching  himself.4  But  it  grew  out  of  the  inconvenience  to 
which  the  inhabitants  of  those  quarters  were  subjected,  by  their 
remoteness  from  the  place  of  public  worship.  There  can  be  no 
question,  that  when  the  second  meeting-house  in  Woburn  was 
built  on  the  hill  in  1672,  its  situation  was  central,  or  nearly  so, 
to  the  great  mass  of  the  population.  But,  since  that  time,  new 
settlements  had  been  continually  making  at  the  north  and  north- 
west. And  hence  the  distances  of  the  people  in  the  several 
quarters  of  the  town  from  the  meeting-house  had  now  become 
very  unequal.  For  while  the  inhabitants  of  the  south  village 
(now  Winchester)  were  only  between  two  and  three  miles  from 
the  meeting-house,  the  dwelling-house  of  Sergeant  Abraham 
Jaquith,  in  Goshen,  was  quite  seven  miles  off;  and  the  Wymans' 
farms  in  Shawshin,  on  the  borders  of  Billerica,  not  less  than  five 
miles. 

These  were  long  distances  for  the  inhabitants  of  those 
quarters  of  the  town  to  travel  on  Sabbath  morning,  especially  in 
midwinter,  when  their  narrow  roads  were  apt  to  be  blocked  up 
with  snow,  and  next  to  impassable.  But  such  was  the  zeal  in 
those  days  for  attendance  on  public  worship  and  the  ordinances 
of  God's  house,  that,  notwithstanding  these  inconveniences,  the 
people  in  those  parts  of  the  town  would  go  to  meeting,  and  be 
there  punctually  too,  at  the  appointed  hour.  Authentic  tradition 

4  One  such  addition,  among  others  that  might  be  named,  is  the  follow- 
ing: At  March  meeting,  1727-8,  voted,  "that  the  Revd  Mr  John  Fox  should 
have  fourty  pounds  added  to  his  sallery  this  present  year;  so  as  to  make 
his  sallery  six  score  pounds  this  year."  —  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  335. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBUBN.  243 

relates,  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  remotest  corner  of  Goshen, 
near  Billerica  line,  would  often  travel  to  meeting  in  winter  on 
snow-shoes ;  and  that  one  of  them,  Deacon  James  Thompson, 
would  always  be  there  by  8  o'clock  in  the  morning,  (in  summer, 
it  is  presumed)  which  was  an  hour  at  least  before  the  public  ser- 
vices commenced.  But,  though  the  people  of  both  the  most 
distant  quarters  of  the  town  attended  "meeting  on  the  Sabbath 
from  choice,  notwithstanding  the  inconveniences  above  alluded 
to,  rather  than  stay  away,  yet  they  accounted  their  subjection  to 
these  difficulties  by  reason  of  their  location,  as  a  great  hardship, 
because  they  viewed  it  as  unnecessary,  and  therefore  unjust ;  and, 
after  bearing  it  patiently  for  years,  they  at  length  decided  to  seek 
relief  from  it  in  a  legal  way. 

The  first  step  taken  apparently  for  this  end  was  a  petition  to 
the  town  from  both  "  the  Northwardly  branches"  thereof,  which 
was  read  at  a  town  meeting  called  for  the  purpose,  January  19, 
1724-5.5  The  subject  of  this  petition  is  not  stated  in  the 
Records :  the  consideration  of  it,  when  read,  was  deferred  till  the 
annual  meeting  in  May  j  and  then  it  was  answered  in  the  nega- 
tive, as  follows  :  "  Voated  that  they  would  not  grant  the  Petition 
that  was  offered  to  the  Town  by  the  two  Northwardly  Branches 
of  said  Town,  as  it  is  set  forth  in  said  Petition."6  But  though 
the  petitioners  were  defeated  in  this  their  first  effort,  they  were 
not  discouraged  from  pursuing  the  object  they  had  in  view.  After 
waiting  a  twelvemonth,  they  united  in  another  joint  petition  to  the 
town.  But  the  Selectmen  refusing  to  call  a  meeting  to  consider 
it,  they  applied  to  Oliver  Whiting,  Esq.,  of  Billerica,  a  justice  of 
the  peace  for  Middlesex  county,  who  granted  them  a  warrant 
fora  town  meeting  at  Woburn,  to  be  held  February  10,  1725-6. 
At  that  meeting,  "  the  Question  being  put,  Whether  the  Town 
would  proceed  at  present ?  it  was  past  in  the  nega- 
tive": and  further,  it  was  then  voted,  "that  the  Town  would 
consider  of  the  premises  contained  in  Justice  Whiting's  Warrant 
at  March  Meeting  next."  7 

The  original  drafts  of  the  two  joint  petitions  just  mentioned, 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  208.  «  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  218. 

i  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  261. 


244  HISTORY   OP   WOBUBN. 

and  the  warrants  calling  meetings  of  the  town  to  consider  them, 
have  long  since  been  missing.  And  the  Town  Clerk,  in  recording 
the  action  of  the  town  upon  them,  seems  not  to  have  cared  that 
posterity  should  know  anything  respecting  the  subject  of  them. 
In  his  record  of  the  two  meetings,  January  19  and  May  11, 
1725,  at  which  the  first  of  these  two  petitions  was  considered, 
he  dropped  not  a  word  from  which  might  be  gathered  what 
the  prayer  of  the  petitioners  was.  But  in  his  record  of 
the  meeting,  February  10, 1725-6,  just  noticed,  called  by  Justice 
Whiting  to  consider  their  second  petition,  he  was  not  quite  so 
successful  in  shutting  out  the  light  on  this  matter.  After  writ- 
ing, "  the  Question  being  put,  '  Whether  the  Town  would  proceed 
at  present?'"  he  inadvertently  added  three  other  important 
words,  which,  upon  further  reflection,  he  saw  fit  to  efface,  leaving 
only,  "  it  was  pasUin  the  negative."  Fortunately,  however,  in 
drawing  his  pen  twice  across  the  three  words  referred  to,  he  did 
not  do  the  work  of  obliteration  so  effectually,  as  to  prevent  our 
reading  distinctly  beneath  the  erasure,  "about  a  meetinghouse:" 
and  these  three  words,  when  considered  with  the  vote  passed  at 
March  meeting,  to  which  were  adjourned  the  several  articles  of 
Justice  Whiting's  Warrant  not  acted  upon,  and  with  the  subse- 
quent proceedings  of  the  town,  September  22  and  October  2, 
1727,  let  in  abundance  of  light  upon  the  subjects  of  the  petitions 
referred  to.  At  the  meeting,  March  7,  1725-6,  it  was  voted, 
that  sixteen  pounds  should  be  paid  out  of  the  town  treasury 
towards  the  support  of  preaching  in  both  the  northerly  parts  of 
the  town  in  the  three  shortest  months  of  the  winter,  "  In  case 
they  do  provide  a  minister  to  preach  amongst  them ;  and  if  they 
have  not  a  minister  to  preach  amongst  them,  they  are  not  to  have 
any  money  out  of  the  treasury."  8  This  vote  was  passed,  appar- 
ently, to  silence  the  complaints  made  about  the  distance  of  the 
meeting-house,  and  to  prevent,  if  possible,  any  further  impor- 
tunity from  the  complainants  for  the  grant  of  their  obnoxious 
petitions,  which  the  town  had  negatived  at  the  two  preced- 
ing meetings.  Comparing,  therefore,  the  doings  of  the  town, 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  266. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  245 

February  10,  and  March  7,  1725-6,  above  recorded,  with  its 
subsequent  proceedings  September  22,  and  October  2,  1727,9 
there  can  be  but  little  doubt,  that  the  prayer  of  the  first  joint 
petition  of  the  two  northerly  parts  of  the  town  was,  that  the  meet- 
ing-house built  on  the  hill  might  be  removed  to  a  more  central 
situation ;  and  that  of  the  second  joint  petition  was,  that  the 
meeting-house  might  be  removed,  as  above ;  or  otherwise,  that 
the  town  would  erect  a  new  one  on  a  site  that  would  better 
accommodate  the  petitioners,  its  remote  inhabitants. 

In  pursuance  of  the  vote  of  March  7,  1725-6,  the  sum  of  eight 
pounds  of  the  town's  money  was  paid  to  the  inhabitants  of  each 
of  the  remote  quarters  respectively,  viz :  to  Dea.  James  Thomp- 
son, on  behalf  of  Goshen;  10  and  by  Mr.  Samuel  Kendall, 
Constable  and  Collector,  to  Mr.  Benjamin  Johnson  and  others, 
on"  behalf  of  Shawshin,  10  to  defray  the  expense  of  preaching 
within  their  respective  bounds  during  the  winter  of  1726—7. 
The  grant  of  the  above  sums  by  the  town,  to  these  respective 
portions  of  her  population,  for  the  purpose  designated  by  her 
vote,  was  a  virtual  acknowledgment  on  her  part,  that  the 
grievance  they  complained  of  had  a  real,  and  not  an  imaginary 
foundation.  And,  accordingly,  it  was  renewed  the  year  following 
to  the  inhabitants  of  Goshen,  at  their  request,  that  they  might 
provide  themselves  with  preaching  in  the  winter  of  1727-8. 11 
But  there  is  no  record  of  a  similar  grant  to  Shawshin  for  that 
winter.  Whence  it  would  seem,  either  that  the  town  had  some 
special  reason  for  denying  the  people  of  that  quarter  the  favor 
referred  to,  or  else  (which  is  more  probable)  that  those  people 
themselves  had  omitted  to  ask  it  of  the  town,  as  they  of  Goshen 
had  done ;  being  dissatisfied  with  it,  thinking  themselves  entitled 
to  some  higher  consideration,  and  having  already  made  up  their 
minds  to  seek  a  more  effectual  remedy  for  the  disadvantages 
they  labored  under,  than  the  temporary  grant  of  a  few  pounds 
year  by  year  could  yield  them.  In  accordance  with  these  senti- 
ments, they  presented  a  petition  to  the  General  Court  at  their 

•  See  onward,  the  doings  of  the  town  on  those  respective  dates. 
10  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  pp.  293,  294.  «  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  309. 

21* 


246  HISTORY  OP  WOBURN. 

session,  in  August  1727,  the  substance  of  which  is  stated  in  the 
following  extract  from  the  Court  Records : 

"  At  a  Great  and  General  Court  or  Assembly,  begun  upon 
Wednesday  May  31.  1727,  and  continued  by  adjournment  to 
"Wednesday  August  16th  1727,  and  then  met. 

"  Thursday  Aug.  24.  1727. 

"  A  Petition  of  the  Inhabitants  of  the  North  Westerly  Part  of 
the  Town  of  Woburn,  Shewing,  that  the  Meeting  House  for  the 
publick  Worship  of  God  in  the  said  Town  is  situated  so  as  to  be 
very  far  from  the  Center  of  the  said  Township,  and  by  the  increase 
of  the  Inhabitants  the  House  is  too  small  to  receive  them  with  con- 
venience :  And  forasmuch  as  the  Petitioners  are  put  to  great 
difficulties  &  inconveniences  by  reason  of  their  remoteness,  espe- 
cially in  the  Winter  Season,  and  in  stormy  Weather ;  And  there- 
fore Praying  that  either  the  Meeting  House  may  be  removed  to  the 
Center  of  the  Town,  or  that  the  Petitioners  may  be  set  off  a  dis- 
tinct Township  or  Precinct,  and  that  a  Committee  of  this  Court 
may  be  appointed  to  view  that  Part  of  the  Town ;  and  that  they 
may  be  set  off,  as  follows :  viz.  To  be  bounded  Westerly  two 
miles  &  an  half  on  Lexington  Line  ;  on  Billerica  Line  four  miles  ; 
to  run  from  the  Lines  of  Lexington  &  Billerica  into  the  Town  of 
Woburn  four  miles  in  Length :  The  Committee  to  make  their 
Report  to  this  Court  thereon. 

"  In  the  House  of  Representatives  Read,  and  Voted  that  the 
Petitioners  forthwith  serve  the  Town  of  Woburn  with  a  Copy  of 
this  Petition,  that  so  they  shew  forth  their  Reasons,  if  any  they 
have,  why  the  Prayer  thereof  should  not  be  granted. 
"  In  Council,  Read  &  Concur'd. 

"  Consented  to,  Wm.  Dummer." 12 

Aroused  by  these  proceedings  of  Shawshin,  and  by  the  order 
of  Court  in  relation  to  them,  the  town  held  a  meeting  Sep- 
tember 22,  1727,  at  which,  after  choosing  Mr.  Joseph  Wright, 
Moderator,  they  passed  the  following  votes : 

"  First,  that  they  would  choose  a  committee  to  agree  with  a 
surveyor  and  two  chainmen,  to  measure  the  township  of  Woburn 
all  round,  and  to  find  out  the  centre  of  the  town. 

«  Records  of  Court,  Vol.  XIII.  ?  p.  415. 


HISTORY   OP  WOBURN.  247 

"  2dly.  Voted  that  the  Selectmen  of  Woburn  were  chosen'  a 
Committee  by  themselves,  or  men  whom  they  should  appoint 
to  be  a  Committee,  to  agree  with  a  surveyor  and  two  chain- 
men:  which  surveyor  and  chainmen  should  be  upon  oath  to 
measure  the  town  of  Woburn  all  round,  and  find  out  the  centre 
of  the  town,  and  to  give  a  plan  of  the  same ;  and  that  the  sur- 
veyor and  chainmen  should  measure  that  piece  of  land  petitioned 
for  to  be  a  Township  by  the  Northwesterly  part  of  the  Town, 
and  to  give  a  plan  of  the  same  also." 13 

They  then,  for  the  sake,  no  doubt,  of  receiving  the  surveyor's 
return  before  they  proceeded  to  further  action,  adjourned  the 
meeting  with  "  the  subject  matter  contained  in  the  warrant  for 
the  calling  of"  [it]  to  October  2. 

The  gentleman  employed  by  the  Committee,  as  above  directed, 
was  Capt.  Joseph  Burnap,  a  noted  surveyor  of  Reading,  who, 
with  two  chainmen  of  his  providing,  went  to  work,  measured 
the  town,  and  made  out  a  plan  of  it,  for  which  service  he  was 
afterwards  duly  paid.14  How  soon  his  plan  was  completed,  and 
where,  according  to  it,  the  centre  of  the  town  was  found  to  be, 
the  Records  do  not  state.  Apparently,  however,  he  began  his 
work  immediately,  and  finished  in  season  to  communicate  the 
result  of  his  labors  to  the  town  at  their  adjourned  meeting, 
October  2,  when  they  passed  the  following  votes. 

1.  "First,  Voted  that  they  were  not  for  having  the  meeting 
house  removed  from  the  place  where  it  now  stands. 

"  21y.  Voted  that  they  were  not  "  for  building  a  meetinghouse 
for  the  Westerly  part  of  the  Town,  as  they  have  set  forth  in 
their  petition." 

"  Sly.  Voted  that  the  Town  was  not  willing  that  the  land 
petitioned  for  in  the  Westerly  part  of  the  Town  should  be  a 
separate  Township. 

"  41y.  Voted  that  they  would  choose  a  Committee  to  give  in 
answer  to  the  Great  and  General  Court,  why  the  prayer  of  the 
petition  [i.  e.  of  Shawshin]  '  should  not  be  granted.' 

"  51y.  Voted,  that  they  would  choose   three  men  to  be  the 

13  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p  311. 


248  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

Committee  to  goe  to  the  Great  and  General  Court  to  make 
answer  to  the  above  said  petition. 

"61y.  The  men  voted  and  chosen  are  Mr  Caleb  Blogget, 
John  Fowle,  Mr  Joseph  Wright."  H 

From  the  decisive  tone  and  character  of  these  votes,  the 
matter  in  controversy  between  Woburn  and  its  Northwesterly 
district  seemed  to  be  now  in  a  fair  way  of  being  speedily  deter- 
mined. But  in  this  expectation,  both  parties  were  disappointed. 
For  it  so  happened,  that  in  copying  the  Order  of  Court,  issued 
in  consequence  of  the  Petition  of  Shawshin,  above  referred  to, 
the  day  appointed  by  the  Court  of  Woburn,  to  appear  before 
them,  and  assign  its  reasons  against  granting  the  prayer  of  that 
petition,  was,  by  some  oversight,  omitted.  Of  course,  the  Com- 
mittee, chosen  to  make  answer  to  the  Court,  on  behalf  of  the 
town,  not  being  duly  notified  of  the  time  set  for  their  appearance 
there,  accounted  themselves  discharged  from  the  duty  of  their 
appointment,  and  the  petition  of  Shawshin  for  that  time  fell 
through. 

Before  another  petition  could  be  presented,  and  another 
Order  of  Court  be  duly  served,  the  town  made  an  attempt 
to  adjust  her  difficulties  with  her  uneasy  children  upon  her 
northern  and  northwestern  bounds,  upon  terms  of  her  own 
proposing.  At  a  general  meeting  of  the  freeholders  and  other 
inhabitants,  November  15,  1727,  after  the  nomination  of  Mr. 
Joseph  Wright  as  Moderator,  it  was  voted  as  follows :  "  That 
the  town  of  Woburn  is  willing,  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  North 
and  Northwesterly  part  of  the  town,  should  have  half  the  land 
on  that  side  of  the  town  set  off  to  them  either  in  a  Precinct  or  a 
Township,  Provided  they  will  build  for  themselves,  and  maintain 
the  publick  worship  of  God  amongst  themselves,  without  the  help 
of  the  town  for  time  to  come."  15  This  sounds  like  a  fair  offer ; 
and  with  certain  additional  qualifications,  it  might  have  been 
satisfactory  at  the  time  to  those  inhabitants  of  the  town,  on 
account  of  whom  it  was  made.  But,  expressed  as  it  was,  they 
regarded  the  vote  conveying  it  with  distrust.  They  could  not 

"  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  pp.  331,  333.  «  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  310. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  249 

help  observing,  that,  while  the  town  took  care  by  this  vote  to 
secure  herself  from  all  expense  in  erecting  a  meeting-house  and 
supporting  the  gospel  among  them,  she  did  not  propose  to  free 
them  from  all  liability  to  charge,  for  enabling  her  to  settle  a 
colleague  with  Rev.  Mr.  Fox.  A  plan  for  such  a  settlement  was 
now  beginning  to  be  talked  of.16  And  the  inhabitants  of  the 
northern  and  northwestern  quarters  were  jealous  (and  as  the 
event  proved,  not  without  reason)  that  the  town  was  disposed  to 
hasten  the  measure,  as  a  means,  if  speedily  consummated,  of 
embarrassing  the  Court  about  consenting  to  their  projected 
separation;  and  of  retaining  it  in  her  power,  if  they  should 
eventually  be  set  off,  to  tax  them  their  full  proportion  of  the 
ordination  expenses,  and  settlement  money  of  the  colleague.  In 
view  of  these  considerations,  the  people,  both  of  Goshen  and 
Shawshin,  appear  from  the  first  to  have  listened  to  the  above 
proposals  of  the  town  with  dissatisfaction  and  neglect;  and 
those  of  Shawshin,  disregarding  the  prospect  of  an  adjustment  of 
difficulties  which  it  held  out,  determined  to  embrace  the  earliest 
opportunity  for  renewing  the  application  to  the  General  Court, 
which  it  had  made  during  its  previous  session  in  August,  but 
which,  from  causes  already  explained,  had  failed  of  its  hoped  for 
issue.  Accordingly,  at  the  commencement  of  the  next  winter 
session,  January,  1727-8,  they  addressed  the  Legislature,  as 
follows : 

"  To  the  Honble-  William  Durmner  Esqr.  Lieut.  Governour  &  Com- 
mander in  Chief,  the  Honble>  the  Council,  and  Representatives  for 
his  Majesty's  Province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  in  New  England 
in  Gen11-  Court  assembled  at  Boston  the  4th  Day  of  January  Anno 
Dom.  1727":  (1727-8). 
"  The  renewed  Petition  of  the  Inhabitants  of  the  North  Westerly 

part  of  the  Town  of  Woburn  within  the  County  of  Middlesex 
Humbly  sheweth : 

"  That  whereas  your  Petitioners   at  the   session  of  the  Gen1'- 

16  At  town  meeting,  April  4,  1728,  "Voted,  that  it  was  high  time  to  be  in 
a  way  to  settle  another  minister  among  us. 

"  Further  it  was  voated  that  the  town  would  hear  three  or  four  ministers 
several  Sabbath  days,  in  order  to  settle  one  to  help  Mr  Fox."—  Town 
Hecords,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  347. 


250  HISTORY    OP   WOBDRN. 

Court  in  August  last  preferred  their  Petition,  therein  setting  forth 
the  Difficulties  they  labour  under  with  respect  to  their  attending 
the  publick  Worship  of  God,  at  the  Meeting  House  where  it  now 
stands  in  the  said  Town,  and  praying  to  be  relieved  in  such  Man- 
ner as  is  therein  set  forth :  Upon  which  Petition  the  said  Court 
were  pleased  to  Order  that  the  Petitioners  should  serve  the  Town 
of  Woburn  with  a  Copy  of  said  Petition,  that  so  they  shew  forth 
their  Reasons  (if  any  they  have)  why  the  Prayer  thereof  should  not 
be  granted ;  And  the  Petitioners,  above  Twenty  Days  before  the 
sitting  of  the  Generall  Court  in  October  last,  served  the  Town  with 
a  Copy  of  the  said  Petition,  pursuant  to  the  Direction  in  the  said 
Order :  But  so  it  happened,  that  in  penning  thereof,  there  was  no 
Day  fix'd  for  the  Respondents  to  give  in  their  Answer,  by  Means 
whereof  the  same  has  never  to  this  Day  been  done,  and  your  Peti- 
tioners are  without  Remedj^,  unless  aided  by  your  Honours : 

"  Wherefore  your  Petitioners  humbly  pray,  that  their  said  Peti- 
tion may  be  Revived ;  and  Inasmuch  as  they  have  already  served 
the  Town  with  a  Copy  thereof,  as  aforesaid,  they  may  be  obliged 
to  give  in  their  Answer  in  some  short  limited  time,  and  in  default 
thereof,  the  Petitioners  may  be  relieved,  agreeable  to  the  Prayer 
of  their  said  Petition,  as  to  the  Wisdom  and  Justice  of  this  Honble- 
Court  shall  seem  meet. 

"  And  your  Petitioners  (as  in  Duty  bound)  shall  ever  pray  &c. 

"  Ebenezer  Johnson 
"  Benjamin  Johnson 
"  In'the  Name  and  by  Order  of  the  Rest  of  the  Petitioners. 

"In  Council  Jan.  4lh.  1727. 

"  Read  &  Ordered  that  the  former  Petition  here  referred    to  be 
reviewed  ;  and  that  the  Petitioners  now  serve  the  Town  with  a 
Copy  of  this  Petition   &   Order,    that    they  may  give  in  their 
Answer,  if  they  see  Cause,  on  Thursday  ye.  llth.  Instant. 
"  Sent  down  for  Concurrence, 

"  J.  WILLARD,  Seer*. 

"  In  the  House  of  Representatives,  Jany.  6.  1727. 
"  Read    &  Concur'd,    with     ye.  Amendment :     viz*.     Dele,     on 
Thursday    ye.  Eleventh    Instant,  and    add  the  second  Thursday 
of  ye.  next  Session. 

"  Sent  up  for  Concurrence 

"  Wm.  DUDLEY,  Specr. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  251 

"  In  Council  Jan  .  8th.  1727. 
"  Read  and  Concur'd. 

"  J.  WILLARD,  Secrr. 
"  Consented  to : 

Wm.  DUMMER. 

"  Copy  Examined  "  pr.  J.  WILLARD,  SecrV  17 

From  the  authoritative  minutes  on  the  back  of  the  attested  copy 
of  the  above  cited  petition,  it  will  be  perceived  that  both  branches 
of  the  Legislature  agreed  to  revive  the  petition,  which  had  been 
presented  to  the  Court  at  their  session  in  August  preceding, 
agreeably  to  the  request  of  the  petitioners.  But  their  deferring 
of  the  time  set  by  the  Council,  at  which  Woburn  was  required 
to  respond  to  this  revived  petition,  from  January  11,  1727-8, 
to  so  late  a  day  as  the  second  Thursday  of  the  next  session  in 
May,  seems  to  have  proved  a  fatal  blow  to  the  taking  of  any 
further  effective  proceedings  upon  it.a 

Discouraged  and  baffled  by  the  failure  of  this,  their  second 
application  to  the  Court,  and  yet  uneasy  to  remain  in  their 

1T  Attested  copy  on  file. 

•  The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  action  of  the  Court  at  their  next 
session  upon  the  two  petitions  of  Shawshin  above  cited. 

"Friday,  June  14.  1728. 

"  On  the  Petition  of  the  North  West  Part  of  the  Town  of  Wo- 
burn, Enter'd  August  24  [1727]  and  January  4.  1727  [1727-8]. 

"  In  Council,  Read  again,  together  with  the  Petition  herein 
referred  to,  and  the  Answer  of  the  Town  of  Woburn ;  and  the 
same  being  duly  considered, 

"  Ordered,  that  the  Prayer  of  the  Petition  be  so  far  granted,  as 
that  Jonathan  Dowse,  Esqr.  with  such  as  shall  be  appointed  by  the 
Hon'ble  House  of  Representatives,  be  a  Committee  to  view  the 
Town  of  Woburn,  and  consider  the  Situation  &  Circumstances  of 
the  Inhabitants  of  the  Northwesterly  Part  of  the  said  Town,  and 
report  at  the  next  Fall  session  what  they  judge  proper  for  the 
Court  to  do,  in  answer  to  these  Petitions. 

"  In  the  House  of  Representatives  Read  and  Non-Concur'd  ;  and 
Voted  that  the  Petition  be  dismiss'd. 

"  In  Council  Read."  " 

b  Court  Records,  Vol.  XIV.,  pp.  83,  84. 


252  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

present  condition,  the  inhabitants  of  Shawshin  now  turned  their 
attention  anew  for  relief  to  the  town's  vote  of  November  15,  pre- 
ceding.15 And  if  the  town  would  have  sanctioned  such  a  con- 
struction of  that  vote  as  would  in  any  measure  have  met  their 
feelings  and  views,  and  assured  them  of  the  like  exemption  from 
taxation  for  the  support  of  its  own  public  worship  that  it  had 
demanded  in  that  vote  for  itself  in  support  of  theirs,  in  case  of  a 
separation  between  them,  both  they  and  their  neighbors  of 
Goshen  would  now,  it  is  very  likely,  have  been  glad  to  accept 
the  proposal  of  that  vote,  and  have  readily  complied  with  the 
condition  annexed  to  it.  To  put  the  disposition  of  the  town  on 
this  head  to  the  test,  the  people  of  Shawshin  and  Goshen  handed 
in  to  the  Selectmen  the  following  joint  petition : 

"  Oborne  July  the  18  daye  in  the  year  1728. 
"  To  the  Selectmen  of  Woborne :  Wee  the  Inhabitants  of  the 
Northwesterly  and  North  Branches  of  said  towne,  commonly 
called  Shawshin  and  Goshen,  desier  you  the  Selectmen,  in  your 
next  Warrant  to  call  a  towne  meeting,  [to  propose]  that  the 
Towne  explayne  their  vote  concerning  setting  ofi'  half  of  the  towne- 
ship  to  the  said  Branches  ;  and  that  in  case  these  two  Branches  are 
set  off  in  order  to  support  the  Gospell  among  themselves,  [to  see 
whether]  the  town  will  reimburse  what  charge  they  the  said 
Branches  are  att,  in  settling  another  Minister  with  the  Reverend 
Mr  Fox,  to  them. 

"  JEAMS  TOMPSON  SIMON  TOMPSOX 

EBENEZER  JOHNSON  SAMUELL  BUTTER 

SAMUEL  PEIRCE  BENJAMIN  HARNDEN 

BENJAMIN  JOHNSON  JOHN  JACQUETH 

EDWARD  JOHNSON  JAMES  SIMONDS 

JAMES  PROCTOR.  SAMUELL  JONES 

KENDALL  PEARSON."  18 

But  this  petition  never  received  any  reply ;  or,  at  least,  any 
that  can  be  found  on  record.  It  is  dated  the  same  day  that  a 
town  meeting  was  held,  to  decide  whether  the  inhabitants  would 
give  a  call  to  Mr.  Edward  Jackson  to  be  their  minister,  as  a 

18  See  original  petition  and  signatures,  in  a  bound  volume  of  "  Miscellaneous  Records  and 
papers  of  Woburn,"  p.  106. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  253 

colleague  with  Rev.  Mr.  Fox.  This  was  then  a  favorite  meas- 
ure with  the  majority  of  the  people  of  Woburn,  and  one  which 
they  were  very  earnest  to  hasten  to  its  consummation.  For 
reasons,  therefore,  which  have  been  already  intimated,  and  may 
be  easily  conjectured,  they  did  not  care  to  hurry,  in  answering 
the  foregoing  petition,  or  to  give  such  an  explanation  of  the 
vote  referred  to  in  it  as  would  satisfy  the  petitioners. 

But  there  was  still  another,  and  a  plausible  reason  for  not 
answering  the  above-quoted  joint  petition  of  Shawshin  and 
Goshen.  A  month  before  its  date,  viz,  June  17,  1728,  the  peo- 
ple of  Goshen  and  of  the  adjoining  part  of  Reading  had  pre- 
ferred a  petition  to  the  General  Court,  setting  forth  the  difficul- 
ties they  lay  under,  by  reason  of  their  remoteness  from  their 
respective  places  of  public  worship  j  and  praying  they  might  be 
erected  into  a  "  separate  &  distinct  Precinct."  This  petition 
had  been  read  with  favor  in  each  branch  of  the  Legislature ;  and 
the  petitioners  had  been  ordered  to  serve  the  towns  of  Woburn 
and  Reading  with  copies  of  their  petition,  that  they  might  show 
cause  on  the  first  Friday  of  the  next  Fall  Session  why  the 
prayer  thereof  should  not  be  granted.19  Of  this  petition  of 
Goshen,  the  inhabitants  of  Woburn  had  been  doubtless  notified, 
agreeably  to  Order  of  Court,  as  they  had  long  before  been 
aware  of  the  two  previous  petitions  of  Shawshin  to  the  Court 
for  the  like  purpose.  It  is  not  surprising,  therefore,  that  these 
petitions  from  both  the  remote  quarters  of  the  town  to  the 
Court  should  be  regarded  as  acts  of  opposition  to  the  majority 
of  the  inhabitants  of  Woburn ;  and  that  the  Town  should  not 
be  forward  to  gratify  the  petitioners  by  explaining  their  vote  of 
November  15,  or  giving  them  the  assurance  they  expressed  a 
wish  for,  in  their  note  to  the  Selectmen  of  July  18. 

To  defend  the  town,  however,  against  the  above  petition  of 
Goshen,  it  was  voted  at  a  town  meeting  in  Woburn,  October  14, 
1728,  to  choose  a  committee  "to  go  to  the  Great  and  General 
Court,  to  give  the  reasons  why  the  prayer  of  the  petition  of 
Goshen  (so  called)  should  not  be  granted."  The  committee 

w  Records  of  Court,  Vol.  XIV.,  p.  88. 


254  HISTORY   OF    WOBURN. 

chosen  for  this  end  were  Messrs.  Jacob  Wyman,  Caleb  Blogget, 
and  Jonathan  Thompson.20  Nothing,  however,  was  done  in  Court 
that  year,  or  certainly  nothing  decisive,  in  regard  to  that  petition : 
and  the  people  of  Goshen  were  soon  made  to  smart  for  pre- 
suming to  send  it.  Two  months  after  they  had  presented  it  to 
the  Court,  they  preferred  to  the  Selectmen,  for  the  sake  of 
securing,  for  one  winter  more,  the  benefit  of  the  allowance 
which  the  town  had  made  them  the  three  years  past,  to  procure 
preaching  within  the  winter,  the  following  humble  request : 

"Woborne  August  the  19th.  1728. 

"  To  the  Seelectmen  of  Woborne :  Wee  the  Inhabitants  of 
Goshen,  as  in  time  past,  so  now  allso  wee  renew  oure  humble 
Request  to  the  Towne  for  a  sum  of  money  to  support  preaching  the 
next  winter ;  and  Pray  you  the  selectmen  to  signifie  this  our  hum- 
ble Request  to  the  Towne  in  youre  next  Warrant. 

"  Presented  by  the  subscribers  hereto  in  behalf  of  the  Rest. 

"  DANIEL  PIERCE,  . 
JAM".  TOMPSON, 
KENDEL  PARSON, 
JOSEPH  LEWES."21 

A  like  application  seems  to  have  been  made  at  the  same  time 
by  the  inhabitants  of  Shawshin.  But  they  who  hold  the  purse 
strings  of  any  public  treasury,  hold  a  rod  in  their  hands,  which 
they  find  very  convenient  to  chasten  opposition  with,  and  which 
has  often  been  administered  for  that  purpose.  At  an  adjourned 
meeting  of  the  town,  November  11,  1728,  it  being  put  to  vote 
"  whether  the  Town  would  grant  a  sum  of  money  to  Goshen  and 
Shawshin  to  pay  for  preaching  among  them  in  the  Winter 
season  ?  "  it  passed  in  the  negative :  **  and,  though  it  was  imme- 
diately carried,  to  reconsider  this  vote  at  the  next  meeting,  so 
far  as  it  related  to  Goshen,  yet  it  does  not  appear  to  have  been 
ever  actually  reconsidered,  or  that  any  money  was  ever  paid  to 
Goshen  again  out  of  the  treasury  of  the  town,  for  the  above- 
named  purpose. 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  351. 

«»  The  original  draft  of  this  petition  was  to  be  seen,  a  few  years  ago,  pasted  between  the 
pages  91,  92,  of  Records,  Vol.  I.,  but  it  is  now  missing. 

M  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  351. 


HISTORY   OP    WOBUBN.  255 

In  this  unhappy  posture,  the  affairs  of  the  petitioners  remained 
for  a  twelvemonth  longer.  During  this  period,  while  the  town 
taxed  them  their  full  proportion,  not  only  of  Rev.  Mr.  Fox's 
salary,  but  of  the  settlement  money  and  salary  of  his  colleague, 
Rev.  Mr.  Jackson,  (who  had  been  ordained  August  1,  1729,)  it 
denied  them  even  the  small  pittance,  by  which,  in  view  of  their 
distance  from  the  meeting-house,  it  had  once  aided  them,  in  the 
depth  of  winter,  to  provide  for  the  public  worship  of  God 
among  themselves. 

But  a  prospect  of  permanent  relief  at  length  broke  in  upon 
them.  The  following  summer,  another  petition  was  preferred  by 
Shawshin  to  the  General  Court,  subscribed  by  Ebenezer  Johnson, 
Benjamin  Johnson,  Edward  Johnson,  James  Proctor  and  Simon 
Thompson,  on  behalf  of  themselves  and  others,  and  praying  to 
be  set  off  from  Woburn,  either  as  a  town  or  a  precinct.23  This 
petition,  dated  July  9,  1729,  appears  to  have  been  presented  to 
the  Court  during  an  adjourned  session  at  Cambridge  in  August 
and  September,  and  due  order  was  taken  for  furnishing  Woburn 
with  a  copy  of  it,  and  for  their  giving  answer  to  the  Court 
December  5,  why  the  prayer  of  it  should  not  be  granted. 

September  5,  1729,  there  was  presented  to  the  Court  a  "Peti- 
tion of  Samuel  Eames,  John  Harnden,  and  sundry  other  inhabi- 
tants of  the  towns  of  Woburn  and  Reading;  setting  forth  their 
difficulties,  by  reason  of  their  remote  situation  from  the  places  of 
publick  worship  in  their  respective  towns,  and  that  they  are 
commodiously  situated  to  make  a  distinct  Precinct  of  the  North- 
easterly part  of  Woburn  &  the  Westerly  part  of  Reading ;  And 
therefore  Praying  that  they  may  be  set  off  from  their  respective 
towns  accordingly  by  certain  lines  particularly  set  forth  and 
described  in  the  Petition." 

"  In  Council :  Read  and  dismiss'd."  24 

But  though  the  above  petition,  for  reasons  not  assigned,  was 
rejected,  yet  it  was  soon  followed  by  another  from  the  same 
people,  praying  to  be  made  a  Town,  which  found  more  favor ;  as 
appears  by  the  following  minutes  of  the  Court : 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  10.    Records  of  Court,  Vol.  XIV.,  pp.  393,  394. 
**  Records  of  Court,  Vol.  XIV.,  pp.  293,  294. 


256  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

"  At  a  General  Court,  begun  &  held  at  Salem  Wednesday  Majr 
28,  1729,  and  thence  by  sundry  prorogations  &  adjournments  to 
Harvard  College,  Cambridge  ;  and  thence  continued  by  proroga- 
tion to  Boston  Wednesday  Nov.  19th.  then  met. 

"  Wednesday  Nov.  '26.  1729. 

"  A  Petition  of  Daniel  Pierce,  Benjamin  Harding  [Harnden] 
and  Samuel  Walker,  a  Committee  appointed  by  sundry  Inhabi- 
tants of  the  North  East  part  of  Woburn  and  the  Westerly  part  of 
Reading ;  Setting  forth  the  difficulties  they  are  under  by  reason  of 
their  remoteness  from  the  Places  of  publick  Worship  in  their 
respective  Towns,  And  Praying  to  be  sett  off  and  constituted  a 
distinct  Township,  according  to  their  former  Petition  to  this 
Court. 

"  In  the  House  of  Representatives  Read  &  Ordered  that  the 
Petitioners  serve  the  Towns  of  Woburn  &  Reading  with  a  Copy  of 
the  Petition,  that  they  shew  cause  on  Fryday  the  sixth  [fifth]  of 
December  next,  why  the  Prayer  thereof  should  not  be  granted. 

"  In  Council  Read  &  Concur'd."  2S 

At  a  General  Town  Meeting  in  Woburn,  December  3,  1729, 
two  days  before  the  day  appointed  by  the  Court  for  the  parties 
to  give  in  their  answers  to  the  above  petitions ;  Messrs.  Joseph 
Wright  and  Jacob  Wyman,  were  chosen  a  Committee  to  answer 
on  behalf  of  the  town  to  the  petition  of  the  "  Northeasterly  part," 
or  Goshen;  and  Dea.  George  Reed,  Capt.  Robert  Convers  and 
Mr.  Caleb  Blogget  to  answer  to  the  petition  of  the  "  Northwes- 
terly part,"  or  Shawshin.26  From  the  Town  Accounts  for  172927 
it  appears,  that  the  hearing  of  the  parties,  December  5,  before 
the  Court,  occupied  two  days ;  and  the  result  was  so  far  favora- 
ble to  the  petitioners,  as  that  the  Court  chose  a  Committee 
from  their  own  body  to  go  upon  the  ground  and  judge  for  them- 
selves concerning  their  ability  to  sustain  municipal  and  parochial 
institutions,  and  then  to  make  report  to  the  Court,  at  their  next 
session,  what  they  considered  right  and  proper  to  be  done.  28 
Notice  was  given  to  Woburn  of  the  appointment  of  this  Commit- 
tee, and  of  the  object  of  their  coming ; .  and  at  a  meeting  of  the 

M  Records  of  Court,  Vol.  XIV.,  p.  323.    *»  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  39. 

«  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  pp.  42,  43.        ™  Records  of  Court,  Vol.  XIV.,  pp.  330,  331. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  257 

Selectmen,  December  16,  172?,  they  appointed  Messrs.  Jacob 
Wyman  and  Jacob  Wright  « in  behalf  of  the  Selectmen  to  attend 
the  General  Court's  Committee,  upon  their  view  to  Goshen  & 
Shawshin ;  and  Mr.  Caleb  Blogget  to  attend  the  Committee  on 
their  view  upon  Shawshin."  26  The  Court's  Committee,  consisting 
of  Hon.  Jonathan  Dowse  and  Hon.  Spencer  Phips,  Esquires  of 
the  Council  and  of  Mr.  John  Hobson  of  Rowley,  Maj.  Daniel  Epes 
of  Salem,  and  Mr.  Joseph  Hale  of  Boxford,  of  the  House,  appear 
to  have  come  to  Woburn  in  the  summer  of  1730,  and  to  have 
spent  several  days  here  upon  the  business  of  their  appointment ; 
and  their  report  to  the  Court,  given  in  at  the  fall  session,  being 
in  favor  of  granting  the  prayer  of  the  petitioners,  Shawshin  was 
incorporated  as  the  Precinct  or  Second  Parish  of  Woburn, 
September  16,  1730,  0.  S.;  and  Goshen  with  the  westerly 
part  of  Reading,  as  a  distinct  town,  by  the  name  of  Wilmington, 
September  25,  1730,  0.  S.;  or  September  27,  and  October 
6,  according  to  the  present  reckoning  of  time.  The  following 
is  the  report  of  the  Court's  Committee  respecting  Shawshin : 

"  Province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay : 

"  Sept.  16th.  1730. 

"  Jonathan  Dowse  Esqr.,  from  the  Committee  of  both  Houses,  on 
the  petition  of  divers  inhabitants  of  the  Westerly  and  Northwest 
parts  of  Woburn,  praying  for  a  new  Precinct,  gave  in  the  follow- 
ing Report :  Viz. 

"  The  Committee  appointed  on  the  petition  of  the  inhabitants  of 
the  Westerly  and  Northwesterly  parts  of  Woburn,  praying  to  be 
erected  into  a  Township  or  Precinct :  in  obedience  to  the  within 
order  repaired  to  the  land  petitioned  for,  the  Selectmen  of  said 
town  as  well  as  the  Petitioners  being  first  seasonably  notified  of 
the  time  of  the  Committee's  going.  And  after  having  taken  a  full 
and  careful  view  of  the  land,  and  heard  the  parties  on  the  subject 
matter  of  the  petition  at  large,  and  maturely  and  deliberately  con- 
sidered the  same,  and  how  far  the  town  of  Woburn  may  be  hereby 
affected  ;'  are  humbly  of  opinion,  that  it  will  tend  greatly  to  the 
advancement  of  the  public  worship  of  God,  that  the  lands  within 
mentioned  be  erected  into  a  separate  and  distinct  Precinct,  by  the 
following  Bounds  ;  (there  being  a  sufficient  number  of  inhabitants 
therein  to  support  and  maintain  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  there.) 
22* 


258  HISTORY   OF  WOBURN. 

Beginning  at  a  great  rock  on  John  Lilley's  land  to  the  Northward 
of  his  Barn,  extending  thence  on  a  line  to  a  Bridge,  about  ten  rods 
to  the  Southwesterly  side  of  Timothy  Snow's  house,  thence  South- 
westerly till  it  comes  to  Lexington  line,  two  miles  and  an  half  to 
the  Eastward  of  Billerica  Corner  ;  from  thence  Westerly  to  Biller- 
ica  Corner ;  thence  Northerly  till  it  comes  within  one  hundred 
poles  of  Abraham  Jaques'  land ;  thence  to  the  Cold  Spring  Stone 
Bridge,  near  the  figure  of  Four  Tree  4  ;  and  from  thence  Easterly  to 
the  Rock  first  mentioned  ;  excluding  the  house  and  barn  of  the  said 
Timothy  Snow,  and  [excepting?]  whom,  the  Petitioners  shall  be 
erected  into  a  Precinct.  The  Committee  cannot  but  be  of  opinion, 
that  the  charge  of  supporting  the  Minister  in  the  town  or  first 
Parish  in  Woburn,  will  still  be  very  easy  on  the  Inhabitants  of 
that  Parish. 

"  Which  is  submitted  —  In  the  name  and  by  order  of  the  Com- 
mittee 

"July  1,  1730.  "Jonathan  Dowse." 

"  In  Council  Read  and  Ordered  That  this  Report  be  accepted  ; 
and  that  the  lands  above  bounded  and  described  be  erected  into  a 
separate  Precinct  accordingly,  and  that  the  Inhabitants  thereof  be 
vested  with  the  powers  and  priviledges  that  the  inhabitants  of 
other  Precincts  within  this  Province  are  or  ought  by  law  to  be 
vested  with. 

"  In  the  House  of  Representatives,    Read  and  concurred. 

"  Consented  to  :     J.  BELCHER."  a 

"  Report  of  the   Court's  Committee  on  the  Petition  of  Goshen, 

etc.,  etc. 

"  Thursday  Sept.  17.  1730. 

"  Jonathan  Dowse  Esq'r.  from  the  Committee  of  both  Houses  on 
the  Petition  of  the  Inhabitants  of  the  North  Easterly  Part  of 
Woburn  &  the  Westerly  Part  of  Reading  for  a  Township,  gave  in 
the  following,  viz : 

"  The  Committee  appointed  to  repair  to  the  North  Easterly  Part 
of  Woburn  &  Westerly  Part  of  Reading,  to  hear  all  Parties  within 
named,  and  view  the  land  within  described  &  petitioned  for,  to  be 
a  Township :  Having  first  seasonably  notified  the  Selectmen  of 
Woburn  &  Reading,  as  also  the  Petitioners,  of  their  going,  have 
repaired  to  said  Land,  and  taken  a  careful  View  of  the  same,  and 

29  Records  of  Court,  Vol.  XIV.,  pp.  393,  394. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  259 

fully  beard  all  the  Parties  therein  concerned  for  &  against  the 
Prayer  of  the  Petition  ;  And  after  mature  consideration  thereon  in 
all  its  circumstances,  are  humbly  of  opinion,  It  is  highly  reasona- 
ble that  the  Prayer  of  the  Petition  be  granted,  and  that  the  Lands 
within  mentioned  &  describ'd,  be  erected  into  a  separate  &  distinct 
Township,  by  those  Metes  &  Bounds  accordingly,  with  the  following 
additional  Bounds  :  The  Line  to  extend  from  one  hundred  Rods  to 
the  Southerly  side  of  Jaques's  Farm  to  the  Stone  Bridge  called  the 
Cold  Spring  Bridge,  near  the  Tree  called  the  figure  of  Four  Tree 
4  ;  thence  on  a  Line  to  the  Southerly  Corner  of  John  Townsend's 
land,  lately  &  now  in  the  possession  of  Timothy  Townsend,  about 
sixty  rods  Easterly  from  Woburn  "West  Line :  Which  is  submitted. 
"  In  the  Name  &  by  the  Order  of  the  Committee  : 

"JONATHAN  DOWSE. 

"  In  Council  Read  :  and  Ordered  that  this  Report  be  Accepted, 
and  that  Order  [be  taken]  thereon  [that]  the  Petitioners  bring  in  a 
Bill  accordingly. 

"  In  the  House  of  Rep.  Read  &  Concur'd."  * 

Thus  was  accomplished  a  separation,  very  important  in  its 
consequences  to  the  town  of  Woburn,  after  it  had  been  in  agita- 
tion five  years.  By  it,  of  three  hundred  and  twelve  persons 
who  had  been  taxed  to  pay  Rev.  Mr.  Jackson's  salary  in  August 
1730,  while  the  town  yet  remained  undivided,  forty-three  had 
been  set  off,  in  1731,  to  Wilmington,  and  eighty-two  were 
included  within  the  bounds  of  the  Precinct  or  Second  Parish ; 
making  in  all,  two-fifths  of  the  whole  number  of  persons  who 
had  belonged  to  the  First  Parish  in  Woburn  in  1730,  and  been 
then  taxed  in  it,  but  who  now  paid  their  minister  tax  elsewhere : 
inflicting  a  blow  on  the  First  Parish  in  Woburn,  from  which  it 
did  not  recover  for  many  years,  as  we  shall  see  hereafter. 

While  steps  were  taking  for  the  legal  accomplishment  of  this 
separation,  the  majority  of  the  town  were  busily  engaged,  and 
finally  succeeded  in  promoting  the  settlement  of  a  colleague  with 
the  senior  pastor,  Rev.  Mr.  John  Fox.  This  had  become  a  strictly 
necessary  measure,  although  the  urgency  of  its  friends  to  complete 
it,  before  the  then  contemplated  separation  of  a  very  numerous 

*>  Court  Records,  Vol.  XIV.,  p.  395. 


260  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

and  respectable  portion  of  their  fellow  citizens  from  the  town 
or  First  Parish  could  be  carried  into  effect,  could  not  but  give 
rise  to  suspicions  that  were  injurious  to  their  reputation.  For  a 
number  of  years,  Mr.  Fox  had  been  in  a  feeble  state  of  health, 
and  often  unable  to  perform  his  ministerial  duties.  As  far  back 
as  1722,  there  are  four  charges  in  the  Town  Accounts,  for  that 
year,  for  the  hire  of  preachers,  "  when  Mr  Fox  was  sick." 31 
At  a  meeting  of  the  Selectmen,  December  13, 1725,  after  agreeing 
with  Mr.  Samuel  Jennison  (subsequently  minister  of  Shrews- 
bury) to  keep  the  grammar  school  in  Woburn,  three  months, 
from  December  15,  they  add  in  the  Records,  "And  we  do 
expect  that  the  said  Samuell  Jennison  should  assist  to  preach  for 
ye  Rev.  Mr  Fox,  as  often  as  occasion  should  serve,  he  being  often 
indisposed  and  uncapable  to  preach."32  And,  accordingly,  the 
Town  Accounts  for  1725  do  show  that  Mr.  Jennison  preached 
for  Mr.  Fox,  while  keeping  school,  ten  Sabbaths  and  one-half 
day,  at  the  town's  expense;33  and  in  1726,  the  same  Mr.  Jenni- 
son preached  two  Sabbaths  more ;  and  Mr.  Habijah  Weld,  six- 
teen Sabbaths,  at  the  expense  of  the  town.34  And  at  subsequent 
periods,  the  charges  are  not  uncommon  for  the  supply  of  the 
pulpit  by  the  town,  in  consequence  of  Mr.  Fox's  illness,  and 
the  prospect  seemed  to  be,  that  unless  stated,  settled  help  were 
soon  provided  for  him,  he  would  become  ere  long,  altogether 
unable  to  carry  on  the  work  of  the  ministry. 

Accordingly,  at  a  general  meeting,  April  4,  1728,  the  town 
voted,  first,  "  that  it  was  high  time  to  be  in  a  way  to  settle 
another  minister  among  us ;  "  and  2dly,  "  that  the  town  would 
hear  three  or  four  ministers  preach  severall  Sabbath  days,  in 
order  to  settle  one  to  help  Mr.  Fox."  35  The  only  prominent 
candidate  for  this  office,  whom  they  appear  to  have  employed, 
was  Mr.  Edward  Jackson  of  Newton,  a  graduate  of  Harvard 
College  in  1719.  In  him,  the  people  became  speedily  so  far 
united,  that  at  a  town  meeting,  July  18,  1728,  the  church  having 
previously  informed  the  inhabitants  of  their  choice  of  him  «  for 

si  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI., p.  157.  8S  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  146. 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  262.  »«  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  pp.  232,  294. 

M  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  347. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  261 

their  minister,  in  order  to  his  further  settlement  with  them  in 
convenient  time,"  the  town  immediately  chose  him,  "  by  145 
votes,  for  a  Minister  for  the  town  of  Woburn."  x  They  also 
appointed  a  committee  of  ten  to  inform  Mr.  Jackson  of  the 
choice  of  him  by  the  church  and  town  for  their  minister,  viz : 
the  four  deacons,  Samuel  Walker,  William  Lock,  George  Reed, 
and  James  Thompson;  also,  Messrs.  Joseph  Wright,  Samuel 
Richardson,  John  Fowle,  Jonathan  Poole,  Jacob  Wyman  and 
Capt.  Stephen  Richardson ;  and  having  directed  this  committee 
to  see  to  the  supply  of  the  pulpit  in  the  mean  while,  they 
adjourned  the  meeting  to  the  first  Tuesday  in  September  next 
ensuing. 

At  this  adjourned  meeting,  September  3,  1728,  it  was  voted 
to  grant  "to  Mr.  Edward  Jackson  two  hundred  and  fifty  pounds 
settlement,  if  he  settle  in  the  work  of  the  Ministry  in  Woburn ;  " 
and  also  "  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds  salary  per  year  in 
Bills  of  Credit,  as  the  money  now  is,  so  long  as  he  carrys  on 
the  work  of  the  ministry  in  Woburn." 37  After  re-appointing 
the  former  committee,  and  requesting  some  of  them  to  go  to 
Mr.  Jackson,  and  persuade  him  to  come  to  Woburn  and  preach 
the  next  Sabbath  day,  they  adjourned  the  meeting  to  September 
23,  and  then  again  to  October  14,  1728. 

In  the  mean  while,  Rev.  Mr.  Fox  had  begun  to  manifest 
uneasiness  at  the  proceedings  going  on.  What  the  cause  of  his 
uneasiness  was,  we  are  not  told.  But  when  it  is  considered, 
that,  according  to  well  substantiated  tradition,  these  two  minis- 
ters showed  afterwards  a  rooted  antipathy  to  each  other,  it 
seems  no  improbable  supposition,  that  Mr.  Fox  had  already 
imbibed  a  personal  prejudice  against  Mr.  Jackson,  and  that  he 
felt  averse  to  receive  him  as  his  colleague.  To  obviate  the 
difficulty,  whatever  occasioned  it,  the  town,  at  their  adjourned 
meeting,  October  14,  1728,  chose  a  committee  of  nine,  "to 
goe  to  the  Rev.  Mr  Fox  to  see  if  they  can  make  things  easy 
with  him ;  and  if  there  be  need,  they  shall  goe  to  some  of  the 
neighbouring  ministers."  The  committee  chosen  for  this  pur- 

*>  Town  Record*,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  849.  »'  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  350. 


262  HISTORY   OF    WOBURN. 

pose  were  Ensign  Samuel  Blogget,  Messrs.  Jonathan  Thompson, 
Josiah  Johnson,  John  Tidd,  Senr.,  Deacons  Lock,  Thompson, 
Walker,  and  Reed,  and  Lieut.  Peirson  Richardson,  who  were 
also  to  go  and  treat  with  Mr.  Jackson  "  to  supply  the  pulpit 
for  the  present " :  and  to  the  above  numerous  committee,  they 
voted  at  an  adjournment  of  this  meeting,  November  11,  1728,  to 
add  four  men  more,  viz,  Mr.  Jacob  Wyman,  Jonathan  Poole, 
Esq.,  and  Messrs.  John  Peirce  and  Joseph  Wright.38 

This  large,  overwhelming  committee  of  thirteen  (with  help 
from  neighboring  ministers,  if  needed)  appears  either  to  have 
persuaded  Rev.  Mr.  Fox  freely  to  give  his  consent  to  Mr.  Jack- 
son's settlement  with  him  as  a  colleague,  or  (which  is  more  prob- 
able) to  have  extorted  from  him  a  reluctant,  unwilling  assent 
to  it.  And  Mr.  Jackson  seems  to  have  given  an  affirmative 
answer  to  the  call  he  had  received  from  the  church  and  town  to 
the  pastoral  and  ministerial  office,  in  the  course  of  that  winter. 
For,  at  the  annual  town  meeting,  March  3,  1728-9,  it  was  voted 
that  the  former  committee,  chosen  October  14,  and  November 
11,  1728,  "should  be  a  committee  still,  in  power  to  proceed 
with  the  Church  in  bringing  forward  the  ordination  of  Mr. 
Edward  Jackson ;  and  to  proceed  in  calling  such  help  of  Elders 
and  Churches,  as  should  be  necessary  in  that  case :  and  that 
they  be  a  committee  to  proceed  to  supply  the  pulpit,  untill  the 
matter  be  accomplished,  or  further  order  of  the  Town  be  given 
them." 

And,  further,  it  was  voted,  that  "  the  Town  would  by  a  free 
Contribution  pay  for  preaching  for  the  present,  to  Mr.  Edward 
Jackson,  if  he  supply  the  pulpit,  till  the  Town  see  cause  to 
come  into  some  other  method." 39 

Agreeably  to  the  vote  at  March  meeting,  1729,  due  prepara- 
tions for  the  solemnity  having  been  made  by  the  committee, 
Rev.  Mr.  Edward  Jackson  was  ordained  as  colleague  pastor 
with  Rev.  Mr.  John  Fox  over  the  church  of  Woburn,  August  1, 
1729.  40  What  churches  were  sent  to  on  the  occasion,  and  what 
the  exercises  were  of  the  solemnity,  and  by  whom  conducted, 

«»  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  pp.  350,  351.  »  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  370. 

*>  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  11. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  263 

no  known  memorial  has  been  preserved.  The  Town  Records 
however  have  transmitted  some  account  of  the  splendid  and 
costly  entertainment  made  by  the  town  at  the  ordination,  in  a 
bill  of  Jonathan  Poole,  Esq.,  who  was  employed  to  provide  it. 
The  following  is  a  copy : 

"  To  Mr  Jonathan  Poole  Esqr  for  subsisting  the  Ministers 
and  Messengers  and  Gentlemen  in  the  time  of  Mr.  Jackson's 
Ordination : 

"  To  433  Dinners  a  2" :  6da  Dinner         .          £54 :    2  :  6d 
"  To  Suppers  &  Breakfasts,  178:.         .  08:18:0 

« To  keeping  32  horses  4  days :      .         .  3:0:0 

« To  Six  Barrils  &  %  of  Cyder        .         .  4:11:0 

"  To  25  Gallons  of  wine  .         .  9:10:0 

«  To  2  Gallons  of  Brandy  &  4  Gallons  Rhum       1:16:0 
'.<  To  Loaf  Suger,  Lime  Juice  &  Pipes      .  1:12:0 


N  "£83:    9:6."41 

Here  is  a  bill,  amounting  to  more  than  two-thirds  of  a  year's 
salary  pledged  to  Mr.  Jackson,  for  articles  consumed  at  his 
ordination  entertainment.  Our  fathers  were,  generally  speak- 
ing, very  prudent  men  in  their  use  of  money ;  and  more  apt  to 
be  parsimonious  than  profuse  in  their  expenses  for  public  pur- 
poses. But  here  is  an  instance,  that,  in  a  comparative  view, 
seems  to  be  well  entitled  to  the  charge  of  extravagance.  And 
such  was  the  general  character  of  ordination  expenses  during 
the  last  century.  How  came  it  to  be  so  ?  Ordinations  in  the 
times  of  the  Apostles,  were  solemnized  with  prayer  and  fast- 
ing.42 Such,  too,  was  the  custom  in  the  Church  of  England,  from 
which,  for  greater  purity's  sake,  our  ancestors  separated.  In 
that  Church,  all  ordinations  are  appointed  to  be  held,  exclu- 
sively, upon  the  Sundays  immediately  following  the  Ember 


41  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  42.  Esquire  Poole's  bill  against  the  town 
for  expenses  at  Mr.  Jackson's  ordination  was  not  the  only  one.  Another 
follows:  "  To  Mr  Noah  Richardson  for  keeping  the  Ministers' &  Messen- 
gers' horses,  in  the  time  of  Mr  Jackson's  ordination  .  .  .  £2.0.0."  —  Town 
Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  43. 

«  Acts  xvi.  3. 


264  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

weeks,  (as  certain  stated  quarterly  solemnities  were  called,)  that 
were  set  apart  for  this  purpose  among  others,  to  implore,  with 
fasting  and  prayer,  the  divine  blessing  upon  the  candidates,  then 
to  be  brought  to  the  bishop  to  be  ordained.43  Such,  also,  was  the 
custom  of  the  Presbyterians,  who  rose  upon  the  ruins  of  Episco- 
pacy in  the  time  of  the  Westminster  Assembly.  Through  their 
influence,  an  ordinance  was  made  by  Parliament,  directing  that 
all  ordinations  should  be  performed  with  prayer  and  fasting.44 
And  such,  too,  was  the  custom  of  our  Puritan  ancestors  them- 
selves, at  their  first  settlement  in  this  country.  Their  earliest 
ordinations  were  wont  to  be  celebrated  on  days  of  solemn 
fasting  and  prayer.45  Whence  then  the  change  ?  This  can  be 
accounted  for,  it  seems,  only  in  this  way.  The  earliest  ordina- 
tions here  were  performed  by  the  churches  themselves,  over 
which  candidates  were  to  be  ordained,  without  the  aid  of  the 
elders  of  other  churches.  But  when  it  became  common  for 
churches,  over  which  pastors  were  to  be  ordained,  to  ask  sister 
churches  abroad  to  aid  by  their  elders  and  messengers  in  the 
solemnity,  then  it  became  necessary  to  provide  for  their  hospi- 
table entertainment.  And  entertainments  on  such  occasions,  at 
first  probably  plain  and  simple,  and  by  no  means  to  be  censured, 
came  at  length  to  be  sumptuous :  and  hence  ordinations,  from 
being  solemn  religious  services,  degenerated  in  too  many  in- 
stances, into  occasions  of  excessive  feasting  and  noisy  dissipa- 
tion. An  aged  minister  in  this  county  once  said  in  my  hearing, 
that  at  his  ordination,  about  half  a  century  previous,  such  was 
the  noise  and  confusion  on  the  common  before  the  meeting-house, 
that  the  exercises  within  it  could  scarcely  be  heard.  And  ordi- 
nations and  commencements,  where  it  might  be  reasonably 
expected  that  good  order  and  decorum  would  prevail,  became 
too  often  scenes  of  noisy  mirth  and  excess. 

48  Wheatly  on  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  Appendix  to  Chapter  IV.,  Section  2;  and 
Chapter  V.,  Section  2. 

«  Neal's  History  of  the  Puritans,  Vol.  III.,  Chap,  vi.,  pp.  281,  282. 
«  Winthrop's  History,  by  Savage,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  36, 114, 135,  259. 


CHAPTER  IX 

Variance  between  Rev.  Messrs.  Fox  and  Jackson.  — Lawsuits  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Fox,  and  of  Rev.  Mr.  Jackson,  against  the  Town,  1732,  1740.  —  Sale  of 
the  2,000  Acres  in  1734.  —Management  of  the  Committee  of  Trust  till 
1772. 

THE  preceding  chapter  of  this  history  of  Woburn  gives  an 
account  of  the  settlement  of  Rev.  Edward  Jackson,  as  colleague 
pastor  with  Rev.  John  Fox,  in  1729 ;  and  of  the  incorporation 
of  the  northerly  quarter  of  the  town,  or  Goshen,  as  a  distinct 
town,  by  the  name  of  Wilmington,  and  of  its  northwesterly 
quarter,  or  Shawshin,  as  its  Second  Precinct,  in  1730.  These 
measures  had  been  rendered  in  a  degree  necessary,  by  the  fail- 
ure of  Mr.  Fox's  health,  and  by  the  remoteness  of  the  districts 
just  named  from  the  place  of  public  worship.  Still,  their 
immediate  consequences  to  Woburn  were  embarrassing  or 
disastrous,  and  gave  an  apparent  check  to  its  previous  pros- 
perity, from  which  it  did  not  fully  recover  for  many  years. 

The  separation  of  Wilmington  from  Woburn  gave  rise  at 
once  to  numerous  perplexing  questions,  respecting  taxes  for  the 
ministry,  paupers,  and  the  undivided  lands  of  Woburn  that  lay 
within  the  bounds  of  Wilmington.  In  one  or  two  instances,  these 
questions  were  settled  by  mutual  agreement.  But  most  of  them 
were  put  to  rest  only  by  the  decision  of  the  judicial  tribunals  of 
the  County,  or  by  the  positive  refusal  of  Woburn  to  act  upon  the 
petitions  of  Wilmington  in  relation  to  them.  For  example,  at 
the  first  town  meeting  held  in  Wilmington,  October  20,  1730,  a 
committee  of  three  was  appointed  to  attempt  the  recovery  from 
Woburn  of  their  proportion  of  Rev.  Mr.  Jackson's  settlement 
money  and  first  year's  salary.1  This  had  been  assessed  upon 
those  inhabitants  of  Wilmington  who  belonged  originally  to 
Woburn,  within  a  month  after  Mr.  Jackson's  ordination,  and  but 

1  Wilmington  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  2. 
23 


266  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

little  more  than  a  year  before  their  incorporation  into  a  separate 
town.  But  as  the  money  was  assessed  and  demanded  of  them 
after  they  had  petitioned  to  be  erected  into  a  distinct  township, 
and  while  the  General  Court  actually  had  their  petition  under 
consideration,  they  thought  themselves  fairly  entitled  to  a  reim- 
bursement of  what  had  been  exacted  of  them  under  such  circum- 
stances. Accordingly,  a  petition  to  this  end  from  Wilmington 
was  exhibited  at  town  meeting  in  Woburn,  March  1,  1730-1, 
with  a  request  that  an  article,  correspondent  to  it,  might  be 
inserted  in  the  warrant  for  their  meeting  in  May.  But  this 
unwelcome  petition  was  at  once  summarily  disposed  of.  No 
sooner  was  it  read,  than  the  inhabitants  of  Woburn  refused  by 
vote  to  notice  it  in  the  warrant  referred  to ;  and  the  subject  does 
not  appear  to  have  been  ever  brought  before  them  by  Wil- 
mington again.2 

In  the  mean  while,  the  inhabitants  of  the  precinct  could  not 
rest  content  with  their  newly  acquired  parish  privileges,  but 
aspired  at  those  of  a  town,  like  those  of  their  neighbors  at  Wil- 
mington. At  a  precinct  meeting,  January  24,  1733—4  (which 
was  less  than  four  years  after  their  legal  separation  from  the 
First  Parish),  they  chose  a  committee  to  apply  to  the  Selectmen 
for  a  town  meeting,  to  see  if  Woburn  would  consent  to  their 
being  set  off  as  a  town  by  themselves,  with  their  proportionate 
share  in  its  lands,  revenues,  etc. 3  And  so  zealous  were  they 
for  this  measure,  that  within  a  little  more  than  seven  years  from 
this  time,  two  other  committees  were  successively  chosen  by  them 
with  this  end  in  view.3  Whether  the  town  was  harassed 
with  applications  from  each  of  these  three  committees  does  not 
appear  from  the  Records.  The  petition  presented  by  the  one 
first  elected,  and  laid  before  the  town  at  a  meeting  February 
19,  1733—4,  received  so  much  attention,  that  a  committee  of 
five  was  then  chosen  to  confer  with  the  Precinct  Committee, 
and  agree  upon  proposals  to  be  acted  upon  at  an  adjourned 
meeting.  But  when  the  town  came  together  at  the  adjournment, 
they  negatived  the  precinct's  request.4  And  though  the  scheme 

»  Wilmington  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  2.    Woburn  Records,  Vol.  VTL,  p.  86. 

»  Precinct  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  49,  99, 119.  *  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  165. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  267 

of  being  erected  into  a  separate  township  was  afterwards 
repeatedly  revived  in  the  precinct,  yet  it  was  without  success 
till  about  the  close  of  the  last  century. 

All  these  and  other  like  questions  and  petitions,  arising  out 
of  the  measures  alluded  to  in  the  beginning  of  this  chapter, 
were  in  themselves  sufficiently  annoying ;  and  whether  founded 
in  reason  a^id  equity  or  not,  yet  being  urged  with  zeal,  and  some 
of  them  with  a  persevering  importunity,  they  must  needs  have 
been  to  the  town  a  source  of  much  perplexity  and  vexation. 

But  there  were  ill  consequences  to  Woburn,  growing  out  of 
Mr.  Jackson's  ordination,  and  the  incorporation  of  Wilmington 
and  the  Second  Parish,  which  were  far  more  serious  than  those 
just  mentioned. 

One  was,  the  well  known  unhappy  dissension  between  the 
ministers  of  the  First  Parish,  Rev.  Messrs.  Fox  and  Jackson, 
and  the  consequent  division  of  their  people  into  parties.  On 
what  precisely  this  dissension  was  founded,  has  not  been  trans- 
mitted for  our  information.  Not  improbably,  Mr.  Fox  conceived 
early  a  personal  dislike  to  Mr.  Jackson,  or  took  offence  at 
something  advanced  in  his  preaching;  and  this  was  afterwards, 
perhaps,  increased  by  viewing  him  as  the  occasion  of  diverting 
his  people's  affections  and  kind  attentions  from  himself,  and 
possibly,  too,  by  Mr.  Jackson's  neglecting  to  show  him  all  the 
respect  and  deference  to  which  he  thought  himself  entitled  as 
the  senior  pastor. 

But  however  the  difference  between  them  originated,  it  cer- 
tainly commenced  with  Mr.  Jackson's  ministry  at  Woburn : 5 
and,  instead  of  diminishing  as  time  progressed,  and  acquaintance 
with  one  another  increased,  it  grew  into  a  settled,  thorough 
aversion ;  so  that,  as  tradition  says,  they  would  not  speak  to 
each  other  in  the  pulpit.  And  this  mutual  alienation  of  these 
two  professed  servants  of  the  Prince  of  peace,  had  a  most 
baleful  effect  upon  his  cause  in  this  place.  Particularly,  it 
became  an  occasion  of  division  and  bitter  animosity  among 
the  people  of  their  charge.  Every  man  in  the  parish  had  his 

6  First  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  238.    Petition. 


268  HISTORY   OP  WOBURN. 

preference  for  one  minister  or  the  other.  And  these  partialities 
set  the  friends  of  each  in  hostile  array  against  the  friends  of  the 
other,  and  long  made  the  town  a  scene  of  frequent  strife  and 
contention.  An  aged  and  very  intelligent  citizen  of  Woburn, 
now  deceased,6  once  observed  to  me,  that  his  parents  used  to  tell 
him  in  his  youth,  that  these  parties  far  exceeded  those  which 
arose  more  recently  in  Rev.  Mr.  Sargeant's  day,  in  tjeir  bitter- 
ness towards  one  another ;  so  that  when  two  opponents  met  in 
the  street,  both  would  often  be  ready  to  fight,  before  one  would 
give  the  other  the  wall.  With  such  feelings  towards  one  another 
in  the  week  time,  it  is  not  surprising,  that  they  could  not  always 
worship  comfortably  together  on  the  Sabbath;  nor  that  the 
lamentable  alienation  of  these  two  ministers,  and  its  consequen- 
ces upon  their  people,  should  furnish,  as  it  eventually  did,  a 
successful  plea  for  a  further  division  of  the  First  Parish  into 
the  First  and  Third. 

Another  most  serious  evil  to  Woburn,  resulting  from  Mr. 
Jackson's  ordination,  and  from  the  separation  of  Wilmington, 
and  of  the  Second  Parish  from  the  First,  was  the  increased 
difficulty  of  sustaining  the  ministry  in  the  First  Parish,  and  the 
consequent  repeated  and  unsuccessful  lawsuits  with  Mr.  Fox. 
From  1716  to  1728,  when  the  town  was  rapidly  advancing, 
both  in  numbers  and  wealth,  and  Mr.  Fox  was  its  only  minister, 
the  burden  of  his  salary  was  comparatively  light  j  and,  repeat- 
edly during  that  period,  the  town,  of  its  own  accord,  voted  a 
handsome  and  continually  increasing  addition  to  his  stated 
compensation,  corresponding  to  the  increasing  depreciation  of 
the  currency  in  which  it  was  paid.  But  as  soon  as  the  infirm 
health  of  Mr.  Fox  had  made  it  evident  that  a  new  minister  must 
be  settled,  and  the  prospect  opened  of  the  success  of  Goshen  and 
Shawshin  in  their  attempts  at  separation,  the  accustomed  gene- 
rosity of  this  people  towards  their  aged  minister  ceased,  and 
was  soon  followed  by  a  seeming  reluctance  even  to  do  him 
justice.  For  each  of  the  years,  1729  and  1730,  they  granted  him 
only  £80,  his  nominal  salary,  paid  in  depreciated  bills  of  credit ; 

«  Mr.  Bartholomew  Richardson. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  269 

and  in  1731  and  1732,  when  the  incorporation  of  Wilmington 
and  the  Second  Parish  had  left  them  with  two  ministers  to  main- 
tain, and  diminished  means  for  doing  it,  they  wholly  neglected 
to  raise  any  sum  whatever  for  his  support. 

This  ungenerous  (not  to  say  unjust)  treatment  of  their  senior 
pastor,  was  not,  however,  without  plausible  pretexts  to  palliate 
or  excuse  it,  and  perhaps,  in  the  eye  of  some,  to  justify  it.  In 
1704,  when  the  town  covenanted  to  give  Mr.  Fox  an  annual 
salary  of  ,£40  in  money,  and  £40  in  corn  and  other  provisions 
at  market  price,  paper  money  (then  but  recently  introduced  into 
the  country)  had  fallen  but  little  below  its  nominal  value ;  and 
hence  no  clause  was  inserted  in  their  contract  with  him,  as 
there  was  afterwards  in  that  with  Mr.  Jackson,  providing  against 
depreciation  in  the  currency,  and  engaging  to  make  his  salary 
always  as  good  as  it  was  when  first  granted.  Moreover,  in 
regard  to  the  continuance  of  that  contract,  it  was  expressly 
stipulated  in  it,  that  it  was  "  to  remaine  so  long  as  the  said  Mr 
John  Fox  shall  continue  and  carry  on  the  whole  work  of  the 
Ministry  in  Woobourne :  " 7  and,  therefore,  when  blindness  and 
sickness  rendered  him  unable,  for  the  time,  to  labor  in  his  voca- 
tion, and  Mr.  Jackson  was  ordained  as  a  colleague  pastor  to 
assist  him,  or  supply  his  place,  this  contract  became  in  law, 
strictly  speaking,  null  and  void.  Hence,  when  the  town  voted 
him,  in  1729  and  1730,  ,£80  per  annum  in  bills  of  credit,  which 
had  then  sunk  more  than  one-half  below  their  nominal  value,8 
the  people  still  did  as  much  as  the  letter  of  their  contract 
required ;  and  when  they  failed  the  two  following  years  to  grant 
him  any  salary  whatever,  they  might  still  plead  in  their  defence, 
with  some  color  of  reason,  that  they  had  broken  no  engagement : 
that  their  original  contract  with  Mr.  Fox  had  expired,  and  there 
was  no  other  to  fulfil. 

This  difficulty,  arising  from  the  failure  of  his  contract,  Mr. 
Fox  seems  to  have  anticipated  with  uneasiness,  and  to  have 


*  Town  Records,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  270. 

8  Felt  on  Massachusetts  Currency,  pp.  83, 135.  "In  1710,  Bills  were  worth  at  the  rate  of 
8/  for  an  ounce  of  silver."  "In  1730,  Bills  were  in  proportion  of  21/,  20/,  and  19/  for 
one  ounce  of  silver." 


270  HISTORY   OF  WOBURN. 

objected,  in  view  of  it,  to  the  ordination  of  Mr.  Jackson  as  his 
colleague,  unless  the  town  would  come  into  some  new  engage- 
ment with  himself  respecting  his  future  support.  For,  at  a  town 
meeting,  October  14,  1728,  shortly"  after  the  inhabitants  had 
given  to  Mr.  Jackson  a  call  to  the  ministry,  and  while  they  were 
treating  with  him  about  his  settlement,  they  chose  a  large  and 
highly  respectable  committee  of  nine,  which  was  subsequently 
enlarged  to  thirteen,  « to  goe  to  the  Rev*-  Mr  Fox  to  see  if  they 
can  make  things  easy  with  him  j  and  if  there  be  need,  they  shall 
goe  to  some  of  the  neighbouring  ministers."  9  What  the  uneasi- 
ness of  Mr.  Fox  was,  which  this  committee  was  to  attempt  allay- 
ing, is  no  where  explained  in  the  Records.  Possibly,  it  arose 
from  the  disaffection  he  had  felt,  from  the  beginning,  towards 
Mr.  Jackson,  and  the  dreary  prospect  of  being  connected  in  the 
ministry  for  life  with  one  whom  he  could  not  cordially  approve. 
It  is  more  likely,  however,  that  his  uneasiness  was  occasioned  by 
anxiety  respecting  his  support  after  Mr.  Jackson  should  be  set- 
tled, and  his  own  contract  should  cease.  But  if  this  were  so, 
this  committee  had  no  authority  from  the  town  to  enter  into 
any  new  engagement  on  their  behalf  with  Mr.  Fox  respecting 
his  compensation.  All  they  were  expected  to  do  was,  by  fair 
words,  to  persuade  him  to  waive  his  objections  to  Mr.  Jackson's 
ordination  for  the  present :  and  when  that  solemnity  was  over, 
the  town  would  be  left  at  liberty  to  act  on  this  subject  as  it 


But  though  the  town's  contract  with  Mr.  Fox  at  settlement 
was  now  expired,  and  could  avail  him  nothing  to  compel  his 
people  to  pay  him  annually  the  salary  stipulated  therein,  yet 
they  were  not  released  hereby  in  equity  from  all  obligations  to 
him.  He  was  still  their  ordained,  settled  minister.  No  dismis- 
sion from  office  had  ever  been  asked  on  his  part,  or  granted  on 
theirs.  No  charge  of  immorality,  no  complaint  of  incompetency 
or  unfaithfulness  in  the  discharge  of  his  ministerial  duties  had 
been  alleged  against  him.  He  had  labored  for  their  good  nearly 
thirty  of  the  best  years  of  his  life,  without  complaint  on  their 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  pp.  350,  351. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBTJRN.  271 

part,  and  apparently  to  their  general  acceptance :  and  now  that 
the  hand  of  God  was  upon  him,  afflicting  him  with  weakness  of 
body,  and  blindness  of  eyes,  this  surely  was  no  valid  reason  for 
casting  him  off  in  his  declining  days,  and  turning  him  adrift  on 
the  world,  to  get  his  living  as  he  could.  Under  the  circum- 
stances of  his  case,  both  the  law  of  equity  held  them  bound  to 
make  some  competent  provision  for  his  support,  and  the  then 
law  of  the  land  obliged  them  to  do  it. 

Of  these,  his^  claims  both  in  law  and  equity  upon  his  people, 
Mr.  Fox  was  well  aware.  And,  therefore,  having  repeatedly 
remonstrated  with  them  for  their  neglect,  and  waited  patiently 
for  the  desired  result  without  success,  he  was  at  length  com- 
pelled, by  his  necessities,  to  commence  a  legal  prosecution.  In 
the  spring  of  1 732,  he  entered  a  formal  complaint  with  the  Court 
of  Sessions  for  this  County,  praying  for  their  interference  on 
his  behalf.  This  received  a  hearing  at  Cambridge  in  July: 
and  hereupon  an  Order  of  Court  was  duly  issued  for  serving 
the  Town  Clerk  of  Woburn  with  a  copy  of  Mr.  Fox's  complaint 
or  petition,  and  for  citing  the  town  to  appear  and  answer  to  it 
at  their  next  session.  At  a  town  meeting  in  Woburn,  November 
2,  1732,  called,  apparently,  on  purpose  to  consider  what  should 
be  done  in  the  case,  a  motion  was  made  by  some  for  the  choice 
of  a  committee  to  settle  the  difficulty  with  Mr.  Fox,  before  any 
further  proceedings  of  the  Court  were  had :  but  the  majority 
were  for  standing  a  trial.  And,  accordingly,  Messrs.  Josiah 
Johnson,  Samuel  Richardson  and  Jacob  Wyman  were  chosen  a 
committee  on  behalf  of  the  town,  "to  answer  the  Revd  Mr 
Fox's  Complaint,  [then]  depending  in  Court,  and  to  appeal,  if 
they  saw  cause,  from  Court  to  Court,"  unto  a  final  issue.10  Both 
parties  had  a  hearing  before  the  Court  of  Sessions  at  Charles- 
town  in  December ;  and  the  case  was  decided  in  favor  of  Mr. 
Fox.  The  subjoined  extract  from  the  records  of  that  Court,  to 
which  are  added  the  names  of  the  places  where  the  Judges 
belonged)  exhibits  a  concise  view  of  Mr.  Fox's  complaint,  of 
Woburn's  defence  by  its  committee,  and  of  the  judgment  of  the 
Court,  with  the  grounds  upon  which  it  was  based. 

*>  Town  Records,  Vol.  VH.,  p.  123. 


272  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

"  Middlesex  ss.  At  his  Majesty's  Court  of  General  Sessions  of 
the  Peace,  begun  &  held  for  &  within  the  County  of  Middlesex 
at  Charlestown  on  the  Second  Tuesday  in  December,  being  the 
twelfth  day  of  said  Month  Anno  Domini  One  thousand  seven  hun- 
dred and  thirty  two,  In  the  sixth  year  of  His  Majesty's  Reign, 
By  His  Majesty's  Justices  of  said  Court : 

"  JONATHAN  REMINGTON  [Cambridge] 

JONATHAN  DOWSE       }  rnh«ri*«rf™ml  Es(l"- 

CHARLES  CHAMBERS 


u  o     _i 

I  [Charlestown] 


FRANCIS  FULLAM  [Weston] 

JOSEPH  BUCKMINSTER  [Framinghain] 


Justices    of   Said 
Court." 


THOMAS  GREAVES  [Charlestown] 
FRANCIS  BOWMAN  [Cambridge] 
ELEAZAR  TYNG  [Dunstable] 

"  Upon  reading  the  Petition  "and  Complaint  of  the  Rev.  Mr 
John  Fox  of  Woburn  in  the  County  of  Middlesex,  Clerk,  Showing 
that  whereas  the  Petitioner  has  been  settled  in  the  work  of  the 
Ministry  in  said  Town  for  more  than  twenty  eight  years  past, 
Which  work  and  duty  your  Petitioner  chearfully  discharged  in 
said  Town  for  many  Years,  but  God  having  in  his  Providence  so 
ordered  it  that  for  more  than  four  Years  past  the  Petitioner  has 
been  labouring  under  great  bodily  pains  and  weakness,  insomuch 
that  he  hath  thereby  been  almost  wholly  taken  off  the  duties  of  his 
function  :  And  whereas  there  has  been  a  neglect  of  the  Inhabitants 
of  said  Town  in  makeing  sufficient  provision  for  the  support  of  the 
Petitioner  for  some  years  past,  Viz*.  Seventeen  hundred  twenty 
nine  &  Seventeen  hundred  thirty,  At  or  before  which  time  the  Con- 
tract between  the  Petitioner  &  said  Town  was  expired.  Allowing 
him  but  Eighty  Pounds  per  Annum  in  Province  Bills,  as  may  be 
made  to  appear  by  Town  Records  :  And  whereas  there  has  been  a 
total  neglect  of  makeiug  any  Provision  at  all  for  the  support  and 
maintenance  of  the  Petitioner  fo~  almost  this  year  and  half  last 
past,  Viz*,  from  the  year  Seventeen  hundred  thirty,  Notwithstand- 
ing his  repeated  Applications  for  relief;  the  Petitioner  with  the 
greatest  Concern  and  Sorrow  is  obliged  from  the  most  pressing 
Necessities  as  a  Gospel  Minister  now  to  address  the  Court  that  they 
would  consider  his  condition  so  far  as  to  order  him  a  Competent 
Allowance  for  his  relief  and  maintenance  as  the  Law  has  made  pro- 
vision for  remedy  &  redress  where  such  neglects  have  been,  As  by 
the  Petition  or  Complaint  on  file  :  Which  Petition  was  preferred  at 


HISTORY   OF   WOBUEN.  273 

the  Court  of  the  General  Sessions  of  the  Peace  holden  by  Adjourn- 
ment at  Cambridge  on  the  first  Tuesday  of  July  last,  When  it  was 
ordered  that  the  Selectmen  of  Woburn  be  served  with  a  Copy  of 
the  Petition  by  the  Petitioner  that  they  appear  at  the  then  next 
Court  to  shew  Cause  (if  any  they  have)  why  the  Prayer  of  the 
Petition  should  not  be  granted,  When  the  Consideration  of  the  Peti- 
tion was  continued  to  this  Term : 

"  The  Parties  by  their  Attorneys  now  appearing,  and  after  a  full 
hearing  of  the  Pleas  and  Allegations  of  the  Petitioner  together 
with  the  Answer  of  the  Committee  of  the  Town  of  Woburn,  who 
Insist  upon  an  Agreement  made  by  the  said  Town  with  the  Peti- 
tioner some  time  after  his  settlement  amongst  them,  it  appearing 
by  the  Confession  of  the  said  Committee  that  no  Allowance  has 
been  made  for  the  Support  of  the  Petitioner  since  the  fourth  day  of 
March  seventeen  hundred  thirty  thirty  one,  And  that  the  Petitioner 
is  &  continues  to  be  a  Settled  Minister  in  said  Town,  and  was 
never  as  yet  discharged  therefrom,  And  that  by  the  Providence  of 
God,  and  for  no  other  reason  the  Petitioner  is  disabled  from  dis- 
chargeing  his  Office  as  a  Minister  of  the  Gospel  amongst  them, 
And  no  Contract  appearing  (now  in  force)  whereby  any  Support  or 
Maintenance  is  provided  for  the  Petitioner  during  such  his  Inability 
as  aforesaid,  or  that  can  Enervate  the  force  of  the  Law  of  this 
Province,  enabling  the  Court  of  General  Sessions  of  the  Peace 
effectually  to  provide  for  the  Support  of  Ministers  not  otherwise 
provided  for :  It's  therefore  Considered  by  the  Court  that  the  Sum 
of  Eighty  Pounds  in  Money  or  good  Bills  of  Credit  on  this  Prov- 
ince for  the  Year  Seventeen  hundred  thirty  one,  As  also  the  Sum 
of  Eighty  pounds  in  like  money  for  the  Year  Current,  Viz*.  Seven- 
teen hundred  thirty  two  be  allowed  to  the  Petitioner  for  his  Support 
and  Maintenance.  And  Ordered  that  a  Warrant  from  this  Court 
Issue  out  to  the  Selectmen  of  said  Town  requireing  them  forthwith 
to  Assess  the  Several  Sums  before  mentioned  on  the  Inhabitants 
of  said  Town  in  manner  &  proportion  as  the  Law  in  that 
Case  provided  doth  direct,  And  Cause  the  same  to  be  Levyed 
by  the  Constables  of  said  Town  by  a  warrant  under  the  hands 
of  the  said  Selectmen  or  of  the  Town  Clerk  by  their  Order, 
And  that  they  pay  the  same  unto  the  Petitioner  on  or  before 
the  first  day  of  May  next.  Also  that  the  Petitioner  shall 
Recover  and  have  of  the  said  Town  of  Woburn  his  Costs  of  prose- 
cution taxed  at  two  pounds  sixteen  shillings  &  six  pence."  n 

"  Records  of  Court  of  Sessions  for  Middlesex,  Vol.  from  1728  to  1736,  p.  291. 


274  HISTORY   OP    WOBURN. 

From  this  judgment  of  the  Court  of  Sessions,  the  Committee 
for  Woburn  saw  fit  to  appeal  to  the  Superior  Court  of  the 
Province.  But  their  appeal  was  to  no  purpose.  At  the  next 
session  of  the  Superior  Court,  holden  at  Charlestown,  January 
30,  1732-3,  both  parties  appearing,  and  being  fully  heard,  the 
Court  decided  as  follows :  "  It's  Considered  &  Ordered  by  the 
Court,  that  the  former  Order  or  Judgment  of  the  Court  of 
General  Sessions  of  the  Peace  be  and  hereby  is  confirmed  with 
additional  Costs  of  this  Court."  12  Accordingly,  the  next  month, 
£164  15s.  Qd.,  the  whole  amount  recovered  by  Mr.  Fox  in  this 
suit,  including  costs,  was  assessed  upon  all  the  inhabitants  of 
Woburn  in  both  Parishes,  and  then  paid  over  to  Mr.  Fox, 
agreeably  to  Order  of  Court  of  Sessions.13 

But  now  arose  a  new  difficulty  in  relation  to  this  subject. 
The  inhabitants  of  the  precinct  felt  aggrieved  by  the  decision  of 
the  Court  of  Sessions,  ordering  them  virtually  (being  inhabi- 
tants of  Woburn)  to  be  taxed  for  the  years  1731,  1732,  for  the 
support  of  a  minister  of  the  First  Parish,  from  which  they  had 
been  set  off  upwards  of  two  years.14  And  when  they  found 
that  decision  was  confirmed  by  the  Superior  Court,  and  was 
actually  being  carried  into  execution,  they  resolved  to  apply  to 
the  Legislature  for  redress  of  this  conceived  violation  of  their 
corporate  privileges.  At  a  precinct  meeting,  March  7,  1732-3, 
it  was  voted,  "  that  Lieut.  Edward  Johnson,  and  Ensign  James 
Proctor  be  a  Committee  to  address  the  Great  and  General 
Court  in  the  name  and  behalf  of  the  Inhabitants  of  said 
Precinct,  that  they  may  be  dismissed  from  paying  any  part  of 
the  eight  score  pounds  of  money  that  the  Court  of  General 
Sessions  of  the  Peace  ordered  the  town  of  Woburn  to  pay  to 
the  Reverend  Mr  Fox,  one  of  the  Ministers  of  the  first  parish  in 
said  Woburn."15  This  committee  preferred  a  petition  to  the 
Legislature  in  June,  1733,  which  was  read  a  second  time, 
"together  with  the  Answer  of  the  first  Parish  in  Woburn," 
August  16,  of  the  same  year.  And  both  parties  being  heard 

»  Records  of  Sup.  Court  for  Middlesex,  kept  at  Boston,  1730—1734,  leaf  230,  p.  2. 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  pp.  136-139. 

i*  Precinct  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  36.  »«  Precinct  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  39. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  275 

thereon,  the  Court  decided  that  the  prayer  of  the  petition  should 
not  be  granted.  The  Court  ordered,  however,  at  the  same 
time,  that  the  Second  Parish  in  Woburn  should  be  "  exempted 
from  any  charge  in  the  maintenance  of  the  Rev.  Mr  John  Fox 
from  the  end  of  the  year  1 732  " ;  throwing  hereby,  for  the 
future,  the  whole  burden  of  Mr.  Fox's  support,  as  well  as  of  Mr. 
Jackson's,  on  the  First  Parish.  In  consequence  of  this  order  of 
the  Legislature,  the  union  which  had  subsisted  hitherto  from  the 
beginning,  in  the  ordering  of  the  parochial  and  of  the  municipal 
affairs  of  Woburn,  was  now  dissolved.  All  questions  concern- 
ing the  settlement  and  salaries  of  ministers,  which,  till  this  time, 
had  been  considered  and  determined  in  meetings  of  the  town, 
were  henceforth  to  be  decided,  as  at  the  present  day,  in  meet- 
ings of  the  several  parishes  or  societies;  and  their  votes 
respecting  them  to  be  registered,  together  with  all  ministerial 
taxes,  in  their  own  proper  records. 

The  claims  of  Mr.  Fox  upon  his  people  for  a  competent  sup- 
port had  now  been  established  both  by  the  Legislative  and  by 
the  Judicial  authorities  of  the  Province.  Still,  a  majority  of  the 
First  Parish  of  Woburn  persisted  to  overlook  or  contest  them. 
Nothing  was  raised  in  Parish  meeting  for  his  maintenance  dur- 
ing four  years,  from  March  1732.  And  the  consequence  was, 
two  more  complaints  to  the  Court  of  Sessions  by  Mr.  Fox,  in 
1734  and  1736 ; 16  and  two  more  judgments  by  that  Court  in  his 
favor  j  the  former  of  which  judgments  was  likewise  confirmed, 
upon  appeal,  by  the  Superior  Court.17 

Thus,  within  the  space  of  four  years,  the  principal  Religious 
Society  in  Woburn  had  three  lawsuits  with  their  senior  pastor 
respecting  his  salary.  But  notwithstanding  the  great  expense 
of  these  altercations,  and  the  irritation  and  bitterness  usually 
attendant  upon  such  contests,  the  prevailing  party  in  the  parish 
was  not  yet  quite  satisfied.  No  money  was  raised  for  Mr.  Fox  at 
the  annual  meeting  in  March  1737 ;  and  hence  another  complaint 
was  made  by  him  to  the  Court  of  Sessions  at  Cambridge,  in  May. 
This  complaint  was  subsequently  withdrawn  from  Court,  in  pur- 
suance of  an  accommodation  effected  between  Mr.  Fox  and  the 

»«  First  Parish  Record*,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  38,  63.    "  First  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  47,  48,  71,  74. 


276  HiSTOKr  OP  WOBURN. 

parish  at  a  meeting,  where,  happily  more  pacific  counsels  than 
usual  prevailed.18  But  at  the  annual  meeting  in  March  of  the 
next  year,  the  old  spirit  of  contention  revived,  and  the  claims  of 
Mr.  Fox  were  once  more  utterly  disregarded.  Within  a  few 
weeks,  however,  and  apparently  before  there  was  opportunity 
for  lodging  another  complaint  with  the  Court  of  Sessions,  a  par- 
ish meeting  was  called,  at  the  instance  of  certain  peaceably  dis- 
posed persons,  to  see  what  sums  of  money  the  parish  would 
grant  for  the  support  of  the  Eev.  Mr.  Fox,  or  otherwise  to  "  do 
that  which  may  be  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  said  Mr.  Fox,  and 
the  peace  and  safety  of  the  Parish."  At  this  meeting,  which 
was  held  May  15,  1738,  the  majority  being  well  aware  of  the 
uselessness  of  contending  with  Mr.  Fox  in  the  law,  had  recourse 
to  artifice  to  carry  their  point.  They  voted  "  that  they  would 
give  the  Reverend  Mr  John  Fox  seventy  pounds  in  good  passa- 
ble Bills  of  Credit  for  the  present  year  as  a  Gift,  provided  he 
will  discharge  the  parish  in  full  until  the  fourth  of  June  1738."19 
The  motives  which  prompted  this  vote  were  obviously  an  unwill- 
ingness to  own  their  obligations  to  him  in  equity,  by  granting 
him  anything  as  salary ;  and  also  a  desire  to  draw  from  him, 
unawares,  an  implicit  acknowledgment  that  what  he  received 
from  them  was  a  gratuity,  and  not  his  just  due.  But  their  Fox 
was  too  cunning  to  be  caught  in  the  trap  thus  insidiously  set. 
At  their  adjourned  meeting,  four  days  after,  he  sent  them,  by 
their  committee  appointed  to  inform  him  of  the  above  vote,  the 
following  letter  in  reply. 

,"  Woobourn  May  ye  19th.  1738. 

'*  To  the  Freeholders  and  other  Inhabitants  of  the  First  Precinct  or  Parish 
in  Woobourn  now  convened  at  the  meeting  house :  First.  As  to  your  late 
vote  of  the  seventy  pounds  by  way  of  Gift,  I  am  always  ready  with  thanks 
to  acknowledge  your  goodness  therein :  And  I  shall  receive  it  as  a  Gift, 
and  no  otherwise ;  but  can  by  no  means  upon  my  receiving  it,  discharge 
the  parish  of  my  salary  to  the  fourth  of  June  1738  :  which  is  the  hard  con- 
dition of  the  voted  Donation. 

"  21y.  If  you  will  allow  me  for  this  present  year  (which  expires  the 
fourth  of  June  next  ensuing)  the  sum  of  Eighty  pounds  as  salary  for  my 
support,  I  will  accept  of  it  for  the  sake  of  peace,  rather  than  contend  in 

M  First  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  81,  82. 
19  First  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  99, 100. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBUBN.  277 

the  Law,  and  discharge  the  parish  for  said  year.  I  can  uprightly  say  it  is 
very  grievous  to  me  that  I  should  be  any  ways  burthensome  to  my  people, 
when  I  can  be  no  more  serviceable  in  the  station  in  which  God  has  placed 
me.  I  shall  at  all  times  be  ready  to  serve  you  to  the  utmost  of  my  power. 

"  3dly.  As  to  the  year  coming  on,  I  offer  the  parish  to  be  at  the  charge 
of  supplying  the  pulpit  one  half  of  the  time,  for  the  same  allowance  which 
of  late  you  have  made  to  the  Rev.  Mr  Jackson,  my  Colleague. 

"  Thus  praying  that  the  God  of  peace  would  give  you  peace  allways  and 
by  all  means,  I  remain  "  Your  affectionate  Pastor 

"  JOHN  Fox." 19 

Upon  the  reading  of  this  letter,  the  same  day  it  was  written, 
the  Parish  voted,  after  some  debate,  to  give  Mr.  Fox  £75  for 
his  support  the  then  current  year,  if  he  would  give  them  a 
discharge  in  full  to  its  close  on  June  4th ;  and  to  this  proposal, 
Mr.  Fox  appears  to  have  afterwards  consented,  although  the 
sum  voted  fell  somewhat  short  of  his  offer.19  And  now  com- 
menced a  remarkable  change  in  the  Parish  for  the  better,  in 
their  treatment  of  their  senior  pastor.  True,  both  church  and 
parish  saw  fit  to  decline  his  offer  to  be  at  the  charge  of  supply- 
ing the  pulpit  half  the  time  that  year  for  the  same  compensation 
they  allowed  Mr.  Jackson.  But  in  other  respects,  they  showed 
themselves  wonderfully  compliant.  Weary  of  fruitless  conten- 
tion with  him  in  the  law,  disappointed  in  all  their  expectations 
of  getting  the  advantage  of  him,  and  influenced  too,  it  is  proba- 
ble, by  respect  for  his  age  and  the  remembrance  of  his  former 
usefulness,  and  by  a  returning  sense  of  their  obligations  to  him 
in  equity,  which  recent  unhappy  occurrences  had  weakened  or 
interrupted,  they  henceforth,  for  several  years,  and  with  appar- 
ent readiness,  made  honorable  provisions  for  his  maintenance. 
At  March  meeting,  the  year  following,  1738-9,  they  granted  him 
£80,  in  Bills  of  Credit ;  and  this  sum  they  gradually  enlarged 
to  £90,  £95  and  £100  of  the  same  currency,  in  some  measure 
corresponding  to  its  constantly  declining  value.  And  this  course, 
so  honorable  to  themselves,  they  continued  to  pursue,  till  the 
separation  of  the  Third  Society  from  the  First  gave  rise  to  new 
difficulties  and  distractions,  and  led  to  new  arrangements  for 
Mr.  Fox's  support,  as  there  will  hereafter  be  occasion  to  show. 

But  the  contentions  of  Woburn  with  the  ministers  of  its  First 
Parish  at  that  period  were  not  yet  at  an  end.  Now  that  Mr. 

24 


278  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

Fox  had  passed  the  ordeal,  Mr.  Jackson's  turn  came  next.  At 
the  time  this  gentleman  was  settled  in  Woburn,  (viz :  August 
1729,)  the  town  contracted  to  give  him  a  salary  of  XI 20  per 
annum  "in  Bills  of  Credit,  as  the  money  now  is";  or,  as  its 
vote  on  another  occasion  expressed  it,  .£120  in  Bills  of  Credit, 
" as  they  now  pass."20  These  phrases,  "as  the  money  now  is," 
and  "  as  they  now  pass,"  in  the  town's  contract  with  Mr.  Jack- 
son, or  explanatory  of  it,  were  doubtless  intended,  and  for 
years  were  understood  to  signify,  that  if  there  should  be  in 
future  any  further  depreciation  in  the  Bills  of  Credit  in  which 
Mr.  Jackson's  salary  was  to  be  paid,  they  would  annually  add 
enough  to  his  compensation  to  make  it  equal  in  value  to  what  it 
was  at  his  settlement,  in  1729.  As  was  probably  anticipated, 
these  Bills  continued  from  that  date  to  decline  from  their  nom- 
inal value. 

No  remuneration,  however,  on  this  account  was  either  asked 
by  Mr.  Jackson,  or  offered  by  his  people,  till  1735.  That  year, 
at  the  request  of  Mr.  Jackson,  the  Parish  Committee  called  a 
meeting  of  the  parish,  to  be  held  on  the  1st  of  July,  to  consider 
and  act  upon  the  subject.  To  the  warrant  issued  by  them 
on  this  occasion,  the  preamble  reads  thus :  "  Whereas  consider- 
ing the  great  fall  of  the  paper  currency,  or  Bills  of  Credit  since 
the  year  1729,  the  year  the  Revd-  Mr  Jackson  settled  in  the 
work  of  the  Ministry  here,  and  he  having  never  had  allowance 
or  consideration  therefor,  according  to  the  vote  then  passed, 
relating  to  his  annual  support,  that  he  should  have  120  pounds 
per  annum  as  the  money  then  was"  etc.,  etc.,  etc.  These  words 
of  this  preamble  plainly  show  how  the  Parish  Committee,  and 
probably  all  Woburn,  understood  the  provisions  of  Mr.  Jack- 
son's contract  at  that  day.21  At  the  meeting  then  called,  it  was 
voted  (and,  apparently,  without  debate  or  opposition)  that  Mr. 
Jackson  should  have  £100  in  Bills  of  Credit,  as  a  recompense 
for  their  depreciation  during  the  six  years  he  had  been  settled 
in  the  place:  and  Mr.  Jackson,  being  present,  expressed  his 
satisfaction  with  the  grant,  and  did  freely  remit  .£20  of  it  to 

*>  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  350;  VII.,  p.  11. 
«  First  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  51,  62. 


HISTORY   OF  WOBFRN.  279 

the  parish.  Similar  grants,  in  view  of  the  diminished  and  con- 
stantly diminishing  value  of  the  paper  currency  of  that  day, 
were  made  to  Mr.  Jackson  the  next  four  years,  amounting  in 
all  to  £140  j  and  were  all  accepted  by  him  in  full  satisfaction 
of  his  demands  on  this  account.  But  here  the  harmony,  which 
had  hitherto  subsisted  between  minister  and  people  upon  this 
subject,  was,  for  a  while,  broken  up.  In  a  warrant  for  a  parish 
meeting,  December  7,  1739,  respecting  the  two  ministers,  one 
article  was,  "  To  see  whether  the  inhabitants  of  said  parish  will 
make  the  Rev(L  Mr.  Jackson's  salary  so  good  as  it  was  when  he 
first  settled  here  in  the  Ministry,  according  to  Contract,"  etc. 
At  this  meeting,  after  refusing  to  grant  £50  for  the  purpose 
stated  in  the  above  article  of  warrant,  the  inhabitants  finally 
voted  "  to  give  the  Rev.  Mr  Edward  Jackson  forty  &  five  pounds 
in  good  passable  Bills  of  Credit  the  present  year,  besides  his 
Annual  Salary  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds,  provided  he 
will  discharge  the  parish  for  the  present  year."  *  This  was  a 
larger  addition  than  they  had  ever  raised  before,  for  one  year ; 
and,  if  not  a  full  equivalent  for  the  depreciation  which  it  was 
designed  to  compensate,  could  not  have  been  far  from  it.19  But 
it  did  not  satisfy  Mr.  Jackson ;  and,  when  waited  upon  by  a 
committee  appointed  at  a  parish  meeting,  March  24th,  following, 
to  acquaint  him,  officially,  with  what  the  parish  had  voted  him, 
December  7th,  before,  and  to  inquire  whether  it  would  be  accept- 
able, he  sent  the  people  word  by  them,  immediately,  that  he  did 
not  accept  it ;  and  that  he  desired  no  more  of  them  "  than  for 
them  to  make  good  their  contract  or  agreement  with  him  when 
he  first  settled  amongst  them  in  the  work  of  the  Ministry." M 
This  tart,  abrupt  reply  seems  to  have  much  irritated  the  inhabi- 
tants, who  at  once  made  choice  of  a  committee  to  examine  the 
contract  made  with  Mr.  Jackson  at  his  settlement ;  to  ascertain 
what  the  public  Bills  of  Credit  had  depreciated  since  that  time, 
and  to  make  return  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  parish  at  their 
adjournment  of  this  meeting.  The  committee  selected  for  this 
purpose  were  Roland  Cotton,  Esq.,  Capt.  Isaac  Dupee,  and 

•»     *  First  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  124.    Felt  on  Massachusetts  Currency,  p.  135. 


280  HISTORY    OP    WOBURN. 

Capt." Stephen  Richardson,  of  which  gentlemen  it  is  proper  to 
observe,  that  the  first  two  were  comparatively  strangers,  but 
recently  settled  in  Woburn ;  and  that  the  former  of  these  two, 
Roland  Cotton,  Esq.,  chairman  of  the  committee,  was  decidedly 
inimical  to  Mr.  Jackson  a  few  years  afterward,  and  probably 
was  so  at  the  time  of  this  appointment.  The  committee  thus 
composed,  instead  of  inquiring,  as  they  were  directed,  how 
much  the  currency  had  fallen  in  value  since  the  settlement  of 
Mr.  Jackson,  seem  to  have  set  themselves  at  work  to  discover  in 
his  contract,  if  possible,  some  plea  by  which  the  parish  might  be 
released  from  all  obligations  to  make  him  any  allowance  what- 
ever on  the  score  of  depreciation.  And  the  result  of  their 
labors  they  communicated  to  the  parish  at  its  adjourned  meet- 
ing, April  7,  1740,  in  the  following  report: 

"  The  Committee,  to  whom  was  referred  the  examination  of  the 
Contract  or  Agreement  made  by  the  Town  of  Woobourn  with  the 
Revd.  Mr..  Edward  Jackson  in  September  1728  [1729?]  relating 
to  his  support,  having  considered  the  same,  Report  as  their  opinion, 
that  it  was  not  the  design  and  intention  of  that  vote,  to  fix  the 
Salary  to  a  silver  standard,  but  only  to  distinguish  the  Currency  as 
it  then  was,  from  the  Lawfull  or  Proclamation  Currency  at  6s.  lOd. 
per  ounce  :  Consequently,  they  intended  to  give  but  one  hundred 
and  twenty  pounds  Paper  Currency,  and  are  not  obliged  by  said 
Contract  to  advance  any  more  per  annum. 

u  Yet  the  Parish  being  sensible  of  the  depreciation  of  those 
Bills  of  Credit,  have  from  time  to  time  made  an  additional  grant  to 
the  Rev.  Mr  Jackson  by  Contributions  and  other  ways  ;  which  has 
been  truly  laudable  :  And  we  trust  the  Parish  will  still  from  time 
to  time  (as  usual)  encourage  the  heart  and  hands  of  the  Revd.  Mr 
Jackson,  notwithstanding  the  great  and  pressing  difficulties  the 
Parish  labours  under  (as  well  as  the  whole  Province)  for  want 
of  a  medium. 

"  All  which  is  humbly  submitted. 

"  ROLAND  COTTON  ^ 

ISAAC  DCPEE  >  Committee.  ^ 

STEPHEN  RICHARDSON  j 

"  Woobourn  April  the  4th.  1740." 

»  First  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  145-148. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  281 

The  construction  here  put  on  the  contract  in  question  was 
palpably  contradictory  to  the  sense  in  which  it  had  been  under- 
stood in  Woburn  from  the  beginning,  and  which  the  parish  had 
repeatedly  put  on  it  in  their  action  within  the  last  five  years. 
But  so  vexed  do  the  inhabitants  appear  to  have  been  with  Mr. 
Jackson  at  this  meeting,  for  refusing  to  accept  what  they  had 
voted  him,  December  7th,  and  for  insisting  upon  a  strict  fulfilment 
of  their  contract,  that  they  voted  to  accept  the  report  of  their 
committee,  inconsistent  as  it  was  with  their  own  declarations 
and  doings  upon  record.  Still,  in  accordance  with  the  recom- 
mendation at  the  close  of  the  report,  they  appointed  a  commit- 
tee to  wait  on  Mr.  Jackson,  "to  know  of  him  what  (would) 
sattisfie  him  for  the  present  year  beside  his  annual  salary  " ;  and 
then  adjourned  to  May  19th,  to  hear  his  answer.23  At  that 
adjourned  meeting,  what  reply  the  committee  brought  from  Mr. 
Jackson  is  not  found  upon  record.  After  repeated  motions, 
however,  to  add  fifty-five  pounds,  and  fifty  pounds,  to  his  stated 
compensation,  it  was  at  length  voted  to  add  £45,  "in  good 
passable  Bills  of  Credit,"  for  that  present  year,  (ending  August 
1,  1740)  on  condition  that  he  would  discharge  the  parish  to 
that  time.23  The  meeting  was  then  dissolved ;  and  the  parish 
Assessors  proceeded,  July  10th,  to  assess  the  addition  of  £45, 
voted  as  above,  together  with  Mr.  Jackson's  stated  salary  of 
£120,  without  any  notice  from  that  gentleman  of  his  satisfaction 
therewith.  But  Mr.  Jackson  well  understood  his  rights;  and 
not  being  willing  to  accept  any  sum  whatever  as  a  donation, 
(according  to  the  late  accepted  report)  which  he  could  claim  as 
his  just  and  legal  due,  and  especially  one  which  he  considered  as 
coming  short  even  of  that,  he  entered  a  complaint  with  the 
Court  of  Sessions  at  Concord  in  August,  and  by  their  order, 
duly  served  the  Parish  Committee  with  a  copy.24 

When  notified  of  this  step  of  their  pastor,  the  people  per- 
ceived they  were  in  an  evil  case.  They  well  knew  that  the 
addition  to  Mr.  Jackson's  stated  salary,  which  they  had  voted 
to  give  him,  May  19th,  though  now  assessed,  had  never  been 


*  First  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  152. 
24* 


282  HISTORY    OF   WOBURN. 

acknowledged  by  him  as  satisfactory.  And  they  were  probably 
convinced  too,  now  that  their  excited  feelings  had  given  way  to 
calm  reflection,  that  the  interpretation  which  had  lately  been 
put  upon  their  contract  with  him  by  their  committee,  and 
approved  by  their  own  vote  upon  Record,  would  not  bear  exam- 
ination in  a  Court  of  Justice.  They  now,  therefore,  began  to 
wish  for  an  accommodation  of  their  difference  with  their  junior 
pastor,  before  any  further  proceedings  were  had  upon  his  com- 
plaint. And,  happily,  at  a  meeting  called  to  consider  what  should 
be  done  in  their  present  situation,  and  held  November  25,  1740, 
a  mutual  agreement  between  minister  and  people  was  harmo- 
niously accomplished.  The  parish  voted  to  add  XI 5  to  Mr. 
Jackson's  stated  salary  of  .£120,  for  the  year  ending  August  1, 
preceding,  besides  the  £45  granted  him  May  19th,  making  his 
salary,  in  all  for  that  year,  £180  in  Province  Bills.  And  this  sum, 
Mr.  Jackson,  who  was  present,  signified  his  acceptance  of,  and 
promised,  in  consideration  of  it,  to  give  a  discharge  to  the  parish 
for  that  year,  and  to  withdraw  immediately  his  complaint  from 
Court.  At  the  same  meeting  likewise,  the  parish  voted  the  same 
addition  to  his  stated  compensation  for  the  year  which  had  com- 
menced as  for  that  which  had  recently  ended.25  And  though  an 
effort  was  made  by  some  disaffected  persons,  at  a  meeting 
December  8th,  to  obtain  a  reconsideration  of  the  above  votes, 
under  pretence  that  the  meeting  at  which  they  were  passed 
was  illegal,  yet  it  did  not  succeed.25  And  here  was  a  termina- 
tion of  all  differences  between  the  First  Parish  of  Woburn  and 
Rev.  Mr.  Jackson  respecting  his  salary,  till  the  separation  of  the 
Third  Parish  in  1 746.  Henceforth  till  then,  the  Parish  annually 
made  additions  of  £60,  £65,  £80  and  £100,  Old  Tenor,  to  Mr. 
Jackson's  salary,  originally  stated  at  £120,  in  order,  accord- 
ing to  contract,  to  make  it  "as  good  as  it  was  when  he  was 
first  settled  in  Woburn."  26  And  these  additions  were  severally 
accepted  by  Mr.  Jackson  j  and  thus  a  lamentable  and  unedifying 
contention  was  amicably  settled  in  a  manner  that  was  honorable 
to  the  parish,  and  conducive  to  the  peace  and  usefulness  of 
their  junior  pastor. 

**  First  P.  R.,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  154,  156, 157.     »°  First  P.  R.,  Vol.  L,  pp.  186,  188,  205,  206,  221,  234. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  283 

While  Woburn,  First  Parish,  was  involved  in  these  costly, 
unhappy  contentions  with  its  ministers  about  their  salaries,  and 
burdened  with  an  additional  weight  of  taxes,  in  consequence  of 
the  incorporation  of  Wilmington  and  the  Second  Precinct,  the 
town  found  some  relief  in  the  sale  of  its  two  thousand  acres 
at  Turkey  Hills,  now  Lunenburg,  in  the  County  of  Worcester. 
Concerning  this  tract  of  territory,  it  has  already  been  related, 
that  though  granted  to  Woburn  by  the  General  Court,  in  1664, 
it  was  not  located  till  1717.  But  little  was  done  respecting  it 
for  seven  years  after.  At  a  general  town  meeting,  May  15, 
1724,  the  proprietors  voted,  "  that  it  should  lie  as  it  does,  until 
the  town  or  proprietors  of  the  same  should  see  cause  to  alter  it, 
or  pass  some  other  vote  upon  it."  27  Accordingly,  for  about  ten 
years  longer  from  this  date,  it  lay  in  a  state  of  nature,  unim- 
proved ;  and  though  the  town  was  repeatedly  called  upon  to  pay 
taxes  for  it  to  Lunenburg,27  yet  it  derived  but  little  or  no  bene- 
fit from  it,  except  occasionally  from  the  rent  of  its  meadows. 
Measures  were  taken,  however,  from  time  to  time,  to  run  its 
lines,  and  renew  its  bounds,  and  to  prevent  the  spoliation  of  its 
timber ;  and  a  committee  was  appointed  to  take  care  of  the  land, 
and  to  prosecute  any  persons  who  might  trespass  upon  it.  But  at 
a  general  meeting  of  the  inhabitants,  May  22, 1733,  it  was  voted, 
"  that  the  2000  acres  of  land  lying  in  Lunenburg  should  be  put 
upon  sale,  and  the  interest  of  the  money  be  improved  for  the  use 
of  the  Town."  Accordingly,  a  committee  of  five,  viz.,  Mr.  Josiah 
Johnson,  Capt.  John  Fowle,  Mr.  Samuel  Richardson,  Lieut.  Ed- 
ward Johnson,  and  Lieut.  Samuel  Kendall,  was  then  chosen  to 
sell  this  land  to  the  highest  bidder,  giving  inhabitants  of  Woburn 
the  first  offer  of  it.28  And,  at  a  subsequent  meeting,  January  21, 
1733-4,  the  town  directed  the  committee  to  sell  it  altogether,  in 
one  body,  and  empowered  them,  or  any  three  of  them,  to  give  a 
warrantee  deed  of  it,  in  their  capacity  of  town's  committee ;  and 
voted,  that  the  town  (would)  defend  them  in  their  so  doing,  they 
returning  the  interest  of  the  purchase  money  to  the  use  of  the 
town,  or  sufficient  security  to  the  town's  acceptance.28 

In  pursuance  of  these  votes,  three  of  the  committee,  viz :  Mr. 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  196;  VII.,  pp.  45, 140. 
™  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  pp.  151, 164, 166. 


284  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

Josiah  Johnson,  Capt.  John  Fowle  and  Lieut.  Edward  Johnson, 
made  on  the  day  last  mentioned,  a  conditional  sale  of  the  land 
to  Ensign  Israel  Reed  of  Woburn,  for  £3,300,  in  Bills  of  Credit 
on  the  Province,  eight  respectable  fellow-citizens  offering  to  be 
his  bondsmen.28  The  price  for  the  land,  and  the  security 
tendered  by  Air.  Reed  for  the  payment  of  the  money,  were  both 
accepted  by  the  town  at  a  meeting,  February  19th,  of  the  same 
year  ;28  and  the  bargain  was  completed  by  the  committee's  giving 
a  deed  to  Mr.  Reed  on  the  town's  behalf.  The  purchase  money 
for  the  land,  viz :  £3,300,  in  depreciated  Bills  of  Credit,  was 
worth  in  1734,  (the  year  of  sale)  about  £1,100,  lawful  money,  or 
$3,666.67,  in  the  currency  of  the  present  day.29  As  portions  of 
this  sum  were  paid  in,  from  time  to  time,  by  Ensign  Reed,  it  was 
loaned  by  the  committee  to  divers  inhabitants  of  Woburn, 
chiefly,  in  sums  of  £100,  to  any  two  individuals,  secured  by  their 
mutual  or  joint  bond.30  And  as  fast  as  the  interest  accruing 
from  these  loans,  or  from  the  portion  of  the  purchase  money  still 
remaining  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Reed,  was  received  by  the  com- 
mittee, or  by  Capt.  Fowle,  who  was  one  of  them,  and  also 
Town  Treasurer,  it  was  appropriated  to  the  payment  of  taxes 
and  town  charges,  by  order  of  the  town.31  By  this  wise  arrange- 
ment, a  large  proportion  of  the  taxes  in  Woburn,  for  County  and 
Province,  and  also  of  its  town  expenses  of  every  description, 
were  defrayed  several  years  out  of  the  proceeds  from  the  sale  of 
its  2,000  acres.  For  instance,  it  was  voted  at  March  meeting, 

1735,  to  raise  two  rates  for  the  payment  of  town  debts  and 
necessary  charges;  but,  at  a  meeting  in  November  following, 
that  vote  was  reconsidered :  the  rates  were  never  assessed,  and 
the  charges  they  were  designed  to  meet,  for  schools,  support  of 
paupers,  county  tax,  and  a  multitude  of  other  expenses,  were 
paid  out  of  the  town's  interest  money.32     And  from  the  same 
resource,  was  paid  by  order  of  the  town,  its  Province  tax  for 

1736,  amounting  to  £244  15*.  Od.  after  it  had  been  actually 
proportioned  upon   the  inhabitants ;  as  were   likewise  various 
other  town  expenses  for  the  same  year.33 

29  Felt  on  Massachusetts  Currency,  pp.  83, 135. 

w>  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  pp.  218,  222.  si  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  219. 

**  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  pp.  242,  246.  »  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  250. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  285 

But  where  public  money  is  intrusted  to  the  care  of  individuals, 
it  may  always  be  expected  that  there  will  be  many  who  will  be 
watching  them  with  a  jealous  eye ;  and  some,  who  in  their  eager- 
ness to  be  handling  it  themselves,  will  each  think  they  know  of 
one,  at  least,  in  whose  care  it  would  be  safer  and  better  man- 
aged than  where  it  is.  Though  the  committee  who  sold  the 
two  thousand  acres,  and  had  the  charge  of  receiving  and  letting 
out  the  pay,  took  bonds  of  those  to  whom  they  loaned  it,  yet 
they  were  not  under  bonds  themselves.  For  the  purchase 
money  being  secured  by  Mr.  Reed's  sureties,  and  the  money 
loaned  being  secured  by  joint  bonds  from  the  several  borrowers, 
the  town  had  not  deemed  it  necessary  to  demand  security  of 
their  committee  likewise,  so  long  as  they  regularly  paid  over, 
as  they  received  it,  the  interest  of  the  money  they  had  loaned 
to  the  town's  use.  But  this  circumstance  of  their  not  being 
under  bonds  themselves  for  so  large  an  amount  (though  expected 
to  be  put  by  loan  into  other  men's  hands,  not  to  remain  in  their 
own)  awakened  the  apprehensions  of  many  who  were,  doubtless, 
unfeignedly  anxious  for  the  safety  of  the  town's  property,  and 
afforded  them,  and  some  others  at  the  same  time,  who  were  only 
watching  for  an  opportunity  to  promote  their  own  personal 
interest  or  influence,  a  handle  for  complaint. 

In  1735,  the  very  first  year  after  the  land  was  sold,  an 
attempt  was  made,  at  May  meeting,  to  choose  a  new  committee 
to  look  after  the  .£3,300  which  the  land  at  Lunenburg  had  been 
sold  for,  with  the  interest  thereof.  But  such  were  the  reputation 
and  influence  of  the  existing  committee,  so  prudently  had  they 
loaned  the  portion  of  the  purchase  money  which  had  been  paid 
in  to  them,  and  so  punctual  were  they  to  bring  the  interest  which 
they  were  now  just  beginning  to  receive,  to  the  treasurer  for  the 
town's  use,  that  this  motion  to  discharge  them  was  negatived.34 
But  the  leaders  in  this  effort,  nothing  baffled  by  defeat  this  year, 
renewed  their  attempt  the  next.  In  the  warrant  for  May  meet- 
ing, 1736,  one  article  was,  "To  see  whether  the  Town  will 
choose  a  Committee  to  call  in  the  money  due  to  the  town  from 
Ensign  Israel  Reed :  or  to  choose  a  Committee  to  take  security 

M  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  pp.  198,  200. 


286  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

from  the  Committee  in  whose  hands  the  Town's  Bonds  are 
reposed  ?  "  But  at  that  meeting,  the  majority  wore  still  so  well 
satisfied  with  Mr.  Reed's  sureties,  and  so  confident  of  the  in- 
tegrity of  the  present  committee  in  their  management  of  the 
town's  property,  that  they  passed  over  this  article  of  the  war- 
rant without  taking  any  action  upon  it.35  But  a  continual  drop- 
ping will  wear  away  stones,  and  oft  repeated  insinuations  against 
any  individuals  in  a  community,  or  persevering  attempts  to 
infuse  jealousies  and  suspicions  of  them  into  the  public  mind, 
will  hardly  fail  of  making  a  disparaging  impression  at  last, 
whether  deserved  or  not.  At  a  meeting,  February  2,  1737-8, 
the  town  chose  a  committee  of  three,  viz,  Mr.  John  Russell, 
Jonathan  Poole,  Esq.,  and  Mr.  Jacob  Wyman,  "  to  see  what  cir- 
cumstances the  money  that  the  2,000  acres  of  land  at  Lunenburg 
was  sold  for,  is  under,  and  what  security  there  is  for  the  same," 
etc.36  And  in  the  warrant  for  the  March  meeting  ensuing,  one 
article  was,  "  To  hear  the  Report  of  this  committee ;  and  if 
the  town  shall  think  the  security  of  the  said  money  not  to  be 
good,  to  take  better  security  of  the  standing  Committee,  if  they 
will  give  it,  or  choose  a  committee  that  will  give  security  to 
the  town's  acceptance  by  making  a  Return  of  the  sale  of  said 
land  to  the  Town  in  order  to  be  recorded,  and  discharge  the  old 
Committee."37 

In  this  article  (a  few  words  being  transposed  which  are  evi- 
dently misplaced  upon  the  records,  as  they  are  here  copied)  it  is 
plainly  implied,  that  a  return  from  the  old  or  Standing  Commit- 
tee of  their  sale  of  the  land,  to  be  put  upon  record,  would  be 
deemed  sufficient  security  for  their  faithfulness  in  the  discharge 
of  their  trust.  Accordingly,  at  the  meeting,  March  6th,  such  a 
return  was  actually  made,  accepted  by  the  Town,  and  put  upon 
record,  subscribed  by  each  member  of  the  Standing  Committee, 
with  his  own  hand.38  And  yet,  at  the  same  meeting,  (at  the 
instigation  doubtless  of  some  whom  nothing  done  by  the  old 
committee  could  reconcile  or  please)  the  town  voted,  "  that  the 
security  given  by  the  Committee  (of  trust)  to  the  Town  is  not 

s«  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  pp.  226,  227.  3C  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  267. 

a?  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  276.  »»  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  151. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  287 

sufficient."  39  And,  at  a  subsequent  meeting,  May  19th,  follow- 
ing, they  chose  a  committee  of  nine,  to  whom,  or  to  a  majority  of 
them,  provided  they  gave  security  to  the  Town  Treasurer  to  the 
Town's  acceptance,  they  gave  full  power  "  to  call  in  and  take  the 
charge  of  all  the  Town's  money  which  the  Two  Thousand  Acres 
of  land  lying  at  Lunenburg  was  sold  for  by  the  Town  to  Ensign 
Israel  Reed  " ;  and  also,  "  full  power  to  discharge  the  former 
Committee  (viz :  Mr.  Josiah  Johnson,  Capt.  John  Fowle,  and 
Lieut.  Edward  Johnson)  upon  their  surrendering  up  said 
money." 40  The  committee  chosen  for  these  purposes,  were 
Jonathan  Poole,  Esq.,  Nathan  Richardson,  William  Tay,  Benja- 
min Johnson,  Nathan  Wyman,  Ensign  James  Procter,  Capt.  John 
Fowle,  Lieut.  Edward  Johnson,  and  Thomas  Belknap,  Jr.;40 
of  whom,  two,  it  will  be  observed,  viz :  Capt.  Fowle  and  Lieut. 
Johnson,  were  on  the  original  committee  that  sold  the  land. 
And  now  the  grand  question  was,  what  shall  be  the  security 
which  the  new  committee  should  give?  On  this  point,  there 
was  evidently  much  hesitation,  and  great  division  of  opinion. 
A  meeting  was  appointed,  November  20,  1738,  to  decide  this 
matter ;  but  all  which  could  be  effected,  was  barely  to  vote  that 
they  would  have  security  from  their  new  committee  for  their 
money,  and  then  to  adjourn  for  a  fortnight. 

At  the  adjournment,  it  was  determined,  that  "  those  persons 
that  have  the  Trust  of  letting  out  the  Town's  £3,000  and  £300 
shall  give  personal  Bonds  with  lawful  Interest  for  the  use  of  the 
Town,  to  a  Committee  that  the  Town  shall  appoint  and  their 
successors,  and  acknowledge  their  bonds,  and  said  bonds  to  be 
recorded  in  the  County  Records."41  A  further  adjournment 
was  then  voted  to  December  25,  when  it  was  probably  ascer- 
tained that  several  members  of  the  committee  of  nine  chosen, 
and  especially  the  two  that  had  belonged  to  the  old  committee, 
would  not  accept  the  trust  upon  the  conditions  that  had  recently 
been  prescribed.  For,  on  that  day,  a  new  committee  of  nine 
was  chosen,  consisting  of  Jonathan  Poole,  Esq.,  for  chairman, 
Josiah  Peirce,  Lieut.  James  Simonds,  William  Tay,  Edward 

»»  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  275. 
«°  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  pp.  282,  297.  «  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  286. 


288  HISTORY   OF    WOBURN. 

Walker,  Nathan  Richardson,  Benjamin  Johnson,  David  W)  man, 
and  Quartermaster  Timothy  Brooks.  There  was  likewise 
chosen  another  committee  of  three,  viz,  Mr.  Timothy  Snow, 
Lieut.  Peirson  Richardson,  and  Mr.  Nathan  Wyman,  which  was 
to  take  bonds  and  good  security,  on  behalf  of  the  town  of 
Woburn,  of  the  committee  of  nine  for  the  care  and  management 
of  the  town's  money.  The  following  votes  were  then  passed  by 
the  Town  for  the  direction  of  these,  its  several  committees,  on 
this  subject : 

1.  That  the  committee  of  nine  that  day  chosen  "  to  receive  the 
money  or  bonds  of  the  old  committee,  (to  wit,  Mr.  Josiah  Johnson, 
John  Fowle,  Lieut.  Edward  Johnson,")  shall  have  "  full  power  to 
recover  in  the  law  the  said  bonds  or  money  ;  and  upon  their  receiv- 
ing the  said  money  and  bonds  of  the  old  Committee  aforemen- 
tioned, then  by  a  Receipt  under  their  hands  or  the  major  part  of 
them,  fully  to  discharge  the  said  Josiah  Johnson,  John  Fowle,  Mr 
Edward  Johnson  the  aforementioned  Committee  and  their  heirs  of 
the  full  sum  of  three  thousand  and  three  hundred  pounds  (and)  the 
interest  of  the  same,  for  which  they  the  said  Committee  sold  the 
land  for,  lying  in  the  township  of  Lunenburg,  for  the  town  of 
Woburn. 

2dly.  "  Voted,  That  the  Receipt  so  given  by  the  said  Committee 
shall  be  laid  upon  record  in  the  Book  of  Records  for  Woburn. 

31y.  "  Voted,  That  the  above  said  Committee  [of  nine]  shall 
upon  their  receiving  the  said  money  or  bonds  into  their  hands  and 
under  their  care  and  charge,  shall  let  it  out  unto  the  inhabitants  of 
the  town  of  Woburn,  and  that  for  no  more  than  lawful  interest. 

41y.  "  Voted,  That  the  said  Committee,  upon  their  receiving  the 
said  money  or  bonds,  shall  give  bond  or  bonds,  to  the  value  of 
three  thousand  and  three  hundred  pounds  with  lawful  interest 
to  Mr  Timothy  Snow,  Mr  Peirson  Richardson  and  Mr  Nathan 
Wyman,  trustees  chosen  by  said  town  to  receive  the  same,  and 
keep  them  for  and  in  behalf  of  the  Town. 

51y.  "  Voted,  That  the  bonds  for  the  sum  of  three  thousand 
and  three  hundred  pound  with  the  interest,  given  by  the  above 
said  Committee  to  the  above  said  Trustees,  shall  be  for  one  year : " 
[that  is,  it  is  presumed,  shall  be  recoverable  in  one  year]. 

61y.  "  Voted,  That  the  said  Trustees  shall  make  return  of  said 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  289 

bonds  so  received  by  them  for  and  in  behalf  of  said  Town,  for 
the  sum  above  mentioned."'42 

Such  was  the  arrangement  made  by  the  town  for  the  security 
of  its  money,  about  to  be  put  into  the  hands  of  its  newly  appoin- 
ted Committee.  And  had  this  arrangement  been  firmly  adhered 
to,  and  insisted  on  by  the  town,  this  committee  would  have  been 
effectually  guarded  against  temptation  to  deviate  from  a  strictly 
upright  course,  and  been  prompted  by  motives  of  interest,  as 
well  as  of  duty  and  honor,  to  manage  their  trust  with  a  single 
eye  to  the  public  benefit.  But  men  are  not  always  willing  to 
be  dealt  with  themselves  by  the  same  measure  that  they  would 
have  others  dealt  by,  under  like  circumstances.  No  sooner  had 
the  old  committee  been  dismissed,  upon  the  plea  of  insufficient 
security,  and  the  new  one  chosen  and  had  accepted,  than  the 
latter  began  to  flinch  at  complying  with  the  conditions  of  their 
office,  to  shrink  and  hold  back  from  giving  themselves  such  secu- 
rity as  that,  for  the  want  of  which  they  had  raised  such  a  breeze 
against  their  predecessors.  Accordingly,  they  and  their  friends 
speedily  combined  to  procure  a  relaxation  of  the  strict  terms  of 
their  appointment.  At  the  same  time,  another  party  arose, 
which  being  disgusted  with  the  hollow  pretences  and  fruitless 
contentions  on  this  subject,  with  which  the  town  had  been  so 
long  disturbed,  was  for  procuring  the  dismission  of  all  the  com- 
mittees in  this  affair,  calling  in  the  money,  and  distributing  it 
among  the  several  inhabitants  of  the  town,  or  between  the  two 
parishes,  according  to  their  respective  taxes.43  But  the  former 
party  prevailed. 

At  a  meeting,  February  21, 1738-9,  after  confirming  its  choice 
of  the  committee  of  nine,  as  a  committee  of  trust  to  succeed  the 
old  committee,  and  renewing  its  grant  to  them  of  all  necessary 
powers  to  this  end,  the  town  materially  changed  the  security 
demanded  of  them  at  their  election  two  months  before.  It 
allowed  them  to  loan  its  money  in  the  capacity  of  a  town's 
committee  only,  without  giving  personal  bonds ;  and  required  of 
them,  beside  being  sworn  to  the  faithful  discharge  of  their  trust, 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  pp.  287,  288.        «»  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  pp.  300,  338. 
25 


290  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

to  give  such  security  for  the  £3,300  as  should  be  satisfactory  to 
the  town.44  And  the  better  to  determine  what  that  security 
ought  to  be,  a  committee  was  appointed,  viz :  Mr.  Josiah  John- 
son, Capt.  Isaac  Dupee,  Capt.  John  Fowle,  Jr.,  Dr.  Jonathan 
Haywood,  Ensign  James  Procter,  Mr.  Nathan  Blogget  and  Mr. 
John  Russell,  to  prepare  a  draft  in  writing,  which,  being  accepted 
by  the  town,  should  be  entered  in  the  Town  Book.44  This  com- 
mittee was  expected  to  report  at  March  meeting,  then  close  at 
hand.  But  this  expectation  was  doomed  to  disappointment. 
The  committee,  it  seems,  could  not  agree  upon  any  report  which 
the  town  might  be  thought  willing  to  accept.  And,  when  the  time 
arrived  for  submitting  their  draft  to  its  consideration,  provision 
was  suddenly  made  for  substituting  something  very  different  in 
its  stead.  At  that  meeting,  March  5,  1738-9,  Mr.  Roland 
Cotton,  Capt.  Isaac  Dupee,  Dr.  Jonathan  Haywood,  Mr.  James 
Procter  and  Mr.  John  Russell,  were  appointed  to  draft  a  resolu- 
tion, by  which  all  persons  who  should  hire  the  town's  Loan 
Money  might  be  excluded  from  voting  and  acting  in  town 
meeting,  in  all  questions  respecting  it.  These  gentlemen  (all  of 
whom,  except  the  chairman,  had  been  on  the  drafting  committee, 
chosen  at  the  preceding  meeting)  drew  up  on  the  spot  the  follow- 
ing resolution,  which  was  immediately  accepted  by  the  town: 
"  Voted,  that  in  all  votes  touching  or  in  any  ways  concerning  the 
letting  out  or  calling  in  of  the  said  monies  or  security  for  said 
monies  belonging  to  said  Town,  or  the  appointing  committee  men 
to  manage  the  same,  or  in  the  removing  or  displacing  of  com- 
mittees or  any  of  them  relating  to  said  money  or  security,  no 
person  or  persons  that  holds  any  part  or  parcell  thereof,  or  hath 
taken  any  part  or  parcell  thereof  upon  loan,  shall  have  any  vote 
or  voice  therein ;  |  but]  during  the  time  of  their  being  principal 
for  the  same  or  any  part  thereof  shall  be  from  voting  debarred 
and  excluded."  45 

This  resolve  sounds,  in  reading  it,  a  very  stringent  one ;  and, 
could  it  have  been  executed,  might  have  been  effectual  to  answer 
the  end  intended.  But  the  difficulty  was,  to  execute  it.  There 
is  not  the  least  evidence  that  it  was  ever  even  attempted  to  be 

««  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  pp.  303,  304.  «  Town  Records,  Vol.  VH.,  p.  308. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  291 

enforced.  And  when  it  is  considered  (as  a  credible  tradition 
to  be  referred  to  hereafter,  gives  too  much  reason  for  sup- 
posing) that  a  large  proportion,  if  not  a  majority  of  the  voters 
in  town  affairs,  eventually  became  debtors  to  the  town  for  larger 
or  smaller  sums  of  its  loan  money,  it  is  easy  to  see  how  this 
resolution,  so  forcible  in  words,  should  become  a  mere  dead 
letter  on  the  Records,  utterly  impracticable  in  Woburn  at  that 
day.  And  thus  the  several  provisions  made  by  the  town  for  its 
security,  in  respect  to  the  money  for  its  two  thousand  acres, 
while  in  the  hands  of  its  new  or  second  committee,  were  vir- 
tually rendered,  one  after  another,  null  and  void.  The  several 
members  of  that  committee  were  pledged,  as  was  understood  at 
their  appointment,  to  give  personal  bonds  for  their  fidelity  in 
the  management  of  the  town's  money  intrusted  to  them:  but 
they,  or  their  friends  for  them,  had  contrived  to  evade  this 
obligation,  by  procuring  the  substitution  of  easier  terms  in  its 
stead.  They  were  ordered  to  be  sworn  to  the  faithful  dis- 
charge of  their  trust;  but  there  is  no  notice  on  the  Records 
that  an  oath,  to  this  purpose,  was  ever  administered  to  them. 
They  were  required  to  give  such  security  as  a  committee,  chosen 
expressly  for  this  end,  should  agree  upon,  and  as  the  town, 
when  it  was  submitted  to  them,  should  accept.  But,  for  reasons 
that  can  only  be  conjectured,  that  committee  never  reported.  A 
second  committee  was  then  appointed  for  drafting  such  security, 
which  did  report.  But  the  resolution  which  they  recommended, 
and  the  town  accepted,  was  such,  that  while  it  bound  in  words 
both  the  committee  which  let  the  town's  money,  and  the  inhabi- 
tants who  borrowed  it,  appears  to  have  been  found  impracticable 
to  be  executed ;  unequal  to  hold  or  restrain  either  the  lenders 
or  the  borrowers  of  the  money  to  be  secured.  And  thus,  not- 
withstanding all  the  noise  and  bluster  with  which,  for  four 
years,  the  town  had  been  agitated  about  getting  better  security 
for  the  money  arising  from  the  sale  of  the  town's  land  at  Lunen- 
berg  than  the  committee  who  sold  it  had  given,  the  town  was 
not  a  whit  better  off  than  before.  The  new  committee  of  nine 
gave  no  better  security,  in  effect  for  their  fidelity,  than  the  old 
committee  of  three  had  done,  which  had  been  displaced  to  make 


292  HISTORY    OP    WOBURN. 

way  for  it.  The  only  difference  was,  that  the  responsibility 
which  had  once  been  borne  by  three,  was  now  divided  between 
nine;  and  whereas  the  former  committee  had  given  all  the 
security  that  was  originally  asked  of  them  by  the  town,  the 
latter  committee  had  contrived,  themselves,  or  by  their  friends, 
to  get  rid  of,  or  to  nullify  that  which  had  been  successively 
demanded  of  them,  and  which,  by  not  declining  at  their  appoint- 
ment or  confirmation  in  office,  they  had  virtually  agreed,  in  good 
faith,  to  give. 

And  now  the  new  committee  of  trust,  (or  at  least,  as  many  of 
them  as  saw  fit  to  accept,40)  being  firmly  established  in  their 
office,  and  furnished  by  the  town  with  all  requisite  powers 
for  the  discharge  of  it,  went  to  work.  To  this  time,  the 
proceeds  of  the  sale  of  the  2,000  acres,  consisting  principally  of 
bonds  for  a  portion  of  the  purchase  money  still  due  from  Ensign 
Reed,  and  of  bonds  for  loans  to  inhabitants  of  Woburn  of 
moneys  received  from  him,  had  remained  in  the  hands  of  the 
original  committee.  At  a  general  meeting,  Febuary  21, 1738—9, 
the  town  by  vote  ordered  that  committee  to  deliver  up  those 
bonds  and  whatever  money  they  had  of  the  town's,  into  the 
hands  of  the  new  committee.46  But  for  some  reason,  now  un- 
known, they  demurred  about  doing  it,  and  in  consequence  of 
their  delay,  the  new  committee  instituted  a  suit  at  law  against 
them,  before  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  for  Middlesex,  at  its 
session  in  Concord,  the  following  August.  At  the  trial,  the 
plaintiffs,  in  the  name  of  the  inhabitants  of  Woburn,  alleged 
that  the  defendants  had  often  refused  and,  still  continued  to 
refuse,  giving  them  a  reasonable  account  of  the  money  they  had 
received  for  the  land  which  they  had  been  commissioned  to  sell 
for  the  town's  use ;  and  laid  the  damage  at  £4,000.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  defendants,  by  their  attorney,  William  Brattle, 
Esq.,  averred,  that  they  always  had  been,  and  now  were  ready 
to  account  with  their  employers  in  this  matter.  Upon  this 


40  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  282.    All  of  the  committee  of  nine  first  chosen  not  accept- 
ing, another  committee  was  appointed  containing  some  new  names;  which  see  pp.  297,  303. 
And  it  subsequently  appeared  that  two  or  three  of  those  never  acted  with  the  rest. 
«  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  pp.  297,  303,  304. 


HISTORY  OP   WOBURN.  293 

declaration,  the  Court  appointed  Samuel  Danforth,  Esq.,  of  Cam- 
bridge, Thomas  Jenner,  Joseph  Lemmon,  and  Samuel  Gary, 
Esqrs.,  of  Charlestown,  and  Judah  Morris,  the  celebrated  Jewish 
convert  to  Christianity  and  teacher  of  Hebrew  in  Harvard  Col- 
lege, or  any  three  of  them,  as  "  Auditors  of  the  Account,  in  this 
Action,  and  ordered  that  the  Defendants  account  before  the  said 
Auditors  accordingly :  and  the  Action  was  continued  to  (the  De- 
cember) Term  for  their  Report."  At  the  session  of  the  Court 
at  Charlestown,  in  December,  the  Auditors  reported,  "  that  hav- 
ing heard  the  Parties  and  examined  their  papers,  they  find  that 
there  is  due  to  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Town  of  Woburn  from  the 
said  Committee,  the  Defendants,  three  thousand  three  hundred 
pounds  for  Principal,  and  two  hundred  thirty  seven  pounds  seven 
shillings  for  Interest  to  this  day,  in  the  whole,  three  thousand  five 
hundred  thirty  seven  pounds  seven  shillings ;  which  with  eight  hun- 
dred ninety  five  pounds  thirteen  shillings  they  have  paid  in  to  the 
Town  Treasurer,  and  seven  pounds  now  allowed  them  with  four- 
teen pounds  formerly  paid  them  by  the  Town,  is  in  full  for  their 
trouble  in  viewing,  selling  the  Land,  and  letting  out  the  Money ; 
which  several  Sums  before  mentioned  we  judge  to  be  in  full  of 
all  dues  and  demands  from  the  Defendants  to  the  Inhabitants  of 
the  Town  of  Woburn." 

This  Report,  subscribed  by  Thomas  Jenner,  Joseph  Lemmon 
and  Judah  Morris,  Auditors,  the  Court  accepted,  and  ordered  it 
to  be  recorded ;  and  decided  upon  the  Action  as  follows :  "  that 
the  Inhabitants  of  Woburn  aforesaid  recover  against  the  said 
Josiah  Johnson,  John  Fowle  and  Edward  Johnson  the  sum  of 
three  thousand  five  hundred  thirty  seven  pounds  seven  shillings 
money  Damage,  and  Costs  of  Suit  with  the  charge  of  Auditing, 
the  whole  whereof  taxed  at  twenty  eight  pounds  seven  shillings 
&  six  pence."  47  From  this  judgment,  the  defendants  appealed 
to  the  next  Superior  Court  for  the  County.  But  their  appeal  was 
to  no  purpose.  Within  a  few  days  after  the  decision  of  the  In- 
ferior Court,  Mr.  Josiah  Johnson,  chairman  of  the  old  commit- 
tee, died.48  And  from  his  heirs  and  from  the  two  surviving 

«  Records  of  Inferior  Court  at  Cambridge;  December,  1737  —  August,  1740,  p.  667. 

«  Records  of  Births  and  Deaths  in  Woburn. 
25* 


294  HISTORY   OP   WOBUBN. 

members  of  that  committee,  Capt.  Fowle  and  Dea.  Edward 
Johnson,  of  the  Precinct,  there  was  afterwards  recovered  in  the 
law,  for  damage  and  costs,  the  increased  sum  of  £3,623  11s. 
For  this  large  amount,  settlement  appears  to  have  been  made  by 
the  old  committee  shortly  after,  by  delivering  up  the  bonds 
and  all  other  property  of  the  town  in  their  hands  to  the  new 
committee;  who  accordingly  stand  recorded  as  responsible  to 
the  town  for  it,  in  the  Town  Book,  June  18,  1741.49 

From  the  last  mentioned  date,  June  18,  1741,  when  the 
new  committee  had  obtained  the  entire  control  of  the  town's 
money  for  their  2,000  acres,  they  seem  to  have  managed  it  for 
some  time  to  general  satisfaction.  The  sum  taken  into  their 
hands,  amounted,  it  was  just  observed,  to  £3,623  11s.  From 
this  deducting  £87  14s..  allowed  them  by  the  town  for  lawyers' 
fees,  and  their  own  time  and  expenses  in  attending  Court 
during  their  suit  against  the  old  committee,  there  remained 
£3,535  17s.  to  be  disposed  of  by  them  for  the  benefit  of  the 
town.  Of  this  sum,  £3,300  constituted  a  permanent  Loan  Fund 
for  the  benefit  of  the  town,  from  the  proceeds  of  the  sale  of  its 
land  in  Lunenburg,  and  now  consisted  principally  of  bonds 
given  jointly  and  severally  by  individuals  for  money  they  had 
unitedly  borrowed  from  it  upon  interest,  in  sums  not  exceeding 
£100  each. 

The  residue,  £235  17s.  seems  to  have  been  an  accumulation 
of  interest,  which  had  been  received  by  the  old  committee ;  and 
which,  being  now  paid  into  the  treasury  of  the  town,  and  added 
to  so  much  of  the  interest  annually  due  upon  the  bonds,  as  the 
new  committee  collected  and  paid,  proved  sufficient,  several 
years,  for  defraying  all  the  usual  town  and  county  expenses,  and 
saved  the  necessity  of  assessing  any  tax  in  Woburn  for  ordi- 
nary purposes,  except  the  Province  tax,  till  February  1 746-7. 

But  now  the  new  committee  became  gradually  very  dilatory 
and  backward  in  collecting  and  paying  in  the  interest  due  on 
the  town's  loan  money  intrusted  to  their  care.  As  the  Treas- 
urer's book  shows,  they  were  accustomed  to  pay  portions  of  this 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  VH.,  pp.  371,  372. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  295 

interest  every  year,  but,  generally  speaking,  not  till  it  had  been 
due  above  a  twelvemonth ;  and  then  in  such  partial  payments, 
as  all  of  them  together  did  not  satisfy  the  just  claims  of  the 
town.  The  failure  of  the  committee  in  this  respect  was  doubt- 
less owing,  in  a  very  considerable  degree,  to  the  depreciation  of 
money  then  prevalent.  Province  Bills  of  Credit,  in  which  the 
interest  money  from  the  loan  fund  was  wont  to  be  paid,  were 
not  worth  so  much  in  1741,  when  the  committee  took  that  fund 
into  their  charge,  as  they  were  in  1734,  when  the  land  in 
Lunenburg  was  sold,  and  the  fund  was  established  from  the 
proceeds  of  its  sale ;  and  this,  their  diminished  value,  was  con- 
tinually diminishing.50  To  remove  the  difficulty,  which  this 
constant  depreciation  must  obviously  occasion,  both  to  the  com- 
mittee who  had  the  charge  of  the  loan  money,  and  to  those  who 
were  indebted  to  them  for  loans  from  it,  the  town,  at  a  meeting, 
August  27,  1744,  voted,  that  "the  Town  will  not  require  the 
Sink  of  their  Money  in  the  hands  of  the  present  Committee, 
neither  shall  the  same  be  required  by  the  said  Committee  of 
those  who  have  said  Money  in  their  hands,  untill  further  order 
from  the  Town."  51  But  this  vote  (which  proved  in  the  end  a 
virtual  relinquishment  of  the  fund  itself,  for  the  sake  of  securing 
the  prompt  payment  of  the  interest  due  upon  sums  loaned  from  it) 
did  not  answer  the  end  intended.  While  it  greatly  facilitated 
the  action  of  the  committee  in  collecting  and  paying  up  the 
interest  due  to  the  town,  it  did  not  effect  any  material  change  for 
the  better  in  their  management  on  this  head.  With  some  honor- 
able exceptions,  they  still  made  but  partial  payments  of  the 
interest  coming  to  the  town  from  its  loan  fund ;  and  were  gener- 
ally a  year  or  more  behind  hand  in  doing  this.  This  remissness 
caused  much  vexation  and  uneasiness,  and  great  loss  to  the 
people  of  Woburn.  It  obliged  the  town  to  have  recourse  once 
more  to  taxation  (from  which,  through  aid  from  its  loan  fund,  it 
had  been  for  several  years  in  good  measure  free,)  for  defraying 
its  common  necessary  charges.  It  became  at  length  a  matter  of 

60  Bills  in  1734  were  in  the  proportion  of  twenty -four  shillings  to  one  ounce  of  silver;  from 
1741  to  1744,  as  twenty-eight  shillings  to  one  ounce;  and  in  1745,  as  thirty-five  shillings  to  an 
ounce  of  silver  in  value.— See  felt  on  Massachusetts  Currency,  p.  135. 
«  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  451. 


296  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

public,  serious  complaint  in  town  meeting ;  and  for  a  series  of 
years,  this  community  was  much  occupied  in  devising,  and  in 
some  instances  adopting,  a  variety  of  measures  for  correcting 
the  negligence  of  the  committee  in  this  matter,  and  for  remedying 
the  inconveniences  and  troubles  which  it  occasioned.  But  such 
were  the  intrinsic  defects  in  these  measures  themselves,  or  the 
difficulty  of  carrying  them  in  town  meeting,  in  the  face  of  the 
opposition  which  they  excited,  or  the  lack  of  energy  or  decision 
in  those  who  were  appointed  to  carry  them  into  effect,  or  the 
strong  influence  exerted  to  thwart  or  defeat  their  execution,  that 
little  or  nothing  was  accomplished  by  them.  For  instance,  (to 
notice  some  of  these  measures  in  a  brief,  summary  way,)  at  a 
town  meeting,  March  6,  1748-9,  the  town  treasurer  was  ordered 
to  sue  each  committee-man  at  the  law,  who  failed  to  pay  in  the 
interest  coming  from  him,  within  a  year  from  the  time  it  became 
due ;  but  this  was  a  delicate  business,  which  the  treasurer  seems 
to  have  been  averse  to  meddling  with;  and  so  nothing  was 
done.52 

It  was  proposed  in  the  warrant  for  a  meeting,  May  22,  1753, 
to  choose  a  committee  to  inquire,  why  the  interest  of  their 
loan  money  was  not  paid  in,  agreeably  to  vote  of  the  town  ? 
But  when  the  town  came  together,  the  article  was  dismissed,  and 
no  inquiry  was  made.53 

Again,  the  town  ordered  the  committee,  May  13,  1754,  to 
reduce  every  bond  in  their  hands  to  lawful  money  which  had  not 
been  reduced  before,  and  then  to  sue  it,  unless  the  interest  due 
on  it  were  paid  before  the  next  Inferior  Court ;  but  this  severe 
expedient  proved,  eventually,  to  be  a  mere  empty  threat ;  or  if 
actually  tried,  it  was  without  success.54 

Again,  at  a  meeting,  May  12,  1757,  the  town  empowered  and 
directed  its  treasurer  to  demand  forthwith,  of  the  committee  for 
its  Loan  Fund,  the  interest  then  due  from  it  to  the  town ;  and 
in  case  of  neglect  to  pay,  to  sue  immediately  for  the  principal, 
held  by  each  delinquent.  But  there  is  no  evidence  that  this 
order  was  ever  complied  with  by  the  Treasurer.55 

M  Town  Records,  Vol.  VIII.,  p.  16.  »  Town  Records,  Vol.  VIII.,  pp.  104, 106. 

«*  Town  Records,  Vol.  VIII.,  p.  131.  »  Town  Records,  Vol.  VIII.,  p.  205. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  297 

Furthermore,  it  was  once  and  again  proposed  to  discharge  the 
present  committee  upon  their  delivering  up  the  town's  property 
in  their  care,  and  then  to  elect  a  new  committee,  or  appoint  the 
Town  Treasurer  for  the  same  trust.  But  in  each  instance,  the 
article  of  the  warrant  suggesting  such  change,  was  either  dis- 
missed, or  adjourned  from  one  meeting  to  another,  till  the  design 
was  dropped,  and  the  old  committee  were  still  allowed  to  retain 
their  office.56 

And  finally,  a  committee  of  three,  viz.,  Josiah  Johnson,  Esq., 
James  Fowle,  Esq.,  and  Mr.  Isaac  Snow,  was  appointed,  March 
1764,  to  settle  all  accounts  with  the  committee  for  the  town's 
loan  money;  and  in  the  warrant  for  May  meeting,  the  same 
year,  one  article  was,  to  see  whether  the  town  would  accept  that 
committee's  report  ?  But  in  the  Record  of  this  meeting,  a  pro- 
found silence  is  observed  on  this  subject ;  and  it  does  not  appear 
whether  the  committee  ever  presented  the  expected  report,  or 
whether  it  was  ever  acted  upon  or  not.57 

In  the  mean  while,  changes,  from  various  causes,  were  taking 
place  in  the  committee.  Three  of  the  nine  originally  appointed, 
viz.,  Messrs.  Edward  Walker,  Josiah  Pierce,  and  Lieut  James 
Simonds,  do  not  appear  to  have  ever  accepted  the  trust ;  or  if 
they  ever  acted  with  the  rest,  they  did  so  but  for  a  little  while. 
Capt.  Benjamin  Johnson  was  displaced  by  the  town  in  1756, 
and  Mr.  Nathaniel  Brooks  put  in  his  room.  Death  also  was 
beginning  to  do  his  work,  and  to  compel  some  of  them  to  pay 
the  debt  of  nature,  if  they  could  not,  or  would  not,  their  dues  to 
the  town.  Jonathan  Poole,  Esq.,  chairman  of  the  committee, 
died  about  1755;  and  Mr.  David  Wyman  about  1762;  and 
Mr.  Oliver  Richardson  and  Capt.  Benjamin  Wyman  were  chosen 
respectively  to  supply  their  places.  And  these  changes,  and  the 
prospect  of  others  like  them,  seem  to  have  combined  with  other 
circumstances  to  rouse  the  town  at  last  to  efficient  action. 

At  a  general  meeting,  May  18,  1767,  it  was  voted,  "  that  the 
Town's  Loan  Money  that  is  in  the  hands  of  individuals,  and  the 
hands  of  the  Committee,  should  be  transferred  into  the  hands  of 

K  Town  Rec.,  Vol.  VIII.,  pp.  331,  333,  337,  338.      "  Town  Rec.,  Vol.  VIII.,  pp.  394  400,  401. 


298  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

the  town  treasurer  for  the  use  and  benefit  of  said  town."  A 
committee  also  was  chosen  at  the  same  time,  consisting  of  Capt. 
Benjamin  Johnson,  Josiah  Johnson,  Esq.,  and  Lieut.  Samuel 
Thompson,  to  assist  the  treasurer  in  receiving  the  town's  money 
of  the  loan  committee,  "  and  taking  good  security  for  the  same." 
"  Voted  also  that  the  Treasurer,  and  the  Committee  chosen  to 
assist  said  Treasurer,  be  and  are  hereby  authorized  and  empow- 
ered to  reckon  and  settle  with  the  said  Committee  that  has  said 
town's  Loan  Money  in  their  hands,  and  said  Treasurer  to  give 
them  a  Discharge  for  their  trust  in  that  affair."  58  And  at  May 
meeting,  the  following  year,  the  same  gentlemen  were  chosen 
and  empowered  by  the  town  as  a  committee  "  to  reckon  and 
settle  with  Deacon  Nathan  Richardson,  Lieut.  William  Tay, 
Capt.  Timothy  Brooks,  Mr  Oliver  Richardson,  Mr  Nathaniel 
Brooks,  and  Capt.  Benjamin  Wyman  for  their  service  and 
trouble  as  Committee  men  for  the  Town's  Loan  Money,  and 
make  each  of  them  such  allowance  for  their  service  as  they  can 
agree  with  them  for,  not  to  exceed  one  penny  upon  the  Pound 
per  year,  and  take  a  receipt  of  each  and  every  of  them ;  that 
so  the  town  may  have  a  full  discharge  from  each  and  every  of 
them  from  any  further  demand  that  either  of  them  can  have 
upon  the  town  for  said  service,  and  Report  at  the  next  town 
meeting."  59 

Here  seems  to  be  the  winding  up  of  the  office  of  committee 
for  the  Town's  loan  money.  Henceforth,  its  trust  and  duties 
devolved  upon  the  Town  Treasurer,  Eleazar  Flag  Poole,  Esq. 
At  March  meeting,  1770,  the  town  directed  this  gentleman  "to 
sue  all  those  bonds  for  (its)  Loan  Money  that  is  (arc)  not 
changed  into  Lawfull  money,  at  the  next  Inferior  Court  in  the 
County  of  Middlesex;  he  first  advising  with  the  Selectmen 
before  he  puts  said  Bonds  in  Suit."  60  In  pursuance  of  these 
orders,  Mr.  Poole  commenced,  that  year  and  the  next,  five  law- 
suits in  the  Inferior  Court;  in  all  which,  he  recovered  his 
demand  on  the  town's  behalf  with  costs.61  In  two  of  these 
suits,  however,  Joshua  Richardson,  the  defendant,  ventured  to 

*•  Town  Records,  Vol.  EX.,  p.  38.  »  Town  Records,  Vol.  EX.,  p.  64. 

»  Town  Record*,  Vol.  EX.,  p.  106. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBUKN.  299 

appeal  to  the  Superior  Court,  and  gave  bonds  to  prosecute  his 
appeal.61  But  at  a  session  of  that  Court  in  Charlestown,  April 
14,  1772,  he  failed  to  appear:  upon  which  the  Court,  at  the 
prayer  of  Mr.  Poole,  confirmed  the  judgment  of  the  Lower  Court, 
with  additional  damages  and  costs.62  At  March  meeting,  1772, 
that  gentleman  stated,  in  his  account  for  the  preceding  year, 
then  rendered,  (attested  by  the  Auditing  Committee,  and  after- 
wards accepted  by  the  Town,)  that  he  had  received  as  principal 
of  the  loan  money,  X76  0*.  3d.,  and  as  interest  for  the  same, 
£5  15*.  7fd.,  total  received,  X81  15s.  lOf  </. ;  and  that  there  was 
still  due  to  the  town,  as  principal,  X30  13s.  04J.,  and  as  interest  to 
March  12, 1772,  X8  16s.  5d. ;  and  also,  that  by  a  receipt  he  had,  it 
appeared  that  there  was  still  in  the  hands  of  Nathaniel  Brooks, 
of  the  town's  loan  money,  X2  2s.  4d.,  as  principal,  and  XI  18s.  as 
interest,  in  all,  X43  10s.  Id.,  due  to  the  town  on  this  account.63 
At  May  meeting,  1772,  an  attempt  was  made  to  prevail  with  the 
Town  to  remit  to  certain  individuals  a  portion  of  what  they 
owed,  on  account  of  the  loan  money,  or  grant  them  a  longer  time 
to  pay  their  dues  in ;  but,  to  both  these  proposals,  the  Town 
voted  a  positive  refusal.64  And  at  a  general  meeting,  June  15, 
of  the  same  year,  the  Treasurer  was  ordered,  by  vote  of  the 
town,  "  to  put  in  prosecution  the  conditional  note  he  (had)  in 
his  hands,  relative  to  a  part  of  the  (town's)  Loan  money,  given 
to  him  by  Mr  James  Wyman " ;  and  also,  "  to  prosecute  the 
Receipt  he  (had)  in  his  hands,  that  was  given  by  Mr.  Nathaniel 
Brooks  and  Mr.  David  Wyman  to  Mrs.  Esther  Poole  deceased, 
relative  to  said  town's  Loan  money."  ^  But  on  account  of  some 
acknowledged  illegality  in  this  meeting,  the  abeve  orders  were 
rendered  void,  and  never  afterward  renewed.  Weary  of  con- 
tending for  years  about  their  loan  money,  and  discouraged  by  the 
failure  of  their  numerous  past  efforts  to  get  the  management  of 
it  again  into  their  own  hands,  till  they  saw  there  was  compara- 
tively but  little  to  contend  for,  they  ceased  from  this  time  to  make 
it  a  subject  of  discussion  and  action  in  town  meeting ;  and  the 

«  Records  of  Court;  communicated  by  Lorenzo  Marrett,  Esq.,  of  East  Cambridge. 
«  Records  of  Superior  Court,  1772,  leaf  50,  2d  page.  <°  Treasurer's  Book,  p.  266. 

•*  Town  Records,  Vol.  IX.,  p.  164.  <*  Town  Records,  Vol.  IX.,  p.  168. 


300  HISTORY   OF    WOBURN. 

events  which  immediately  led  to  the  Revolutionary  War  soon 
diverted  their  attention  another  way;  and  their  remaining 
claims  for  the  loan  money  were  speedily  forgotten  or  over- 
looked. 

It  is  melancholy  to  witness  so  large  and  productive  a  fund 
as  the  Woburn  Loan  money  once  constituted,  and  one  that 
promised  originally  to  be  of  so  great  and  lasting  utility,  frit- 
tered away  in  the  course  of  a  few  years  into  nothing ;  and  curi- 
osity may  incline  many  to  inquire  the  cause.  When  that  fund 
was  created,  at  the  sale,  in  1734,  of  Woburn's  2,000  acres  in 
Lunenburg,  it  was  worth  £3,300,  in  Massachusetts  Bills  of  Credit. 
As  these  Bills  then  passed  at  the  rate  of  twenty-four  shillings 
for  an  ounce  of  silver  at  eight  shillings,  or  sixty  shillings  for 
two  and  one-half  ounces  of  silver,  equal  to  twenty  shillings,  or 
one  pound ;  the  whole  value  of  the  fund  at  its  commencement 
was  £1,100,  lawful  money.66  In  1741,  when  the  new  committee 
recovered  in  the  law  the  Loan  stock  from  the  old  committee, 
and  took  the  entire  charge  of  it  into  their  hands,  the  Bills 
of  Credit  being  then  valued  at  twenty-eight  shillings  for 
an  ounce  of  silver,66  tho  worth  of  the  fund  was  diminished 
to  X942  6s.  But  so  rapidly  did  they  decline  in  worth  be- 
tween 1745,  1749  and  1750,  that  in  the  two  years  last  named, 
they  had  sunk  into  what  was  called  Old  Tenor  currency,  in 
which  an  ounce  of  silver  was  reckoned  an  equivalent  lor  sixty 
shillings  in  Province  Bills.66  The  committee,  aware  of 
the  tendency  of  the  money  in  their  care  to  depreciate, 
became  alarmed,  it  seems,  in  1744.  But  the  town  relieved 
them  of  their  apprehensions,  by  voting,  at  a  meeting  in  August 
1 744,  not  to  exact  of  their  committee  "  the  sink  of  their  money  " 
in  the  payment  of  interest  accruing  upon  it,  and  directed 
them  at  the  same  time  not  to  exact  it  of  those  to  whom  they  had 
loaned  it.67  And  now  the  disastrous  effect  of  the  depreciation  of 
the  currency  upon  the  Woburn  Loan  Fund  began  strikingly  to 
show  itself.  From  1745,  down  to  1750,  inclusively,  when  Old 
Tenor  money  became  no  longer  a  legal  tender,  and  lawful  money 

«>  Felt's  Massachusetts  Currency,  p.  135.  w  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  451. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  301 

was  substituted  in  its  stead,  all  payments  into  the  treasury, 
whether  of  principal  from  the  Loan  Fund,  or  of  interest  into 
it,  were  in  Old  Tenor ;  and  thus  it  continued  to  be  for  several 
years  after.  For  instance,  when  the  town  voted,  in  1761,  to 
take  from  its  Loan  Fund  £200,  Old  Tenor,  or  its  equivalent  in 
lawful  money,  to  pay  to  Medford,  in  fulfilment  of  its  agreement, 
in  order  to  be  released  in  future  from  all  obligation  to  help 
maintain  Medford  Bridge,  the  whole  sum  taken  from  the  fund 
for  this  purpose  was  only  £26  13s.  4</.,  lawful  money.68  And 
the  full  amount  of  interest  paid  into  the  Treasury,  by  Lieut. 
William  Tay,  one  of  the  new  Committee,  for  the  portion  of  the 
Loan  Fund  in  his  care,  which  had  for  a  series  of  years  been  £33 
0*.  Od.,  Old  Tenor,  was  reduced  to  £4  8s.  lawful  in  1749. 

In  each  of  these  two  instances  was  a  depreciation  of  Province 
Bills,  reckoned  in  Old  Tenor,  of  £7  10s.,  for  £1  lawful  money. 
Computed  by  this  standard,  the  whole  Loan  Fund  of  Woburn, 
viz,  £3,300,  as  it  was  originally,  and  as  it  was  when  taken  in 
charge  by  the  new  committee  in  1741,  was  worth,  in  1750,  only 
£440  lawful  money.  Here  then,  we  see  the  main  cause  of 
the  constantly  diminishing  value,  and  final  ruin  of  Woburn  Loan 
Fund.  This  sad  issue  is  not  to  be  imputed  to  the  incapacity  of 
the  second  committee,  who  had  the  charge  of  the  fund  while  its 
depreciation  was  principally  going  on ;  for  there  were  among  them, 
men  highly  esteemed  for  their  business  talents,  as  well  as  integ- 
rity and  moral  worth.  It  was  not  the  result  of  their  defrauding 
the  town  of  any  portion  of  its  Loan  Money,  either  interest  or 
principal.  For  the  Treasurer's  Records  exhibit  numerous  and 
constant  payments  by  them  of  the  interest  of  the  fund  committed 
to  their  management,  so  that  a  sum  less  than  £10  of  the  interest 
accruing  upon  the  fund,  remained  unpaid  at  the  final  settlement 
of  the  Treasurer,  in  1772.  And  although  their  customary  failure 
to  pay  the  interest,  till  a  year  had  elapsed  after  it  became  due, 
was  a  source  of  loss  to  the  town,  and  of  much  disappointment 
and  vexation,  yet  even  this  failure  doubtless  arose,  in  most 
cases,  from  the  failure  of  those  to  whom  they  had  loaned  the 


«  Town  Record*,  Vol.  VIII.,  p.  46?.. 
26 


302  HISTORY    OP   WOBURN. 

money  to  pay  the  interest  as  it  had  become  due.  And  as  to  the 
principal  of  the  fund,  the  Treasurer's  Records  credit  the  com- 
mittee with  numerous  payments  of  it,  between  1761  and  1767, 
amounting  in  all  to  £337  18s.  9d.,  which  being  added  to  £76 
Os.  3d.,  that  the  Treasurer  himself  received,  according  to  his  final 
account,  March  1772,  after  the  fund  was  intrusted  to  his  care, 
and  the  £32  15s.  Sd.,  of  the  principal,  which  he  then  claimed  to 
be  due,  amounted  to  £446  14s.  8d.,  a  sum  little  exceeding  that, 
when  the  whole  fund,  in  passing  from  Province  Bills  to  Old 
Tenor  currency,  and  from  that  to  lawful  money,  was  then 
accounted  to  be  worth. 

The  final  loss  then  of  Woburn  Loan  Fund  must  be  regarded 
as  one  of  the  unhappy  consequences  of  issuing,  by  the  Govern- 
ment of  Massachusetts,  Bills  or  Notes  as  money,  without  a  suit- 
able care  promptly  to  redeem  them,  and  thus  keep  up  their 
credit.  This  was  a  very  common  way  of  producing  money  at 
the  commencement  of  the  last  century,  which  the  Legislature 
was  in  a  manner  constrained  by  circumstances  to  resort  to,  and 
which  the  people  thejnselves  were  very  reluctant  should  be  given 
up.  But  the  more  of  these  Bills  were  issued,  the  greater  became 
the  general  distrust  of  them;  they  continually  diminished  in 
value ;  and  the  consequence  of  their  depreciation  (to  say  nothing 
of  a  great  increase  of  crime  and  moral  evil)  was  a  multitude  of 
losses  and  calamitCiS  both  to  individuals  and  to  communities  at 
large. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Establishment  of  Third  Parish.— Installation  in  it  of  Rev.  Josiah  Cotton.— 
Erection  of  Third  Meeting-house  of  First  Parish,  and  disposal  of  the 
Second. — Action  at  Law  of  Rev.  Edward  Jackson  against  Rev.  Mr.  Cot- 
ton for  a  Libel. — Death  and  Character  of  Rev.  Mr.  Jackson. 

IN  the  chapter  preceding,  some  account  was  given  of  the 
unhappy  difference  between  the  two  ministers  of  the  First 
Society  in  Woburn,  Rev.  Messrs.  Fox  and  Jackson,  and  of  the 
consequent  alienation  of  their  respective  friends  from  one 
another.  This  alienation  gradually  increased,  so  as  to  become 
the  occasion,  in  1 746,  of  a  secession  from  the  First  Parish,  and 
of  the  legal  establishment  of  a  Third  Society  in  the  town,  com- 
monly distinguished  at  that  day  by  the  title  of  the  "  Separatists' 
Society."  The  measures  for  effecting  this  separation  commenced 
with  the  friends  of  Rev.  Mr.  Fox,  who  handed  in  a  petition  to 
the  Parish  Committee,  August  31,  1745,  requesting  them,  for 
reasons  therein  declared,  to  call  a  parish  meeting,  and  to  insert 
in  their  Warrant  for  it  the  prayer  of  the  petitioners,  that  they 
and  those  who  might  join  them  within  a  reasonable  time  might 
be  allowed  by  the  parish  to  be  set  off  "  a  separate  &  distinct 
society";  and  that  they,  their  families  and  estates,  might  be 
henceforth  excused  from  paying  anything  toward  the  mainte- 
nance of  Rev.  Mr.  Jackson.1  This  petition,  after  some  considera- 
tion, the  Parish  Committee  refused  to  grant.  Whereupon,  a 
petition  was  presented,  September  16,  to  Hon.  Samuel  Danforth, 
Esq.,  one  of  the  justices  for  the  County  of  Middlesex,  subscribed 
by  Roland  Cotton,  Jonathan  Poole,  John  Fowle,  Ebenezer 
Flegg,  and  Joshua  Sawyer,  setting  forth  the  denial  which  the 
petition,  subscribed  by  them  and  others,  had  met  with  from 
the  Parish  Committee,  and  praying  him  to  grant  his  warrant  for 
calling  a  parish  meeting  for  the  purposes  mentioned  in  that  peti- 
tion.2 In  pursuance  of  this  application,  Justice  Danforth  issued 

i  Parish  Rccordi,  Vol.  I.,  p.  236.  »  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  236. 


304  HISTORY   OP    WOBURN. 

his  Warrant  for  a  parish  meeting,  to  be  held  September  30, 
"  for  the  purpose  of  choosing  any  parish  officers  that  might  be 
judged  necessary;  and  of  considering  the  petition  of  sundry  of 
the  Freeholders  of  said  Parish,  as  above  expressed."  At  the 
meeting  thus  obtained,  it  was  voted,  first,  not  to  choose  any  new 
officers ;  and,  then,  after  adjourning  one  hour  for  further  consid- 
eration, "  It  was  put  to  vote,  whether  the  Inhabitants  would 
dismiss  those  Petitioners,  according  as  is  set  forth  in  their  Peti- 
tion ?  and  it  passed  in  the  negative,  that  they  would  not."  3 

In  the  mean  while,  the  Parish  Committee  had  stolen  a  march 
upon  the  petitioners,  with  a  view  either  to  check  them  in  their 
attempts  at  separation,  or  to  extort  from  them  as  much  aid  as 
possible  for  the  benefit  of  the  parish,  before  they  could  be 
legally  set  off".  During  the  four  years  immediately  preceding 
this,  three  unsuccessful  attempts  had  been  made  to  obtain  a  vote 
of  the  parish  to  build  a  new  meeting-house,  or  to  repair  the  old 
one.  The  proposal  to  build  had  been  uniformly  negatived ;  and 
forty  shillings  was  all  the  parish  would  grant  to  repair.4  But, 
suddenly,  an  entire  change  of  mind  on  this  subject  took  place. 
On  the  1 8th  of  September,  this  year,  (only  two  days  after  the 
date  of  Justice  Danforth's  warrant  for  calling  a  Parish  meeting, 
to  see  if  the  parish  would  dismiss  certain  members  thereof,  that 
they  might  become  a  distinct  society,)  the  parish  committee  issued 
a  warrant  for  a  parish  meeting,  to  be  held  on  the  26th  of  Sep- 
tember, four  days  before  the  meeting  called  by  Justice  Danforth. 
And,  at  that  meeting,  after  granting  the  salaries  of  the  two  min- 
isters for  the  current  year,  the  Parish  voted  to  build  a  new 
meeting-house  as  soon  as  they  conveniently  could ;  granted 
£1,000,  Old  Tenor,  for  the  purchase  of  materials,  and  chose  a 
committee  of  five  for  carrying  on  the  work.5 

And  now  the  petitioners,  baffled  and  irritated  by  these  impoli- 
tic, overbearing  proceedings  of  the  majority  of  the  parish,  and 
confirmed  more  strongly  than  ever  in  their  purpose  to  get  off 
from  it,  if  possible,  apply  to  the  Legislature  for  redress  in  the 
following  petition :  — 

*  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  237.         «'  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  167,  205, 218. 
«  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I ,  p.  234. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  305 

<;  Province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay. 

"To  His  Excellency  William  Shirley,  Esqr-  Captain  General 
and  Commander  in  chief  in  and  over  the  Province  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Bay,  the  Honourable  the  Council  and  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives, in  General  Court  assembled  December  ye  llth.  1745  : 

"  Humbly  shew  the  Subscribers,  Inhabitants  of  the  First  Parish 
in  Woburn ; 

"  That  they  preferred  a  Petition  to  the  Committee  of  the  said 
Parish  on  the  31st.  of  August  last,  setting  forth,  that  the  Rever- 
end Mr  Edward  Jackson  had  been  settled  in  the  Ministry  in  said 
Town  about  sixteen  3*ears,  ever  since  which  there  has  been  an 
unhappy  and  unaccountable  difference  between  their  senior  Pastor 
the  Rev*  Mr  John  Fox  and  the  said  Mr  Jackson  ;  and  notwithstand- 
ing the  earnest  endeavours  of  many  well  disposed  Ministers  and 
other  Christian  Brethren  to  reconcile  these  two  ministers,  and 
induce  them  to  live  together  as  Ministers  and  Brethren  ought  to 
do,  yet  that  this  alienation  of  affection  evidently  continues  to  this 
day,  greatly  to  the  prejudice  of  Religion  in  this  Parish,  and  the  best 
welfare  of  ourselves  and  Families  whilst  we  remain  in  these  very 
distressing  circumstances :  we  therefore  earnestly  desired  and 
requested  them  to  call  a  Parish  meeting  according  to  law,  and 
insert  in  their  warrant  that  it  was  the  Prayer  of  us  the  Subscribers 
and  our  Associates  that  should  join  to  us  in  a  reasonable  time,  to 
be  allowed  by  the  Parish  to  be  set  off  a  separate  and  distinct 
Society,  that  we  our  Families  and  Estates  might  be  for  the  future 
excused  from  paying  anything  toward  the  maintenance  of  the  said 
Mr  Edward  Jackson ;  and  we  did  in  the  said  Petition  engage  to 
the  said  Parish,  that  for  the  promotion  of  peace  and  that  we  and 
our  families  might  have  the  precious  and  invaluable  liberty  of  wor- 
shiping God  without  confusion  and  disorder,  or  any  uncharitable 
reflections  upon  each  other,  that  we  would  take  upon  ourselves  our 
proportionable  part  of  the  charge  of  supporting  and  maintaining  the 
Reverend  Mr  John  Fox,  who  is  the  Senior  Pastor  of  that  (this) 
Church  and  Parish,  and  who  is  in  justice  entitled  to  as  much  or 
more  salary  than  the  younger  Pastor,  although  by  the  Providence 
of  God  he  is  taken  off  from  the  publick  ministerial  performances  : 
and  consequently  we  must  be  at  the  charge  of  settling  another ;  yet 
we  were  heartily  willing,  though  but  very  unable  to  be  at  the  extra- 
ordinary charge ;  as  we  were  very  sensible  this  method  would  tend 
to  restore  Peace  to  the  Parish,  and  i,by  the  Blessing  of  God)  to 


306  HISTORY  OF   WOBURtf. 

promote  the  future  Happiness  of  ourselves  and  Families  here  and 
hereafter. 

'*  That  the  said  Parish  Committee,  as  we  are  informed,  met 
twice  after  the  Petition  was  presented,  but  did  not  see  cause  to 
call  a  Parish  Meeting  agreeable  to  our  reasonable  Request,  which 
obliged  us  to  apply  to  one  of  His  Majesty's  Justices  of  the  Peace 
according  to  Law,  who  issued  a  warrant  on  the  IGth  of  September 
last  requiring  the  Freeholders  &  others  qualified  according  to  Law 
to  meet  together  to  consider  our  Petition  the  30th  —  following : 
which  when  the  Parish  Committee  perceived,  they  suddenly  met 
together,  as  we  were  informed,  and  issued  their  warrant  for  a 
meeting  to  see  whether  the  Parish  would  build  a  new  Meeting 
House,  and  directed  the  Inhabitants  to  meet  the  week  before  the 
Parish  meeting  ordered  by  the  Justice,  and  would  not  insert  our 
Petition  in  their  Warrant ;  and  when  they  met  together,  they  (as 
we  apprehend,  to  baffle,  distress  and  discourage  us  from  our  honest 
&  just  design  of  being  a  distinct  Society  and  living  peaceably 
together,  and  to  render  us  unable  to  build  a  decent  meeting  house 
for  the  publick  worship  of  God)  voted  to  raise  a  large  sum  of 
money  towards  building  themselves  a  meeting-house,  though  your 
petitioners  who  were  present,  and  sundry  others,  entered  their 
Protest  against  such  a  vote  being  put,  forasmuch  as  the  warning 
for  said  meeting  was  exceeding  short,  and  a  great  number  of  the 
voters  being  absent ;  and  further  at  the  meeting  appointed  by  the 
order  of  the  Justice  the  week  after,  the  Parish  unreasonably 
refused  to  grant  the  Prayer  of  your  Petitioners,  as  by  the  Records 
will  appear. 

"  Now  may  it  please  your  Excellency  and  Honours,  as  these 
Proceedings  manifestly  tend  to  distress  your  Petitioners,  and 
prevent  their  enjoying  Gospel  privileges  in  Peace  and  Order, 
They  humbly  pray  that  they  with  their  Associates  who  shall  join 
with  them  in  a  reasonable  time,  as  your  Honours  shall  in  your 
wisdom  judge  meet,  may  be  excused  from  paying  any  taxes  for  the 
future  either  to  the  building  a  meeting-house  for  Mr  Jackson,  or  to 
his  maintenance  ;  and  that  they  may  be  set  off  a  separate  and  dis- 
tinct Society,  which  is  of  the  greatest  consequence  to  your  poor 
distressed  Petitioners,  who  will  as  in  duty  bound  ever  Pray  etc., 
etc.  "  JACOB  WRIGHT  JUN'  JONATHAN  POOLE 

JONATHAN  Fox  JOHN  FOWLE 

DAVID  ALEXANDER  JACOB  WEIGHT 

JOSHUA  SAWYER  EBENEZEII  FLEGG 

GERSHOM  FLAGG  JunV 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  307 

"In  the  House  of  Representatives  Decr.  18th.  1745  Read  and 
ordered  that  the  Petitioners  serve  the  Clerk  of  the  first  Parish  in 
Woburn  with  a  Copy  of  this  Petition,  that  so  they  shew  Cause  if 
any  they  have,  on  the  first  Wednesday  of  the  next  Session  of  this 
Court,  why  the  Prayer  thereof  should  not  be  granted  :  and  all  Pro- 
ceedings with  respect  to  making  Parish  Taxes  are  suspended  in  the 
meantime. 

"  Sent  up  for  Concurrence. 

"  T.  CUSHING,  Speaker. 
"  In  Council  Deer1".  18th.  1745. 
"  Read  &  Concur*. 

"  J.  WILLARD,  Sscry. 

"  Consented  to : 

W.  SHIRLEY."  6 

A  Copy  of  this  Order  of  Court  having  been  duly  served,  a 
parish  meeting  was  called  January  2,  1745-6;  at  which  a  com- 
mittee of  five  was  chosen,  "  to  go  to  the  Great  and  General 
Court  to  make  answer  to  a  Petition  there  preferred  by  sundry 
of  the  Inhabitants  of  said  Parish,  and  shew  reason  why  they 
should  not  be  set  off  a  separate  Society  as  they  have  requested." 
This  committee  consisting  of  Lieut.  Samuel  Kendall,  Dea.  Josiah 
Peirce,  and  Messrs.  Josiah  Johnson,  William  Tay  and  Nathan 
Richardson,  doubtless  appeared  before  the  Court,  on  behalf  of 
the  parish  at  the  time  appointed.7  But  what  pleas  they  urged 
against  the  prayer  of  the  petitioners  cannot  now  be  ascertained, 
the  volume  of  the  Court's  Records  for  that  year  being  unac- 
countably missing.  Certain  it  is,  however,  that  the  efforts  of 
the  Parish  Committee  in  this  business  were  unsuccessful.  At  an 
adjourned  Session  of  the  Legislature,  apparently  in  August  or 
September  1746,  they  passed  upon  the  prayer  of  the  petition- 
ers the  following  order,  which  is  copied  from  papers,  in  the 
hands  of  descendants  in  this  town,  of  Lieut.  Kendall,  Chairman 
of  the  committee.  "  Ordered  that  the  Prayer  of  the  Petition 
be  so  far  granted,  as  that  the  Petitioners  with  their  Families  and 
Estates,  together  with  such  Persons  and  their  Estates  belonging 
to  said  Parish,  that  shall  hereafter,  within  twelve  months  next 

«  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  238-240.  '  Parish  Records,  Vol.  1.,  p.  242. 


308  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

coming,  signify  their  desire  of  joining  with  them  by  writing 
under  their  hands  delivered  into  the  Secretary's  Office,  be  and 
hereby  are  made  and  set  off  a  distinct  and  separate  Precinct, 
and  impowered  to  hold  and  exercise  the  same  Privileges  as  all 
other  Precincts  within  this  Province  have,  and  by  Law  do  enjoy ; 
and  also  set  free  from  any  taxes  toward  the  maintenance  of  Mr 
Edward  Jackson,  and  building  and  repairing  said  [First]  Pre- 
cinct Meeting-house,  since  the  llth.  of  Decr.  last,  when  they 
exhibited  this  Petition :  Provided  they  pay  annually  one  half 
of  what  has  been  usually  allowed  by  said  Precinct  towards  the 
support  of  the  Revd.  Mr  Fox  their  aged  Pastor."  8 

The  Third  Society  in  Wobtirn,  being  thus  legally  established, 
proceeded  to  exercise  the  privileges  with  which  they  had  been 
vested.  From  a  comparison  of  parish  taxes,  for  Rev.  Mr.  Jack- 
son's salary,  for  the  years  immediately  before  and  after  its 
incorporation,  the  Third  Society  appears  to  have  consisted  of 
about  eighty  heads  of  families  and  taxable  persons,  or  very 
nearly  two-fifths  of  the  old  Society  before  the  separation.9  Among 
them,  besides  Col.  Roland  Cotton,  their  leader,  and  the  reputed 
father  of  the  Society,  were  several  other  men  of  note ;  as  Jona- 
than Poole,  Esq.,  Major  John  and  Cornet  Jacob  Fowle;  Cap- 
tains Stephen  and  Joseph  Richardson ;  Messrs.  John  and  Elijah 
Leathe ;  Messrs.  Ebenezer,  Gershom  and  Zechariah  Flagg,  Mr. 
Jacob  Wright  and  Son,  Mr.  John  Russell;  Capt.  Samuel  and 
Mr.  Jabez  Carter,  and  Col.  Jonathan,  son  of  Rev.  Mr.  Fox. 
The  aged  minister  himself  (Rev.  Mr.  Fox)  appears,  from  some 
circumstances,  to  have  usually  assembled  with  them,  when  able 
to  come  abroad.  They  never  arrived  to  have  a  proper,  regu- 
larly built  meeting-house  of  their  own,  but  met  on  the  Sabbath 
in  an  unfinished  building  that  formerly  stood  opposite  the 
house  of  Dr.  Silvanus  Plympton,  Senr.,  deceased, 10  and  in  which 
there  was  a  large  room  or  hall,  fitted  up  as  a  place  of  public 
worship.  A  church  was  gathered  in  this  Third  Society,  of 
which  Mr.  John  Leathe  was  chosen  deacon.  And  their  first  and 

«  Extract  rom  Petition  of  First  Parish  Committee  to  General  Court,  dated  June  5, 1747, 
and  subscribed  by  Samuel  Kendall,  William  Tay,  and  Nathan  Richardson. 

»  First  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  252,  267.  10  Mrs.  Plympton. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  309 

only  pastor  was  Rev.  Mr.  Josiali  Cotton,  a  brother  of  Col. 
Roland,  who  had  previously  been  a  settled  minister  at  Provi- 
dence, Rhode  Island.  He  was  installed  at  Woburn,  July  15, 
1747;  and  the  following  brief  notice  of  the  solemnity  appeared 
the  next  day  in  the  Boston  Weekly  News  Letter.  "  Woburn 
July  15.  This  Day  the  Rev.  Mr.  Josiah  Cotton  was  installed  Pas- 
tor over  the  3d.  Church  in  this  Town.  The  whole  Affair  was 
carried  on  with  the  utmost  Peace  and  Decency." 

A  vote  was  passed  (it  will  be  recollected)  by  the  First  Parish, 
September  26,  1745,  to  build  a  new  meeting-house,  and  to  raise 
XI, 000,  Old  Tenor,  for  the  purchase  of  materials.  This  vote 
was  not  then  carried  into  execution,  in  .consequence  of  the  order 
issued  by  the  General  Court,  December  18,  following,  in  answer 
to  the  prayer  of  the  petitioners  for  the  Third  Society:  which 
order  suspended  for  the  present  "all  Proceedings  with  respect 
to  making  Parish  Taxes."  Still,  however,  that  design  was  not 
forgotten ;  and  as  soon  as  the  separation  of  the  Third  Society 
was  fully  accomplished,  and  the  excitement  which  it  had  occa- 
sioned had  subsided,  it  was  revived,  and  again  made  a  subject 
of  public  consideration.  At  an  adjourned  parish  meeting, 
October  19,  1747,  in  regard  to  an  article  in  the  warrant,  To 
see  whether  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Parish  would  build  a  new 
meeting-house,  agreeably  to  their  former  vote,  or  repair  the  old 
one  ?  it  was  voted,  to  build  a  new  one,  the  front  of  which  should 
be  set  "  about  the  middle  of  the  place  where  the  old  meeting- 
house now  standeth."  A  committee  of  nine,  also,  was  chosen, 
viz :  Mr.  Joshua  Thornton,  (a  master  carpenter,  then  recently 
moved  into  town,)  Lieut.  Samuel  Kendall,  Dea.  Samuel  Eames, 
Mr.  David  Wyman,  Lieut.  William  Tay,  Mr.  Benjamin  Richard- 
son, Capt.  Timothy  Brooks,  Mr.  Isaac  Snow  and  Mr.  Nathaniel 
Brooks,  "to  take  care  of  and  carry  on  the  building  of  said 
house  " ;  and  this  committee  was  instructed  to  draft  a  plan,  to  be 
submitted  to  the  parish  at  some  future  meeting.11  And,  at  a  parish 
meeting,  the  following  month,  November  20,  1 747,  It  was  voted 
to  proceed  immediately  with  the  building  of  a  new  meeting-house : 

«  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  264,  285. 


310  HISTORY   OP    WOBURN. 

the  plan  presented  by  the  building  committee  was  approved, 
except  in  regard  to  the  porch,  which  was  reserved  for  further 
consideration ;  the  building  committee  was  authorized  to  provide 
all  the  necessary  materials,  to  be  in  readiness  the  following 
spring;  and  £1,000,  Old  Tenor,  was  raised  to  defray  the 
expense. 12 

But  now  began  to  be  manifested  a  difference  of  opinion  in 
regard  to  the  spot  where  the  projected  house  of  worship  should 
stand.  It  was  at  first  determined  (as  has  been  seen)  to  erect  it 
on  the  site  of  the  old  house  on  the  Meeting-house  Hill.  But, 
soon  a  large  and  increasing  number  appeared  in  favor  of  build- 
ing it  on  the  Common,  west  of  that  hill.  And  hence,  though  it 
was  voted  the  following  spring,  April  5,  1 748,  "  that  they  would 
not  reconsider  their  former  votes  respecting  the  setting  (of  their 
New  Meeting  House,"  yet  this  vote  was  carried  but  by  a  bare 
majority;  the  minds  of  the  people  being  very  nearly  equally 
divided  on  the  subject.  And,  hence,  at  an  adjournment  of  that 
meeting,  three  days  after,  it  was  mutually  agreed  by  both  parties 
to  leave  the  question  of  the  place  for  the  meeting-house  to  be 
decided  by  lot.  The  lot  was  cast :  and  proving  in  favor  of  the 
Hill,  the  spot  originally  agreed  upon,  it  was  "  concluded  to  a 
man,"  say  the  Records,  by  a  subsequent  vote,  that  the  Hill  should 
be  the  place,  agreeably  to  their  former  votes.  It  was  resolved, 
likewise,  to  take  down  the  old  meeting-house,  as  soon  as  they 
were  ready  to  frame  the  new  one ;  the  building  committee  were 
directed  to  provide  materials,  and  go  on  with  the  work  as  fast 
as  possible;  and  another  tax  of  £1,000,  Old  Tenor,  was  voted  to 
defray  the  charge  of  building.13 

But  notwithstanding  this  seeming  expression  of  unanimous 
resolve  in  favor  of  the  old  site  for  the  new  meeting-house,  there 
were  many  still  who  could  not  be  cordially  reconciled  to  that 
location,  or  long  disguise  their  opposition  to  it.  And  the  num- 
ber and  influence  of  these  dissentients  appear  to  have  been  con- 
tinually increasing ;  so  as  to  cause  embarrassment  and  delay  about 
demolishing  the  old  meeting-house,  and  proceeding  to  build  the 

u  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  267.  "  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  281,  282. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  311 

new  one  upon  its  site,  agreeably  to  vote  of  the  parish.  And 
at  length,  at  a  meeting,  October  10,  1748,  it  was  voted  by  the 
parish,  that  "notwithstanding  all  their  former  votes,  (they) 
would  set  their  new  Meeting  House  on  the  Knoll  on  the  Train- 
ing Field  on  the  West  side  of  the  Country  Road,  as  near  the  road 
as  it  can  conveniently  be  set."  It  was  also  voted  as  a  desire  of 
the  parish,  that  the  Selectmen  would  call  a  town  meeting,  to 
see  whether  the  town  will  let  the  parish  set  their  new  meeting- 
house in  the  place  that  was  last  determined  on.  And  direction 
was  given  their  Building  Committee  to  provide  all  the  mate- 
rials that  were  yet  wanting,  and  to  proceed  to  frame  their  new 
meeting-house  as  soon  as  they  could  with  conveniency.14  Agree- 
ably to  the  desire  of  the  parish  just  expressed,  a  town  meeting 
was  called  October  26,  1748,  when  the  town  granted  the  First 
Parish  the  liberty  requested,  to  set  their  new  meeting-house  on 
the  spot  which  they  had  recently  decided  upon ;  and  also  liberty 
"  of  digging  the  Meeting  House  Hill  so  called,  that  is  on  the 
Easterly  side  of  the  Country  Road,  so  much  of  said  hill  as  is 
sufficient  to  straighten  the  aforesaid  Road."  15  From  these  votes, 
both  of  the  town  and  parish  it  would  seem,  that  the  Common 
in  Woburn  Centre  must  have  then  exhibited  a  very  different 
appearance  from  what  it  now  does.  Then,  on  the  easterly  side 
of  the  hill,  east  of  the  great  road  from  Wilmington  and  Billerica 
to  Medford,  instead  of  abruptly  terminating  almost  perpendicu- 
larly as  it  does  now,  must  have  sloped  gradually  toward  the 
road ;  and  on  the  Common  west  of  the  road,  where  it  will  be 
recollected  by  some  that  the  third  meeting-house  of  the  First 
Parish  stood,  there  must  have  been  then  a  knoll  or  small  rise 
of  ground,  instead  of  the  level  which  we  see  there  now. 

The  permanent  settlement  of  the  question,  Where  the  pro- 
posed meeting-house  should  stand  ?  seems  to  have  given  a  fresh 
start  to  the  enterprise  of  erecting  it.  While  the  minds  of  the 
people  upon  this  subject  were  not  made  up,  a  whole  year  rolled 
away,  and  little  or  nothing  was  done  at  framing  the  timber  which 
had  been  ordered  and  collected.  But  now  that  this  question 

"  Pariah  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  284,  285.  «  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  643. 


312  HISTORY   OF    WOBURN. 

was  set  at  rest,  the  work  of  framing  went  on  so  rapidly,  that 
about  the  last  of  November,  1748,  preparations  were  com- 
menced for  raising.  To  aid  in  this  important  operation,  Mr. 
Zebadiah  Wyman  was  appointed  to  procure  tackle  from  Boston ; 
and  to  ensure  energy  enough  to  make  the  tackle  work  briskly, 
(according  to  the  notions  of  those  days,)  he  was  likewisedirected 
to  provide  for  the  occasion  two  barrels  of  cider,  twenty  gallons 
of  rum,  and  one-fourth  cwt.  of  sugar  to  sweeten  it  with,  at  the 
expense  of  the  parish :  and  Capt.  Timothy  Brooks  was  charged 
with  the  care  of  these  stores.  At  the  same  meeting,  also,  and  at 
successive  adjournments,  the  parish  voted,  that  the  raising  of 
their  new  meeting-house  should  be  commenced  on  Thursday, 
December  1 ;  that  Tuesday,  December  6,  should  be  the  raising 
day ;  and  that  a  committee  of  three  then  chosen  (viz :  Capt. 
Timothy  Brooks,  Lieut.  William  Tay,  and  Mr.  David  Wyman) 
should  provide  a  public  entertainment  on  that  day  for  Mr. 
Joshua  Thornton,  their  master  carpenter,  and  for  all  strangers 
attending  the  raising,  that  were  not  invited  to  private  houses.16 

The  meeting-house  was,  doubtless,  raised  December  G,  1 748, 
according  to  appointment.  But  the  work  of  building  and  finish- 
ing it  proceeded  with  a  singular  slowness ;  so  that  more  than 
three  years  from  that  date  had  passed  away  before  the  house 
was  fully  completed.  This  delay  appears  to  have  been  occa- 
sioned, at  least  in  part,  by  the  difficulty  found  in  collecting  a  tax 
for  the  support  of  the  two  ministers  which  had  been  voted  by 
the  parish  to  raise  in  September,  1 745,  three  months  before  the 
petition  for  the  incorporation  of  the  Third  Parish  was  presented 
to  the  Court.  It  was  not  till  March  22,  1749-50,  above  a 
twelvemonth  after  the  raising,  that  a  committee  of  three  was 
chosen  to  draft  a  plan  for  seats  and  pews  on  the  lower  floor 
and  in  the  side  (end  ?)  galleries ;  and  more  than  two  years  had 
elapsed  from  that  date  when  such  a  plan  was  presented  at 
parish  meeting,  and  accepted,  January  22,  1751.  At  the  same 
meeting,  and  at  an  adjournment  of  it,  January  28,  the  parish 
voted  not  to  raise  any  money  on  their  scats  and  pew  lots,  but  to 

"  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  287,  288. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBUKN.  313 

distribute  them  among  those  who  had  borne  the  expense  of  the 
building,  after  the  following  manner : — 

A  committee  of  five  was  chosen  (viz :  Dea.  Samuel  Eames, 
and  Messrs.  Nathan  Richardson,  Josiah  Johnson,  Isaac  Snow 
and  Edward  Walker)  to  draw  up  a  list  of  what  sums  each  per- 
son had  been  assessed  in  the  .£5,000,  Old  Tenor,  which  had  been 
raised  for  building  the  new  meeting-house.  The  person  that 
should  appear  from  this  list  to  have  been  assessed  the  most,  in 
this  amount  of  taxes  for  the  meeting-house,  upon  his  real  and 
personal  estate  (allowing  but  one  poll  to  each  estate)  should 
have  the  first  choice  of  a  pew  lot,  or  of  a  seat,  as  he  might  prefer ; 
the  person  taxed  the  next  highest  should  have  the  second  choice, 
and  so  each  one  should  choose  successively,  till  all  the  pew  lots 
were  taken  up.  Every  person  that  chose  a  pew  lot  in  prefer- 
ence to  a  seat  was  to  build  a  pew  upon  it,  under  direction  of 
the  parish,  at  his  own  cost.  He  must  also  finish  it,  and  dis- 
charge all  his  dues  upon  what  he  had  been  taxed  towards 
defraying  the  charge  of  building  the  house,  by  the  last  of  Sep- 
tember 1751,  or  forfeit  his  lot  to  the  use  of  the  parish,  unless 
the  parish  by  vote  should  grant  him  further  liberty.17  Such  was 
the  plan  adopted  by  your  fathers  for  disposing  of  the  accom- 
modations of  this  their  new  house  of  worship.  But  many  obsta- 
cles were  found  in  the  way  of  its  speedy  execution.  It  was  not 
tillJuly  9,  1751,  that  the  committee  for  drafting  the  list  of  each 
one's  taxes  above  referred  to  reported.  Their  list  was  imme- 
diately accepted,  and  a  committee  chosen  to  "  line  out  the  Seats 
and  Pew  Lotts  " ;  and  July  23  was  appointed  as  the  day  for  the 
people's  choosing  their  several  seats  or  pew  lots,  according  to 
their  respective  taxes.18  Only  a  few,  however,  made  their  choice 
on  that  day.  Opportunities  for  doing  it  were  given  August 
28,  and  at  subsequent  times.  And  when  at  last  all  the  pew  lots 
were  selected,  the  owners  were  slow  to  build  on  them.  Money 
was  scarce ;  many  appear  to  have  been  owing  for  their  meeting- 
house assessments,  and  consequently  were  unwilling,  under  such 
circumstances,  by  finishing  their  pews  as  they  were  required  to, 

"  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  322,  323.  "  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  S29,  330. 

27 


314  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

to  risk  the  forfeiture  both  of  their  lots  and  all  the  cost  they  had 
laid  out  upon  them.  And  hence  the  parish  was  obliged  repeat- 
edly to  lengthen  out  the  time  agreed  upon,  for  delinquents  to  pay 
up  their  respective  assessments,  and  complete  their  pews.  And 
yet,  by  a  parish  vote  passed  so  late  as  November  21,  1751,  it 
appears  that  all  the  pews  were  not  then  built,  and  probably 
were  not  till  January  22,  following,  1752,  the  farthest  day 
agreed  upon  by  the  parish  to  allow  delinquents  to  fulfil  what 
was  required  of  them.19 

This  third  house  of  worship  for  the  First  Parish  in  Woburn, 
as  it  was,  after  being  enlarged,  during  Rev.  Mr.  Sherman's  min- 
istry, and  when  burnt  in  Rev.  Mr.  Chickering's,  is  doubtless 
recollected  by  some  still  living  in  the  town.  But  as  it  was  origi- 
nally, when  it  was  built,  and  before  its  enlargement,  there  can  be 
none  in  Woburn  now,  who  have  any  remembrance  of  it.  Aided 
however,  by  the  reminiscences  of  an  aged  and  very  intelligent 
citizen,  now  deceased,20  concerning  this  house  as  it  was  in  its 
latter  days,  I  have  been  able  to  deduce  from  the  records  the  fol- 
lowing description  of  its  original  structure  and  accommodations, 
reserving  for  a  future  occasion  some  account  of  the  enlargement 
that  was  afterwards  made  in  it.  It  was  an  edifice  fifty-eight 
feet  long,  forty-two  feet  wide,  with  twenty-four  feet  post,  and 
painted  without,  or  within,  or  both,  by  this  token ;  that  after  it 
was  finished,  the  parish  voted  to  give  £10,  Old  Tenor,  to  Mr.  John 
White,  in  consideration  of  his  hard  bargain  in  painting  their  new 
meeting-house.21  It  stood  on  the  east  side  of  the  common,  in 
the  centre  of  the  town,  having  its  east  end  close  to  the  road 
from  Wilmington  to  Medford,  very  nearly  opposite  to  where  the 
post-office  is  now  kept  (1867).21  It  had  doors  in  its  east  and 
west  ends,  and  in  its  south  side.  To  the  last  named,  which  was 
its  front  door,  it  was  proposed  in  the  original  plan,  to  erect  a 
porch ;  but  the  parish,  after  having  had  the  matter  some  time 
under  consideration,  decided  by  vote  there  should  be  none.22 

The  pulpit,  with  the  deacon's  seat  in  front  of  it,  was  on  the 
north  side,  in  the  centre ;  and  apparently  without  any  other  orna- 

'•  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  339,  340.  *>  Mr.  Bartholomew  Richardson,  Senr. 

*  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  346,  347.     »  August  17, 1749.    Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  305. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  315 

ment  or  furniture  than  the  cushion  from  the  old  meeting-fyouse, 
for  which  shortly  after  was  substituted  a  new  one,  bought  on  pur- 
pose for  it  by  Capt.  Timothy  Brooks.  The  broad  aisle  leading  to 
the  pulpit  was  four  feet  wide ;  and  diverging  from  this,  near  the 
front  door,  were  two  narrow  aisles,  one  on  each  side,  running 
by  the  wall  pews  all  round  the  meeting-house,  and  meeting 
before  the  pulpit.  In  the  body  of  the  house,  fronting  the  pulpit, 
were  seven  rows  of  high  back  seats,  on  each  side  of  the  broad 
aisle,  whence  they  were  entered ;  and  back  of  these  seven  rows 
of  seats,  and  at  their  east  and  west  ends,  was  a  single  row  of 
pews,  which,  from  the  circumstance  of  their  compassing  the  seats 
on  every  side  but  in  front,  were  called  border  pews.  The  wall 
pews  were  raised  ten  inches,  and  the  border  pews  five  inches, 
above  the  floor  of  the  house. 23  And  the  walls  of  each  pew 
throughout  the  house  were  to  be  built  three  feet  and  nine  inches 
high ;  and  ordered  to  be  finished  with  balusters  or  "  banesturs," 
as  those  little  pillars  at  the  top  of  the  pews  were  then  called,  of 
which  our  fathers  were  universally  so  fond,  as  serving  in  their 
view  for  ornament  at  least,  if  not  for  use,  in  their  houses  of 
worship. 23  The  Front  Gallery  contained  four  rows  of  seats 
running  the  whole  length,  except  where  crossed  by  an  aisle  in 
the  centre,  by  which  they  were  entered.  The  galleries  at  the 
east  and  west  ends  contained  two  rows  of  pews  each,  with  a 
narrow  aisle  between  each  row.  The  whole  number  of  pews  on 
the  floor  was  forty-three,  viz:  twenty-seven  wall  pews  and 
sixteen  border  pews:  and  the  pews  in  the  east  and  west 
end  galleries  were  twenty-six  in  number,  viz:  six  front  and 
seven  back  pews  in  each  gallery.  Pew  No.  27.  next  to  the 
pulpit  on  the  west,  was  reserved  for  the  Ministry;  and 
accordingly  was  built  by  the  parish,  and  appropriated  by 
vote  to  Rev.  Mr.  Jackson,  one  of  the  ministers  for  the  time 
being,  so  long  as  he  should  carry  on  the  work  of  the  ministry 
among  them.24  All  the  other  pews  above  and  below,  sixty- 
eight  in  number,  were  appropriated  to  the  individuals,  who 
made  choice  of  the  lots  on  which  they  respectively  stood, 

*>  Parish  Records,  VoL  I.,  p.  331.  *  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  348,  349. 


316  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

according  to  their  taxes,  and  built  on  them  according  to 
order  of  the  parish.  Mr.  Francis  Johnson,  for  instance,  having 
been  taxed  the  highest  toward  the  meeting-house,  had  the  first 
choice  of  a  pew  lot  therein ;  and  he  chose  No.  2,  the  next  but 
one  east  of  the  pulpit  by  the  wall,  and  there  built  his  pew,  and 
the  same  was  confirmed  to  him  by  the  parish,  and  put  upon 
record.  So  likewise  the  three  foremost  of  the  seven  rows  of 
seats  on  each  side  of  the  broad  aisle,  on  the  floor  of  the  house, 
calculated  to  contain  thirty  persons  in  all;  and  the  foremost 
row  of  seats  on  each  side  of  the  aisle  in  the  front  gallery, 
reckoned  capable  'of  accommodating  eighteen  persons,  were 
the  private  property  of  those  who  made  choice  of  them. 
The  hindmost  seat  in  the  front  gallery  was  the  place 
assigned  to  the  negroes  to  sit  in.  The  remaining  four 
rows  of  seats  below,  on  each  side  of  the  broad  aisle,  and 
the  two  middle  rows  of  seats  in  the  front  gallery,  were 
common  property,  intended  for  the  accommodation  of  any 
persons  belonging  to  the  parish,  who  had  no  particular  pew 
or  seat  of  their  own.  There  was  a  singular  exception  to  this 
remark  however.  For  some  reason  now  unknown,  the  parish 
voted  at  a  certain  meeting,  that  "Mr  Josiah  Parker  (should) 
have  his  seat  in  the  fourth  seat  on  the  lower  floor  of  the  "  New 
Meeting  House  on  the  one  side,  and  his  wife  (should)  have  her 
seat  in  the  fourth  seat  on  the  other  side."  25 

This  meeting-house  was  probably  finished  about  March  1752  ; 
for  in  a  warrant  for  a  parish  meeting,  March  24th,  of  that  year, 
one  article  was,  "  To  see  whether  the  Parish  (will)  accept  the 
New  Meeting  House  at  the  hands  of  the  Committee  chosen  by 
the  said  Parish  to  build  the  same ;  Provided  their  Accompts 
shall  appear  just  and  reasonable  when  adjusted."  To  build  it, 
the  parish  had  raised  by  tax  £5,000,  Old  Tenor,  in  five  equal 
assessments.  A  portion  of  this  amount,  however,  appears  from 
the  records,  either  to  have  been  never  collected,  or  to  have  been 
diverted  to  some  other  purpose.  The  whole  cost  of  the  meeting- 
house (exclusively  of  the  pews,  which  were  built  at  the  charge 

»  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  331,  333. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  317 

of  their  owners)  did  not  probably  exceed  £4,500,  Old  Tenor,  a 
sum  equal  to  £600,  lawful  money ;  or  $2,000  of  our  present  cur- 
rency. There  is  no  evidence  that  it  was  ever  dedicated  by  any 
special  religious  ceremony,  or  service  on  a  week  day,  as  is  now 
customary.  The  Episcopal  Churches  of  Rome,  and  of  England 
hold  to  the  holiness  of  particular  days  and  places ;  and  hence  the 
religious  observance  by  Christians  of  their  communion  of  Christ- 
mas, Good  Friday  and  Easter ;  and  hence  the  consecration  of 
their  churches  and  burial  grounds  by  certain  solemn  rites  and 
ceremonies  of  religion.  But  our  Puritan  fathers  acknowledged 
no  holiness  in  times  or  places  for  which  they  had  no  express  or 
clear  warrant  in  the  word  of  God ;  and  hence  they  denied  the 
religious  obligation  of  observing  Christmas,  Saints'  Days,  or  any 
other  day  as  holy  except  the  Sabbath,  which  tliey  regarded  as 
a  permanent  divine  institution ;  and  hence  too,  they  called  their 
houses  of  public  worship  not  churches  or  houses  of  the  Lord,  but 
meeting-houses ;  houses  for  men  to  meet  in,  whether  for  the  offices 
of  religion,  or  for  the  transaction  of  municipal  affairs.  And 
accordingly,  when  -they  built  a  meeting-house,  they  set  it  apart 
for  the  worship  of  God,  and  the  dispensation  of  His  word  and 
ordinances,  by  no  other  solemnity,  than  by  the  preaching  of  an 
appropriate  discourse  by  their  stated  minister  on  the  first  Sab- 
bath it  was  ready  to  be  opened,  after  its  completion. 

The  old  meeting-house  in  Woburn,  erected  on  the  hill  east 
of  the  common  in  1672,  continued  to  be  used  for  town  and 
parish  meetings  some  time  after  the  completion  of  the  new  one : 
but  at  a  meeting  May  20,  1754,  the  parish  voted  to  give  their 
old  house  to  the  town,  provided  that  the  town  would  erect  a 
convenient  town  house,  and  [or  ?  ]  a  house  for  their  poor  to  work 
in,  within  two  years  time.26  The  town  took  this  offer  into  con- 
sideration :  and  at  a  meeting  in  October  of  that  year,  they 
appointed  Mr.  Isaac  Snow,  Capt.  Timothy  Brooks,  and  Dea. 
Timothy  Winn,  as  a  committee  to  see  what  could  be  done  with 
the  old  meeting-house  advantageously  to  the  town.27  This 
committee  seems  to  have  reported  at  May  meeting,  1755,  when 

*•  Parish  Records,  Vol.  II.,  pp.  6,  7.  »  Town  Records,  V^  1.  VIII.,  p.  138. 

27* 


318  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

the  town  chose  Mr.  David  Wyman,  Capt.  Joseph  Richardson  and 
Mr.  Benjamin  Richardson,  as  a  committee  to  agree  with  some 
mechanic  to  take  down  the  old  meeting-house,  and  to  erect  out 
of  the  same,  and  on  the  same  spot,  a  town  house,  thirty  feet 
square,  with  twelve  feet  post,  to  be  finished  within  six  months.28 
In  pursuance  of  this  their  commission,  the  committee,  con- 
tracted with  Mr.  Thomas  Underwood,  a  carpenter  then  resident 
in  the  town,  to  do  the  work.  According  to  engagement,  Mr. 
Underwood  took  down  the  old  building,  (which,  it  will  be 
recollected,  was  forty  feet  square,)  and  reared  up  out  of  its 
materials  the  walls  of  another,  of  the  stipulated  dimensions  for  a 
town  house.  But  discouraged,  not  improbably,  by  the  failure 
of  the  committee  to  furnish  him  with  money  from  time  to  time,  as 
he  needed  it,  in  consequence  of  the  exhausted  state  of  the  trea- 
sury at  that  day,  and  the  burdens  of  the  French  War  which  then 
pressed  hard  upon  the  country,  Mr.  Underwood  did  not  go  on 
to  complete  his  undertaking  with  the  spirit  with  which  he  com- 
menced it.  Impatient  at  his  neglect,  the  town,  at  March  meeting, 
1757,  two  years  afterwards,  directed  the  building  committee  to 
sue  his  bond  at  May  Court,  unless  he  should  finish  the  town 
house  before.  But  the  committee,  thinking  perhaps  that  nothing 
would  .be  gained  by  such  a  suit,  omitted,  it  seems,  to  prosecute 
as  ordered.  At  May  meeting,  the  following  year,  the  town 
voted  that  their  negligent  committee  should  exert  themselves, 
and  urge  the  finishing  of  their  town  house  as  quickly  as  pos- 
sible.29 But  without  money,  the  mare  can't  be  made  to  go  by 
a  town  vote;  and  the  town  house  still  remained  unfinished. 

After  waiting  three  years  longer  for  the  committee,  to  no  pur- 
pose, the  town  determined  to  take  the  matter  into  their  own 
hands,  and  see  what  they  could  do.  At  May  meeting,  1761, 
they  voted  that  they  would  go  on  and  finish  their  town  house  as 
soon  as  it  could  possibly  be  done.30  But  now  the  town  too 
was  found  lagging  behind  its  own  resolution.  In  about  seven 
months  after  passing  the  last  cited  voie,  so  expressive  of  their 
haste  and  impatience  for  the  completion  of  this  favorite  project, 

*»  Town  Records,  Vol.  Vm.,  p.  157.  »Town  Records,  Vol.  VIII.,  p.  236. 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  VTTI.,  p.  314. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBTJEN.  319 

the  inhabitants  voted,  December  22,  1761,  not  to  proceed  to 
finish  their  town  house  so  called ;  but  appointed  a  committee  of 
three  (viz :  Mr.  Benjamin  Wyman,  Capt.  Benjamin  Johnson  and 
Lieut.  Joshua  Walker)  to  reckon  and  settle  with  the  committee 
for  building  it,  and  with  Mr.  Underwood,  the  contractor,  and 
then  sell  the  building  for  the  most  it  would  fetch,  for  the  benefit 
of  the  town.31  And  by  way  of  amendment  of  this  vote,  the 
town,  at  an  adjourned  meeting,  March  9,  1762,  authorized  their 
auditing  committee  to  sell  their  town  house  for  <£4  ($13.33), 
provided  they  could  obtain  an  acquittance  to  the  town  from  all 
further  responsibilities  in  this  affair.31  Accordingly,  this  commit- 
tee obtained  a  receipt  of  this  description  from  Mr.  Benjamin 
Richardson  on  behalf  of  himself,  and  the  rest  of  the  building 
committee,  April  3,  1762.  Whether  Mr.  Richardson  took  the 
town  house,  as  it  was  called,  in  compensation  for  the  labor  and 
expense  which  had  been  bestowed  on  it  by  the  building  commit- 
tee (of  which  he  was  one);  or  whether  the  auditing  committee 
sold  it  to  some  one  else,  and  satisfied  him  out  of  the  proceeds  of 
the  sale,  does  not  appear.  The  building  continued  to  stand, 
though  in  a  neglected  condition,  many  years  after.  In  the  Rev- 
olutionary war,  it  was  used  as  a  place  of  deposit  for  fish  and 
military  stores.32  Mr.  Zebadiah  Wyman  used  it  for  some  time 
as  a  barn.32  At  length  it  was  sold,  it  is  believed,  to  Colonel 
Loammi  Baldwin,32  who  took  it  down.  The  materials  were  dis- 
persed ;  but  one  stick  at  least  of  its  solid  oak  timber,  cut  down 
in  the  forest  nearly  two  hundred  years  ago,  was  recently  to  be 
seen  on  the  premises  of  the  late  Mr.  William  Fowle,  deceased. 

In  1752,  about  the  time  the  new  meeting-house  was  completed 
all  Woburn  was  thrown  into  consternation  by  an  event  which 
affords  melancholy  proof  of  the  virulence  of  the  parties,  into 
which  the  town  was  then  divided ;  and  of  the  iniquitous  means 
to  which  some  men,  otherwise  deemed  respectable,  will  some- 
times resort  for  the  sake  of  accomplishing  their  party  purposes, 
or  gratifying  their  party  feelings.  A  Mrs.  Keziah  Henshaw,  (or 
Hincher,  as  the  name  was  then  commonly  pronounced,)  widow 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  VIII.,  p.  333.  «»  Zebadiah  Wyman,  Jr.,  Esq.  informant. 


320  HISTORY    OP    WOBURN. 

of  Thomas  Henshaw,  who  died  in  1 747,  gave  birth  to  a  babe ; 
and  at  the  time  of  her  travail,  as  was  certified  by  the  midwife 
under  her  hand,  she  laid  it  to  Rev.  Mr.  Jackson.  There  is 
abundant  reason  for  believing  that  this  charge  was  welcome, 
though  surprising  news  to  Mr.  Jackson's  opposers,  the  friends 
of  Rev.  Mr.  Fox.  Two  of  them  in  particular,  according  to  a 
tradition  derived  from  a  source  of  high  respectability,33  encour- 
aged Mrs.  Henshaw  to  go  before  a  magistrate,  and  swear  to  the 
truth  of  the  report  which  she  had  put  in  circulation ;  and  that 
when  she  had  taken  an  oath  to  this  effect,  they  were  seen  by  a 
friend  of  Mr.  Jackson  who  was  looking  on,  to  put  money  into 
her  lap.  Even  these  persons,  however,  were  too  cautious,  it 
seems,  openly  to  assert  the  fact  which  that  report  was  designed 
to  prove.  But  Rev.  Josiah  Cotton,  the  acting  minister  of  their 
party,  with  astonishing  imprudence,  did  not  hesitate  to  proclaim 
it  abroad.  Credulously  relying  upon  the  truth  of  the  story  cer- 
tified by  the  midwife,  he  on  a  certain  day,  in  -the  presence  and 
hearing  of  divers  persons,  charged  Mr.  Jackson  with  being  the 
father  of  the  widow  Henshaw's  child ;  "  and  called  him,  a  vile, 
wicked  man,  a  fornicator,  and  unfit  to  be  a  minister."  34  For  these 
and  other  opprobrious  speeches,  uttered  that  day  against  him, 
Mr.  Jackson  commenced  an  action  against  Mr.  Cotton  for  a 
libel :  alleging  in  his  declaration,  that  by  means  of  his  false, 
scandalous  words  concerning  him,  he  had  been  brought  into  dis- 
grace and  contempt;  and  that  differences  and  quarrels  had 
arisen  in  the  church  and  congregation  to  which  he  ministered, 
by  which  he  had  been  in  great  danger  of  being  removed  from  his 
pastoral  offise :  and  laying  his  damages  in  consequence  at 
£1,000.34 

The  case  was  brought  before  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  at 
Concord,  in  September  1752.  At  this  Court,  Mr.  Cotton,  by 
his  attorney,  Benjamin  Kent,  Esq.,  of  Charlestown,  seems  to 
have  rested  his  defence,  not  upon  any  direct  answer  to  what 
had  been  alleged  against  him  in  Mr.  Jackson's  Declaration, 
but  upon  the  denial  of  some  promise  that  Mr.  Jackson  had 

33  Late  Mr.  Bartholomew  Richardson,  deceased. 

»«  Records  of  Superior  Court,  Vol.  from  1752  to  1753,  leaf  205,  p.  2d ;  and  leaf  206. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  321 

averred  that  he  (Mr.  Cotton)  had  made  him.  But  Mr.  Jackson's 
attorney,  Edmund  Trowbridge,  Esq.,  of  Cambridge  (afterwards 
Judge  Trowbridge),  maintained,  that  the  defendant's  plea  was 
by  no  means  a  sufficient  answer  to  his  client's,  the  plaintiff's 
Declaration ;  and  that  he  was  not  bound  to  reply  to  it.  This 
likewise  was  the  opinion  of  the  Court.  And,  accordingly,  they 
decided  that  Mr.  Jackson  should  recover  against  Mr.  Cotton 
"  the  sum  of  One  Thousand  Pounds  lawful  money,  Damage ; " 
and  XI  16s.  6d.  the  costs  of  suit.35  From  this  Judgment  of  the 
Inferior  Court,  Mr.  Cotton  appealed  to  the  next  Superior  Court 
of  the  Province  for  this  County,  holden  at  Charlestowri,  30  Jan- 
uary, 1753.  At  this  Court,  after  a  full  hearing  of  both  parties 
the  case  was  committed  to  a  jury,  who  returned  as  their  verdict, 
that  "they  (found)  for  the  appellant  Costs  of  Courts."  And 
this  verdict  of  the  jury  was  affirmed  by  the  Court,  who  decided 
that  Mr.  Cotton,  the  appellant,  should  recover  Cost  of  Courts 
against  Mr.  Jackson,  the  appellee.34 

By  this  decision,  Mr.  Jackson  was  thrown  into  a  truly  pitiable 
condition.  The  former  judgment  of  the  Inferior  Court  in  his 
favor  had  now  been  reversed  by  the  highest  judicial  tribunal  in 
the  land,  whence  there  was  no  appeal.  His  friends,  many  of 
them,  grew  discouraged,  and  hung  their  heads.  His  enemies 
triumphed,  and  freely  uttered  their  jeers  and  taunts  against  him. 
And  to  sum  up  his  trials,  a  Council  of  churches  and  ministerial 
brethren  was  convened,  either  just  at  this  time,  or  at  a  little 
earlier  period  of  this  difficulty,  to  consider  and  advise  upon  his 
affairs.  The  -result  of  this  Council,  it  is  understood,  was  pub- 
lished at  the  time,  and  a  Copy  long  preserved  in  the  house  of  the 
late  Capt.  Ishmael  Munroe,  of  Burlington,  deceased.  But  several 
years  before  his  death,  this  copy  was  lost  j  and  as  no  other  is 
known  to  exist,  the  object  and  doings  of  the  Council  referred  to 
can  only  be  conjectured.  It  seems  probable,  however,  that  it 
was  called  to  consider  the  expediency  of  his  dismission  from  his 
pastoral  charge :  and  it  is  very  possible  that  Mr.  Jackson  alludes 
to  the  proceedings  of  this  Council,  where  he  speaks,  in  his 

»  Records  of  Inferior  Court  of  Common  Pleas  for  Middlesex,  from  Dec.  1750,  to  May,  1754, 
pp.  303,  304. 


322  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

Declaration,  of  the  danger  he  had  been  in  of  removal  from 
office.  But  whatever  the  precise  time  and  object  of  assembling  the 
Council  were,  the  event  shows,  that  -in  such  a  dark,  suspicious 
case,  they  wisely  judged  it  best  to  defer  a  decision  against  Mr. 
Jackson  till  time  should  throw  further  light  upon  his  conduct,  and 
prove  his  guilt  beyond  a  reasonable  doubt.  But  even  supposing 
this  Council  to  have  resulted  in  such  an  expression  of  forbearance 
towards  an  accused  suffering  Christian  brother  and  friend,  yet 
its  bare  assembling  on  such  an  occasion,  and  upon  such  a  subject 
of  consideration,  must  have  been  severely  trying  to  the  feel- 
ings of  Rev.  Mr.  Jackson, —  must  have  cost  him  many  a  pang. 
Still,  the  good  man  under  all  these  trials  was  wonderfully  sus- 
tained. The  consciousness  of  his  innocence  of  the  crime  laid 
against  him.  and  his  acquittal  from  it  by  the  All  Seeing  One, 
proved  to  him  a  rock  of  support  that  could  not  be  shaken, — never 
failed  him.  Nor  was  he  wholly  destitute  of  earthly  friends  to 
encourage  him.  There  were  still  a  few  at  least  among  his 
people  who  were  confident  of  the  falseness  and  malignity  of  the 
accusation  against  him ;  and  that  this  would  one  day  be  made  to 
appear.  And  therefore,  when  his  enemies  would  insultingly  de- 
mand of  them,  "If  Mr.  Jackson  be  innocent,  why  is  he  so 
silent  ?  "  these  would  reply  (tradition  says)  "Aye :  but  by  and 
by  the  cry  will  be,  '  When  will  Mr.  Jackson  have  done  ? '  " 
meaning,  When  will  he  be  satisfied  with  the  revenge  he  will  have 
it  in  his  power  to  inflict  upon  his  accusers  ?  Cheered  by  the 
countenance  and  firmness  of  such  friends,  Mr.  Jackson  quietly 
persevered  in  the  discharge  of  his  ministerial  du.ties ;  kept  his 
mouth  as  with  a  bridle,  and  said  little  or  nothing  in  his  own  de- 
fence. When  one  or  another  of  his  people  would  now  and  then 
come,  and  inquire  of  him,  "Why,  Mr.  Jackson !  Don't  you  hear  what 
people  say  of  you  ?  And  do  you  say  nothing  ?  Won't  you  offer 
a  word  in  reply?"  His  answer  commonly  was,  "Aye,  all  in 
good  time."  And  thus  this  injured  minister  encouraged  himself  in 
the  Lord  his  God.  He  silently  committed  himself,  in  the  way 
of  well  doing,  to  Him  that  judgeth  righteously;  confident  that 
sooner  or  later,  by  one  means  or  another,  He  would  bring  forth 
his  righteousness  as  the  light,  and  his  just  dealing  as  the  noon 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  323 

day.  And  in  this  assurance  he  was  not  disappointed.  But  lit- 
more  than  six  months  after  the  adverse  decision  of  the  Superior 
Court  in  his  case  had  pass&d  away,  when  God,  in  his  providence, 
wonderfully  interposed  in  his  behalf,  and  by  an  occurence,  appar- 
ently the  most  trifling  and  accidental,  wrought  for  him  the 
expected  deliverance. 

It  happened  one  day,  that,  as  Mr.  Jackson's  negro  (Caesar,  I 
will  call  him)  was  at  work  near  his  master's  house,  there  came 
along  another  negro,  the  slave  of  one  of  Mr.  Jackson's  principal 
opposers  (whom  I  will  call  Cuff) ;  when  the  following  conver- 
sation, substantially,  ensued  between  them.  "  Good  morning 
Caesar,"  exclaimed  Cuff,  "  Same  to  you,"  cried  Caesar :  "Where 
you  gwying  ?  "  "  Gwying ! "  replied  Cuff,  "  Gwying  to  Widder  Hen- 
shir's  :  got  a  letter :  can  you  tell  me  where  her  lives  ?  "  "  Got 
a  letter  ?  "  answered  Caesar  quickly ;  "  Got  a  letter  ?  0  give  me : 
I'll  carry  it  to  Massah  Jackson :  He'll  point  you  where  her  lives." 
Cuff  upon  this,  with  all  simplicity,  yields  up  the  letter,  and  away 
bounds  Caesar  with  it  to  his  master.  The  letter  may  reasonably 
be  supposed  to  have  been  unsealed ;  for  what  the  need  of  seals 
to  letters,  carried  by  the  hand  of  a  poor  ignorant  African,  that 
had  never  learnt  the  alphabet,  and  to  whom  English  and  Latin, 
Greek  and  Hebrew  were  all  alike  ?  Seeing  it  to  be  in  this  con- 
dition. Mr.  Jackson  ventured,  to  open  it;  and  finding  that  its 
contents  furnished  a  complete  exposure  of  the  falsity  of  the 
charge  against  him,  or  a  direct  clew  to  such  a  discovery,  he 
quickly  copied  it,  and  keeping  the  original  for  his  own  use,  he 
returned  the  copy  by  Caesar  to  Cuff;  and  Cuff,  without  perceiv- 
ing or  suspecting  the  change,  took  it  from  Caesar,  and  quietly 
went  on  his  way  with  it  where  he  had  been  sent. 

And  now  came  Mr.  Jackson's  turn  to  triumph.  He  embraced 
the  first  opportunity  to  petition  the  Superior  Court  for  a  review 
of  the  case  which  had  there  been  recently  decided  against  him ; 
concealing  apparently,  however,  for  the  present,  as  far  as  was 
possible,  the  source  of  the  information  upon  which  his  petition 
for  a  review  was  based.  The  Court  granted  his  request ;  and 
at  its  next  session  for  this  County,  whick  was  at  Charlestown, 
January  29,  1854,  the  same  place  where  just  a  year  before  it 


324  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

decided  against  him,  it  now  came  to  a  decision  in  his  favor ;  and 
one  which  completely  vindicated  his  good  name,  which  by  its 
former  judgment  came  near  being  ruined.  The  following  is  a 
copy  of  that  decision  taken  from  the  records  of  the  Superior 
Court  of  this,  then  province,  as  it  is  there  briefly  expressed. 

"  At  a  Court  held  at  Charlestown,  Jany.  29.  1754. 
"  Edward  Jackson  of  Woburn  in  the  County  of  Middlesex, 
Clerk,  Plaintiff,  vs.  Josiah  Cotton  of  Woburn  aforesaid,  Clerk, 
Defendant.  In  a  plea  of  Review  of  a  plea  of  the  Case  &cra  as  in 
the  Writ  (on  file)  bearing  date  of  sixteenth  day  of  August  last 
at  large  appears :  The  Defendant  altho'  solemnly  called  to  come 
into  Court,  did  not  appear,  but  made  Default,  and  the  Plaintiff  (the 
Defendant  having  paid  him  the  Costs)  Releases  his  Demand  for 
Damages."  36 

The  "  Writ  on  file"  referred  to  in  this  Record,  and  which, 
doubtless,  set  forth  Mr.  Jackson's  reasons  for  asking  a  review  of 
his  case  allowed  him,  has  been  repeatedly  sought  for  on  the 
files  of  the  Court,  but  without  success.  The  judgment  of  the 
Court,  however,  in  their  review  (or  rather,  as  it  may  be  termed, 
the  judgment  of  Mr.  Cotton  against  himself )  is  a  complete  vin- 
dication of  Mr.  Jackson.  Mr.  Cotton,  feeling  he  could  not 
defend  himself,  ventures  not  now  to  appear  before  those  judges, 
who,  a  year  before,  had  decided  in  his  favor.  The  Court 
declares  Mr.  Jackson  entitled  to  damages.  But  Mr.  Jackson 
generously  relinquishes  that  demand  to  his  new  penitent  suffer- 
ing brother  minister,  he  agreeing  to  pay  the  costs  of  Court. 
And  this  account  of  the  matter  agrees  in  the  main  with  the 
popular  tradition  concerning  the  termination  of  this  suit.  That 
tradition  is,  When  the  Court  was  assembled  and  ready  to 
attend  to  the  Review  petitioned  for,  Mr.  Jackson  put  the  letter 
above  referred  to  into  his  Attorney's  hand.  The  lawyer  shows 
it  to  its  author,  a  leading  man  of  the  Fox  party,  then  present, 
and  asks  him  if  he  knew  and  would  own  his  own  hand  ?  The 
writer  blushed  and  was  confounded.  The  cause  being  ex- 
plained to  Rev.  Mr.  Cotton,  he  ran  out  of  the  Court  house,  and 

84  Records  of  Superior  Court  for  Middlesex,  from  1753-1754,  leaf  122,  p.  2d. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  325 

cried  like  a  child  at  perceiving  how  deceived  or  mistaken  he 
had  been.  And  when  it  was  signified  in  some  way  to  Mr.  Jack- 
son that  he  had  now  his  adversaries  completely  in  his  power,  he 
rose  and  said,  "  May  it  please  your  Honors,  I  desire  not  the 
money  of  these  men;  I  have  no  wish  that  they  should  be 
deprived  of  their  liberty  ;  all  I  ask  of  them  is,  that  they  stand 
up  and  confess  before  the  Court,  and  this  whole  assembly,  that 
the  accusation  they  have  laid  against  me,  or  helped  to  circulate, 
is  a  false  accusation."  Mr.  Jackson's  proposal  was  complied 
with.  And  while  they  left  the  Court  house  mortified  and  con- 
founded, he  left  it  with  honor,  and  with  the  applause  and 
sympathy  of  all  good  men.  And  thus  were  fulfilled,  in  a  portion 
of  his  opposers  at  least,  those  words  of  the  Psalmist,  "  He  made 
a  pit  and  digged  it,  and  is  fallen  into  the  ditch  which  he  made. 
His  mischief  shall  return  upon  his  own  head,  and  his  violent 
dealing  shall  come  down  upon  his  own  pate." 

Mr.  Jackson  did  not  long  survive,  to  enjoy  the  vindication  of 
his  character,  which  the  late  decision  of  the  Court  had  estab- 
lished to  general  satisfaction.  During  a  large  portion  of  the 
year  preceding,  anxiety  of  mind  seems  to  have  undermin  jd  his 
bodily  health,  so  that  a  considerable  portion  of  the  time,  the 
parish  was  obliged  to  hire  preaching ;  and  the  remainder  of  the 
year,  he  was  still  in  a  languishing  condition.  The  parish  im- 
proved this  opportunity  to  settle  with  him  for  their  arrears,  in 
paying  up  his  salary  for  past  years ;  and  granted  him  a  larger 
sum  than  usual  for  the  year  then  current.  The  restoration  of 
his  credit,  and  the  silencing  of  accusation  against  him,  in  conse* 
quence  of  the  last  judgment  of  the  Court,  seem  to  have  some- 
what raised  his  spirits,  and  renewed  his  usefulness.  But  before 
summer  was  gone,  his  health  appears  to  have  rapidly  declined :  so 
that  in  September  the  parish  voted  to  hire  preaching  again 
for  six  weeks;  but  before  that  term  was  gone,  their  junior 
pastor  was  no  more. 

Rev.  Mr.  Edward  Jackson  was  a  son  of  Deacon  Edward 
Jackson  of  Newton,  and  a  grandson  of  Edward  Jackson,  who 
arrived  in  New  England  about  1642;  T^as  made  freeman  in 
1645,  and  settled  in  Newton,  then  a  part  of  Cambridge, 

28 


326  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

between  1642  and  1645.  He  was  born  at  Newton,  April 
3,  1700;  graduated  at  Harvard  College,  1719,  and  was 
ordained  at  Woburn,  as  colleague  pastor  with  Rev.  Mr.  John 
Fox,  August  1,  1729.  Through  life,  for  anything  that  appears 
to  the  contrary,  he  was  sound  in  doctrine,  correct  in  morals,  and 
his  public  labors  and  services  were  acceptable  to  his  people, 
though  he  has  left  nothing  in  print,  by  which  the  style,  matter 
and  manner  of  his  preaching  can  now  be  estimated.  He  lived 
unmarried;  and  died  September  24,  17 54,  in  the  fifty-fifth  year  of 
his  age,  and  the  twenty-sixth  year  of  his  ministry.  The  parish 
provided  for  him  at  their  cost  a  respectable  funeral ;  and  by 
their  invitation,  Rev.  Messrs.  Abbot  of  Charlestown,  Appleton 
of  Cambridge,  Cook  of  Menotomy  (now  West  Cambridge,) 
Morrill  of  Wilmington,  Jones  of  Woburn  Precinct,  and  Carnes 
of  Stoneham,  accompanied  his  remains,  as  bearers,  to  his  grave. 
In  view  of  the  lamentable  transactions  recorded  in  the  latter 
part  of  this  chapter,  some,  perhaps,  may  be  ready  to  say  that 
religion  and  morals  were  at  a  low  ebb  in  Woburn  at  that  day. 
But  this  would  be  a  rash  and  unjust  inference.  It  is  not  right  to 
judge  of  a  whole  community  by  the  misconduct  of  a  few  of  its 
members.  Doubtless,  several  of  the  prominent  characters  in  the 
scenes  we  have  been  just  surveying  were  persons  astonishingly 
wanting  both  in  principle  and  morals.  But  they  were  few  in 
comparison  with  the  great  body  of  the  people.  Many  there 
were,  I  doubt  not,  both  of  men  and  women  then  in  Woburn,  who 
looked  with  grief  upon  some  of  the  things  done  in  the  midst  of 
them,  which  have  here  been  noticed ;  and  could  not  help  passing 
a  judgment  of  entire  disapprobation  upon  them  in  one  way  or 
another,  and  sometimes  expressing  it.  But  after  all,  they  kept 
themselves  aloof  from  the  stripes,  and  reproaches,  and  false 
accusations  which  then  abounded;  and  meddled  with  them  as 
little  as  possible.  They  were  diligent  and  exemplary  in  the 
discharge  of  the  duties  of  their  several  occupations  and  callings 
in  the  week  time :  they  were  constant  in  the  worship  and  service 
of  God  upon  the  Sabbath ;  they  followed  habitually  the  things 
which  make  for  peaqe ;  in  a  word,  they  did  justly  and  loved 
mercy  in  their  intercourse  with  men ;  they  walked  humbly  with 


HISTORY   OF   WOBUBN.  327 

God ;  and  left  a  good  example  when  they  died  for  their  children 
to  imitate.  Such  persons,  though  in  the  midst  of  a  crooked  and 
perverse  generation,  are  the  excellent  of  the  earth :  they  were  in 
that  day-the  salt  of  this  town ;  and  for  their  saker,  I  doubt  not, 
a  blessing  has  come  down  upon  their  posterity  in  different 
generations  then  unborn. 


CHAPTER    XT. 

Ordination  of  Rev.  Josiah  Sherman.  —  Death  of  Rev.  John  Fox.  —  Reunion 
of  Third  Parish  with  the  First. —Rev.  Josiah  Cotton  dismissed,  and 
Third  Church  disbanded.  —  Col.  Roland  Cotton.  —  Enlargement  of  First 
Parish  meeting-house.  —  Woburn  in  French  War,  1755-1763.  —  Memo- 
rials of  events  in  that  war  by  Woburn  men.  — Dismission  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Sherman. 

THE  last  chapter  of  this  History  of  Woburn  closed  with  an 
account  of  the  death  of  Rev.  Edward  Jackson,  junior  pastor  of  the 
First  Church.  This  event  occurred  September  24,  1754.  For 
above  a  year  previous,  in  consequence  of  his  declining  health,  and 
of  the  age  and  infirmities  of  the  senior  pastor,  Rev.  John  Fox,  the 
pulpit  of  the  First  Church  had  been  supplied  by  preachers  from 
abroad,  at  the  cost  of  the  parish.  And  it  continued  to  be  so 
supplied  for  some  weeks  after  Mr.  Jackson's  death,  without  any 
special  reference  to  the  settlement  of  a  colleague  with  Mr.  Fox. 
But  at  a  meeting,  January  6,  1755,  the  parish  took  some  prelim- 
inary steps  to  this  important  end.  They  directed  their  com- 
mittee, for  the  supply  of  the  pulpit,  to  employ  Messrs.  Aaron 
Putnam,  Jonas  Clark  and  Stephen  Minot,  graduates  of  Harvard 
College,  who  had  recently  commenced  preaching,  two  Sabbaths 
each ;  and  when  these  gentlemen  had  severally  completed  the 
term  of  their  respective  engagements,  the  parish  gave  direction 
for  their  continued  employment  among  them,  three  Sabbaths 
each  in  succession ;  and  at  a  meeting,  June  18th,  they  attempted  to 
make  choice  of  one  of  them  for  their  minister.  But  as  commonly 
happens  in  such  cases,  the  attempt  was  without  eflect.  Each  of 
the  three  candidates  appears  to  have  had  a  party  among  the 
people  in  his  favor ;  the  vote  was  a  divided  one ;  and  there  being 
no  prospect  of  union  in  either  of  them,  they  were  all  three  dis- 
charged from  further  service  in  Woburn.1  Mr.  Putnam  was 
settled  not  long  after  at  Pomfret,  Conn,  as  Mr.  Clark  was  in 

i  Records  of  First  Parish,  Woburn,  Vol.  II.,  pp.  11, 15,  20,  21. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  329 

Lexington,  Mass.  Mr.  Minot,  a  son  of  the  venerated  "  Master  " 
Timothy  Minot  of  Concord,  received  and  accepted  a  call  to  the 
pastoral  care  of  a  church  in  Portland,  Maine,  in  1759 ;  but  died 
before  the  day  appointed  for  his  ordination  arrived.2 

The  gentleman  next  employed  to  preach  here  as  a  candidate 
for  settlement,  was  Mr.  Nathaniel  Potter,  a  native  of  Elizabeth- 
town,  N.  J.,  and  a  graduate  of  Princeton  College,  N.  J.,  1753. 
At  a  parish  meeting,  July  2,  1755,  the  committee  for  supplying 
the  desk  was  directed  to  hire  him  for  three  Sabbaths;  the 
engagement  then  entered  into  was  subsequently  prolonged 
twice;  and  the  last  time,  Mr.  Potter  was  requested  by  the 
committee  (agreeably  to  instructions  from  the  parish)  "to 
tarry  a  few  days  "  in  the  place,  in  order  that  he  and  the  people 
might  become  better  acquainted.  At  a  meeting,  September  22, 
1755,  the  parish  (in  concurrence  with  the  church)  chose  Mr. 
Nathaniel  Potter  for  their  "Gospel  minister";  voted  to  give 
him  a  salary  of  £80  per  annum,  and  £133  6s.  8d.  settlement; 
and  then,  after  appointing  their  standing  committee,  jointly 
with  the  committee  of  the  church,  to  inform  Mr.  Potter  of  their 
choice  of  him  to  the  ministry,  they  adjourned  their  meeting  to 
October  20th.  But  at  this  adjourned  meeting,  Mr.  Potter 
returned  a  negative  answer  to  their  invitation.  Upon  the  19th 
day  of  November  following,  1755,  he  was  ordained  the  pastor 
of  the  church  in  Brookline,  Mass.,  and  after  sustaining 
that  relation  a  term  short  of  four  years,  he  was  dismissed 
June  17,  1759.3 

But  though  the  citizens  of  Woburn  First  Parish,  had  been 
thus  twice  disappointed  in  their  hopes  of  obtaining  a  settled 
minister,  yet  they  still  persevered  in  their  efforts  to  this  end. 
Nor  were  these  efforts  long  without  success.  At  their  meeting, 
October  20th,  above  referred  to,  after  voting  to  leave  it  with 
their  committee  to  supply  the  pulpit  at  their  discretion  till 
further  orders,  they  adjourned  for  a  fortnight,  to  November  3d. 
But  before  that  day  arrived,  Mr.  Josiah  Sherman,  a  graduate  of 
the  same  college  with  Mr.  Potter,  and  very  probably  by  his 

*  Shattuck's  History  of  Concord,  p.  247. 

»  Parish  Records.    American  Quarterly  Register,  Vol.  VHI.,  p.  42. 
28* 


330  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

recommendation,  appears  to  have  come  to  Woburn,  and  to  have 
preached  one  or  more  Sabbaths,  by  invitation  of  the  committee. 
At  the  adjourned  meeting,  November  3d,  the  parish  voted  to 
request  Mr.  Sherman  to  preach  for  them  as  a  candidate  for 
settlement,  and  to  tarry  in  town;  and  appointed  a  numerous 
committee  to  communicate  this  their  request.  By  this  com- 
mittee, Mr.  Sherman  immediately  signified  to  the  parish  his 
compliance  with  their  request,  and  so  acceptable  did  his  subse- 
quent services  prove,  that  all  hearts  seem  to  have  been  at  once 
united  in  his  favor.  At  a  parish  meeting,  December  1st,  only  four 
weeks  from  the  time  he  agreed  to  preach  as  a  candidate,  a  call 
was  given  Mr.  Sherman,  apparently  unanimous,  to  settle  in 
Woburn.  In  this  deeply  interesting  proceeding,  the  church 
took  the  lead,  casting  twenty-four  votes  in  favor  of  Mr.  Sherman. 
The  parish  then  concurred,  by  a  vote  of  eighty-three,  in  the 
choice  of  the  church;  voted,  to  grant  Mr.  Sherman  a  settle- 
ment of  XI 33  6s.  8d.,  lawful  money  of  this  Province,  and  an 
annual  salary  of  X80  "  so  long  as  he  shall  carry  on  the  work 
of  a  Gospel  Minister  in  said  Parish : "  and  having  chosen  a 
committee  to  inform  him  of  these  votes,  adjourned  their  meeting 
to  December  22d.  On  that  day,  Mr.  Sherman  communicated 
his  acceptance  of  the  call  given  him :  upon  which  the  parish 
fixed  upon  January  28,  1756,  as  the  day  of  ordination;  and 
then,  at  an  adjournment  of  one  week,  December  29th,  voted 
as  follows : 

1.  To  accept  the  offer,  made  by  Mr.  Benjamin  Flagg,  of  his  house,  for 
the  entertainment  of  the  Council;  and  voted,  that  Lieut.  William  Tay,  Mr. 
Nathan  Richardson  and  Mr.  Zebadiah  Wymau  be  a  committee  to  provide 
for  the  Council  there. 

2.  "Voted  by   said   Parish    that  the    following  Ministers  and  their 
Churches  be  sent  unto,  to  assist  in  the  Ordination  of  Mr  Josiah  Sherman  : 
viz :  the  Revd      Mr  Appleton  of  Cambridge, 

Mr  Dunbar  of  Stoughton, 

MrTurellofMedford, 

Mr  Hobby,  Reading, 

Mr  Cook,  Menotomy  [West  Cambridge,] 

Mr  Morrill,  Wilmington, 

Mr  Bridge,  Chelmsford, 

Mr  Carnes,  Stoneham, 

Mr.  Jones,  Woburn,  2d  Parish, 

Mr  Potter,  Brookline." 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  331 

3.  "Then  chose  a  committee  of   two,  Mr  Benjamin  Wyman  and  Mr 
Jabez  Kicliardson,  to  assist  Mr  Sherman  in  drawing  up  the  Letters  missive 
to  the  above  Churches. 

4.  Requested  Josiah  Johnson  Esqr.  "to  get  Mr  Sherman's  Letter  of 
Recommendation  from  the  Church  in  Milford  in  Connecticut."4 

Agreeably  to  arrangements  cited  above,  Mr.  Sherman  appears 
to  have  been  first  admitted  by  Letter,  as  a  member  into  the 
First  Church  of  Woburn ;  and  then  to  have  been  ordained  its 
pastor,  January  28, 1756,  the  day  appointed.  For,  at  the  annual 
parish  meeting,  March  8,  1756,  it  was  voted  that  they  would 
raise  £80  to  pay  Mr.  Sherman's  salary  the  present  year,  "  which 
began  Jany  28th,  1756  "j  and  £133  65.  Sd.  to  pay  his  settle- 
ment.4 

The  ordination  of  Mr.  Sherman  was  soon  followed  by  the 
death  of  the  senior  pastor,  Rev.  John  Fox,  who  deceased 
December  12,  1756,  when  about  seventy-eight  years  of  age. 

He  was  the  eldest  son  of  his  immediate  predecessor  at 
Woburn,  Rev.  Jabez  Fox;  and  was  probably  born  at  Cam- 
bridge, where  his  father  resided,  and  occasionally  preached, 
before  he  was  settled  at  Woburn,  in  1679.  He  was  graduated 
at  Harvard  College,  1698;  took  charge  of  the  grammar  school 
in  Woburn  in  1700;  and  apparently  continued  in  that  employ- 
ment at  his  father's  death,  in  February  1702-3.  Shortly  after 
that  event,  he  was  invited  to  preach  three  months  upon  proba- 
tion in  his  father's  place;  at  the  expiration  of  this  term,  his 
engagement  was  prolonged  to  three  months  more,  and  then 
receiving  an  invitation  to  settle,  which  he  accepted,  he  was 
ordained  over  the  church  and  town  of  Woburn,  November  17, 
1 703.  For  twenty  years,  his  services  were  acknowledged  with 
frequent  tokens  of  acceptance  and  success:  such  as  repeated 
voluntary  grants  from  the  town,  in  addition  to  his  salary. 
But  then,  his  health  began  to  fail,  so  that  he  was  often  indisposed 
and  unable  to  preach ;  which  brought  the  town  under  the  unwel- 
come necessity,  first,  of  frequently  hiring  preaching  from  abroad, 
and  then  of  settling  a  colleague ;  and  for  the  last  fifteen  years 
of  his  life,  he  was  totally  blind.  The  loss  of  health  and  sight, 
however,  did  not  wholly  put  a  period  to  his  usefulness.  While 

«  Parish  Record*,  Vol.  H.,  pp.  22-24,  26. 


332  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

laboring  under  these  great  discouragements,  he  still  occasionally 
preached;  "and  often  catechised  the  youth  of  his  parish? 
who  use  to  resort  to  his  house  for  this  purpose,  and  to 
receive  his  pious  counsels  and  exhortations."  In  Alden's  notice 
of  him,  in  his  Collection  of  Epitaphs,  two  sermons  of  Mr.  Fox 
from  i.  Samuel  xiv.  15,  occasioned  by  the  great  earthquake 
October  29,  1727,  are  spoken  of,  as  then  extant. 

Mr.  Fox  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Hon.  Edward  Tyng, 
(one  of  Sir  Edmund  Andros'  Council,  1687)  who  having  been 
appointed  Governor  of  Annapolis,  in  Nova  Scotia,  "  was  cap- 
tured by  the  French  in  his  passage  to  that  place,  carried  into 
France,  and  there  died.  Mrs.  Fox  survived  her  husband ;  and 
died  in  Woburn  February  1764."  Their  children  were, 

1.  John,  born  13  February,  1703   [1703-4];  "who  in  early 
life  went  to  Ireland  to  live  with  a  wealthy  relative." 

2.  Jabez,  born  25  May,  1705,  graduated  at  Harvard  College, 
1727;  studied  theology,  and  commenced  preaching;  but,  on  ac- 
count of  feeble  health,  relinquished  his  profession;  settled  at 
Falmouth  [Portland],  where  he  spent  an  honorable  and  useful 
life,  and  was  for  a  number  of  years  a  member  of  the  Provincial 
Council  of  Massachusetts.     He  died  7  April,  1755,  in  the  fif- 
tieth year  of  his  age.     Anna,  his  first  wife,  died  and  was  buried 
at  Woburn,  August  5, 1 746,  aged  forty-five  years.     For  a  second 
wife,  he  married  Ann,  widow  of  Phinehas  Jones,  who  died  June 
9,  1758,  aged  forty-three. 

3.  Mary,  born  26   October,  1706:  married  to  Rev.  Hebijah 
Weld,  of  Attleborough,  October  17,  1728. 

4.  Edward,  born  26  October,  1708:  lost  at  sea,  in  his  pas- 
sage to  England. 

5.  Thomas,  born  7  April,  1711 ;  a  goldsmith  at  Boston. 

6.  Judith,  born  10  August,  1712;   married  to  Rev.  Nathan 
Stone,  of  Southborough,  October  31, 1734,  being  his  second  wife. 

7.  Jonathan,  born  26  March,  1716  :  married  to  Ruth  Carter, 
August  17,  1737;  lived  and  died  at  Woburn,  where  he  was 
known  as  Col.  Jonathan  Fox.5 

«  Woburn  Town  Records.  Woburn  Records  of  Births,  etc.  Alden's  Epitaphs,  Vol.  I., 
No.  238,  and  Vol.  II.,  No.  321.  Rev.  Joseph  Green's  Diary,  in  Collections  of  William 
Gibbs,  Esq. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  333 

Shortly  after  the  death  of  Rev.  Mr.  Jackson,  in  1754,  and 
before  that  of  Rev.  Mr.  Fox,  in  1756,  an  effort  was  commenced 
to  re-unite  the  Third  Religious  Society  in  Woburn  with  the 
First,  which  eventually  proved  successful.  As  the  unhappy 
differences  between  those  reverend  gentlemen  and  their  respective 
partisans  had  led  to  the  establishment  of  the  Third  Society,  so 
at  the  death  of  Rev.  Mr.  Jackson,  one  main  reason  for  its  con- 
*  tinuance  was  removed.  Accordingly,  at  a  legal  meeting  of  the 
First  Parish  on  Monday,  April  14,  1755,  Dea.  Samuel  Eames; 
Lieut.  William  Tay,  Mr.  Josiah  Johnson,  Mr.  Oliver  Richardson 
and  Mr.  Isaac  Snow  were  chosen  a  committee  to  treat  with  a 
committee  of  the  Third  Parish  on  the  subject  of  a  re-union  with 
the  First.  This  committee  of  the  First  Parish  reported,  after 
an  adjournment  of  one  hour,  that  "  the  Third  Parish  say  they  are 
willing  to  unite  with  the  First."  Whereupon  it  was  voted  by 
the  First  Parish,  "  that  they  stand  ready  and  willing  (upon  their 
desire)  to  receive  the  Third  Parish  into  union  upon  reasonable 
&  equitable  terms:  and  desire  their  disposition  thereunto  in 
the  like  manner."  And  at  a  subsequent  meeting  of  the  Third 
Parish,  April  28,  1755,  they  voted  that  they  were  "willing  and 
desirous  to  unite  with  the  First  Parish  in  said  Town  on  such 
terms  as  the  said  Parishes  shall  agree  on."  But  though  both 
parties  were  thus  ready  to  signify,  that  a  re-union  would  be 
acceptable  to  them,  yet  it  was  found  very  difficult  to  agree  on 
the  precise  terms.  At  an  adjourned  meeting  of  the  First 
Parish,  May  21,  1755,  they  voted  the  following  proposal 
to  the  Third,  viz :  That  they  will  let  the  "  Third  Parish  in 
Woburn  come  into  their  new  Meeting  House  in  common  with 
them,  in  case  they  will  first  pay  their  full  proportion  of  cost  of 
building  their  new  Meeting  House :  allowing  those  persons  to 
hold  their  pews  and  seats  that  will  not  give  them  up :  provided 
other  grievances  shall  be  removed  and  satisfied,"  On  the  other 
hand,  the  Third  Parish,  at  a  meeting!,  on  the  same  day  with  the 
above,  passed  the  following  vote.  "May  21,  [1755]  Voted  in 
the  Third  Parish  in  Woburn,  that  they  stand  ready  and  willing 
to  pay  their  just  proportion  (with  the  First  Parish  in  said 
Town)  of  what  the  new  Meeting  House  is  worth:  Provided 


334  HISTORY   OF  WOBURN. 

they  can  come  into  said  House  upon  an  equal  right  with  the 
First  Parish :  and  in  case  the  Parishes  cannot  agree  on  what 
the  said  House  is  worth,  they  are  willing  to  leave  the  matter  to 
men  mutually  chosen. 

Test.  JOHN  LEATHE,  Parish  Clerk." 

But  neither  of  these  two  offers  was  satisfactory  to  the  party 
to  whom  it  was  made.  And  yet  the  project  of  reunion  was  too 
advantageous  to  both  parishes  to  be  abandoned  or  lost  sight 
of.  The  Third  Parish,  in  particular,  found  new  and  strong 
incentives  to  continue  their  efforts  for  a  reunion  with  the  First, 
in  the  departure  from  them  of  their  own  minister,  and  in  the 
settlement  over  the  First  Parish  of  Rev.  Mr.  Sherman,  in  1756. 
Hence  numerous  meetings  were  held,  and  various  proposals 
were  made  by  both  parishes  to  secure  this  desirable  object, 
during  the  years  1756,  1757  and  1758.  But  nothing  effectual 
was  done  till  March  1759.  On  the  first  day  of  that  month, 
the  Third  Parish  voted  as  follows : 

«  Woburn,  March  the  first,  1759.  Voted  in  the  Third  Parish 
in  said  Town,  that  we  of  the  Third  Parish  in  said  Town  are 
willing  to  unite  with  the  First  Parish  in  said  Town,  on  the 
following  terms,  viz :  That  we  will  pay  into  the  Treasury  of 
the  said  First  Parish  Fifty  two  Pounds  towards  the  Rev.  Mr 
Sherman's  salary  in  twelve  months  from  the  date  hereof:  Like- 
wise we  are  willing  to  be  taxed  and  pay  with  you  of  the  First 
Parish  towards  the  Rev.  Mr  Sherman's  salary  from  the  28th 
day  of  January  last  (1759) :  Provided  the  First  Parish  mutually 
petition  the  General  Court  with  us,  to  be  incorporated  into  one 
Parish :  p  .  JOHN  LEATHE,  Parish  Clerk."  6 

At  an  adjourned  meeting  of  the  First  Parish,  on  the  same  day 
as  the  above,  at  Mr.  James  Fowle's,  Innholder,  voted  as  follows : 

"  Having  received  a  Vote  from  the  Third  Parish,  Voted  that 
they  will  accept  of  the  vote  passed  this  day  in  the  Third  Par- 
ish in  said  Town,  in  order  for  uniting  the  said  two  Parishes, 
and  be  incorporated  into  one  Parish :  and  chose  Josiah  Johnson 
Esqr.  Lt.  William  Tay  and  Mr.  Isaac  Snow  to  be  a  Committee 

« First  Parish  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  44. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBUBN.  335 

to  join  with  a  Committee  of  the  said  Third  Parish  to  petition 
the  Great  &  General  Court  that  they  may  be  so  united."  6 

In  fulfilment  of  their  appointment,  the  joint  committee  of  both 
parishes  petitioned  the  General  Court  to  unite  them  again ;  and 
the  Court  passed  on  their  petition  as  follows : 

"  MARCH  28,  1759. 

"  A  Petition  of  Josiah  Johnson  and  others  in  behalf  of  the  First 
and  Third  Parishes  in  Woburn,  setting  forth,  that  heretofore  they 
were  the  First  Parish  in  that  Town,  but  by  means  of  some  unhappy 
contentions  were  divided  and  made  two  separate  Parishes  :  That  as 
these  contentions  with  the  causes  of  them  are  removed,  and  as  the 
said  Third  Parish  is  destitute  of  a  Minister,  both  Parishes  are 
desirous  of  reuniting  and  being  made  the  First  Parish  in  Woburn 
upon  certain  terms  mentioned  in  said  Petition,  And  praying  that 
they  may  be  united  accordingly  : 

"  In.  the  House  of  Representatives  :  Voted,  that  the  Prayer  of  the 
Petition  be  granted,  _and  that  the  said  First  and  Third  Parishes  in 
Woburn,  aforesaid  be  and  hereby  are  to  all  intents  and  purposes 
reunited,  incorporated  and  erected  into  one  intire  Parish  or  Pre- 
cinct, and  henceforward  to  be  the  First  Parish  or  Precinct  in 
Woburn  aforesaid,  in  the  same  manner  as  it  was  before  the  division 
thereof  into  two  Parishes :  And  that  the  Inhabitants  thereof  be 
henceforward  invested  with  the  like  privileges,  Immunities  and 
Powers  that  any  other  Parishes  or  Precincts  within  this  Province 
are  invested  withal,  any  Law  or  Order  to  the  contrary  notwith- 
standing. 

"  Provided,  nevertheless,  that  the  said  Third  Parish  shall  by  the 
first  day  of  March  next  pay  and  deliver  into  the  Treasury  of  the 
said  First  Parish  the  sum  of  Fifty  two  Pounds  of  lawful  money  of 
this  Province  toward  the  yearly  Salary  of  the  present  Minister 
of  the  aforesaid  First  Parish,  which  became  due  on  the  27th  day  of 
January  last,  and  from  that  day  forward  to  be  jointly  taxed  with 
the  said  First  Parish  for  their  Minister's  Salary,  and  all  other 
Parish  or  Precinct  charges. 

"  Provided,  also,  that  each  of  the  ^Parishes  aforesaid  may  and 
shall  severally  adjust,  settle  and  finish  their  own  proper  Parish 
Accounts  and  Affairs,  and  pay  and  discharge  their  several  debts 
respectively  due  from  them,  as  heretofore  they  might  have  done  ; 
and  be  and  hereby  are  fully  impowered  for  those  ends  and  purposes 


336  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

to  lay  and  impose  suitable  taxes  upon  the  Polls  and  Estates  within 
their  respective  parishes  sufficient  therefor,  and  may  sue  and  be 
sued  (for  any  debts  already  contracted)  by  the  name  of  the  First  or 
Third  Parish,  in  the  same  manner  as   if  they  had  not  been  thus 
reunited  and  incorporated  together. 
"  In  Council :  Read  and  Concurred. 
"  Consented  to  by  the  Governor."  7 

By  this  act  of  the  Legislature,  the  reunion  of  the  two  parishes, 
so  much  desired  by  both  parties,  and  of  such  mutual  advantage 
to  both,  was  legally  accomplished",  after  a  separation  of  fifteen 
years.  Agreeably,  however,  to  the  last  provision  of  the  Court's 
Resolve,  the  first  parish,  as  such,  held  one  meeting  more,  in  order 
to  finish  their  own  proper  business,  receive  money  due  to  them, 
and  pay  their  own  debts,  in  distinction  from  the  Third  Parish.. 
On  February  29, 1760,  a  warrant  was  issued  by  the  Clerk  of  the 
First  Parish  to  Mr.  Jonathan  Lawrence,  Collector,  requiring  him 
"  to  warn  and  give  notice  to  all  the  Freeholders  and  other  In- 
habitants of  [Woburn]  that  were  of  the  First  Parish  in  Woburn, 
before  the  Third  Parish  in  said  Town  was  united  with  them,  to 
assemble  and  convene  at  the  Meeting  House  in  said  Parish  on 
Monday  the  tenth  day  of  March  next,  at  One  of  the  Clock  after- 
noon, then  and  there  to  elect  and  depute  Parish  Officers,  viz.  a 
Parish  Clerk,  a  Parish  Committee,  Assessors,  Treasurer,  Col- 
lector, and  all  other  Officers  needful  to  serve  the  said  Parish, 
as  in  their  former  capacity,  the  year  ensuing,"  etc.,  etc. 

Of  the  meeting  thus  warned,  the  record  begins  thus : 

"  At  a  legal  Meeting  of  the  First  Parish  in  Woburn,  in  their 
capacity  before  the  Third  Parish  in  said  Town  was  united  to  them, 
on  Monday  the  10th.  day  of  March  1760,  they  proceeded  as  fol- 
lows." etc.,  etc. 

Having  chosen  parish  officers,  as  they  had  been  wont,  they  passed 
the  following  votes  among  others  : 

"  That  the  money  due  from  the  said  First  Parish  shall  be  paid 
out  of  the  fifty-two  Pounds,  due  to  them  from  the  Third  Parish  in 
said  Town. 

"  That  if  those  that  were  of  the  Third  Parish  in  Woburn  will 

•  General  Court  Records,  Vol.  XXII.,  1757-1759,  pp.  585,  586. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  337 

provide  money  to  enlarge  the  Meeting  House  belonging  to  the  said 
First  Parish,  equal  as  those  of  the  said  First  Parish  have  paid  for 
said  Meeting  House,  that  they  shall  have  room  in  said  House  equal 
and  according  to  their  pay  with  those  of  the  said  First  Parish. 
And  if  the  equal  proportion  of  money  be  not  sufficient  to  finish  the 
said  addition,  then  it  shall  be  finished  at  the  joint  charge  of  both 
the  said  Parishes."  8 

This  latter  vote  seems  to  have  been  acceded  to  by  the  Third 
Parish :  for,  from  henceforth,  both  parishes  appear  to  have  met 
and  worshipped  together  in  one  place,  and  to  have  acted  together 
as  one  society.  The  above  meeting  of  the  First  Parish,  in  dis- 
tinction from  the  Third,  is  the  last  upon  record.  The  next  meet- 
ing was  held,  indeed,  on  the  same  day  as  the  above ;  but  at  that 
meeting  both  societies  acted  as  one. 

When  the  question  of  a  reunion  of  the  First  and  Third 
Parishes  in  Woburn  began  to  be  agitated,  shortly  after  the  death 
of  Rev.  Mr.  Jackson,  in  September,  1 754,  Rev.  Josiah  Cotton 
was  the  settled  minister  of  the  Third  Parish.  But,  perceiving 
the  inclination  of  his  people  to  join  the  First  Parish  again,  and 
that  his  continuance  in  office  might  be  an  obstacle  to  this  good 
end,  he  saw  fit  to  call  a  Council  of  several  churches  to  meet 
June  30,  1756,  and  "to  advise  &  direct  him  with  respect  to 
his  removal,"  etc.9  The  Records  of  the  Third  Church  being  now 
unfortunately  lost,10  the  particulars  of  the  advice  which  this 
Council  gave  him  cannot  now  be  recovered.  There  can  be  no 
doubt,  however,  that  the  Council  convened  at  Woburn  on  the 
day  appointed,  advised  him,  under  existing  circumstances,  to  ask 
a  dismission  from  his  people ;  and  that,  in  compliance  with  their 
advice,  he  asked  and  obtained  an  orderly  and  honorable  dismis- 
sion from  his  pastoral  and  ministerial  charge ;  and  shortly  after 
removed  his  residence  from  Woburn. 

Rev.  Josiah  Cotton,  pastor  of  the  Third  Church  in  Woburn, 
was  son  of  Rev.  Rowland  Cotton  of  Sandwich;  a  brother 
of  Rev.  John  Cotton  of  Newton,  of  Rev.  Nathaniel  Cotton  of 

«  First  Parish  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p,  49. 

»  Records  of  Church  of  Woburn  Precinct,  or  Burlington,  Vol.  I.,  p.  164. 
»o  "  An  extract  from  the  Chh  Book  belonging  to  the  third  Chh  in  Woburn  "  ia  copied  in 
the  Burlington  Church  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  22. 


338  HISTORY   OP  WOBURN. 

Bristol,  R.  L,  of  Col.  Roland  Cotton  of  Woburn,  and  of  Rev. 
Ward  Cotton  of  Hampton,  N.  H. ;  a  grandson  of  Rev.  John 
Cotton  of  Plymouth ;  and  a  descendant  of  the  third  generation 
from  Rev.  John  Cotton,  the  renowned  Teacher  of  First  Church, 
Boston.  He  was  born  at  Sandwich,  in  June,  1703  j11  graduated 
at  Harvard  College,  1722;  ordained,  October  23,  1728,  pastor 
of  a  Congregational  church  at  Providence,  R.  L,  which  was 
gathered  the  same  day,12  and  continued  to  minister  there  till 
after  May,  1736.12  He  was  installed  pastor  of  the  Third  Church, 
Woburn,  July  15,  1747;13  and  after  his  dismission  from  that 
people  in  1756,  he  was  installed  at  Sandown,  N.  H.,  November 
28, 1759  ;14  and  there  died  May  27,  1780,  aged  seventy-seven. 

Rev.  Mr.  Cotton  married  Susanna before  he  came  to 

Woburn.  It  is  not  known  that  he  had  more  than  two  children, 
viz :  1.  a  daughter  who  died  in  Woburn,  and  upon  whose  grave- 
stone in  the  old  Burying  Place  there  is  inscribed  as  follows  : 

"  Susanna,  daughter  of  Rev.  Josiah  &  Susanna  Cotton,  who 
died  Aug.  3.  1748,  aged  10  years." 15 

2.  A  daughter,  Sarah,  who  was  baptized  (apparently  in  the 
Precinct,  or  Second  Church  of  Woburn)  by  Rev.  Thomas  Jones, 
pastor,  November  28,  1756,  after  her  father's  dismission  from  the 
Third  Church,  and  before  he  finally  left  the  town.  [See  Bur- 
lington Chh.  Records.] 

His  brother  Roland,  it  seems,  had  removed  from  the  town 
before  him.  Of  this  once  prominent  citizen  of  Woburn,  a  brief 
account  may  not  be  unacceptable. 

Roland  Cotton,  Esq.,  was  the  third  son  of  Rev.  Roland 
Cotton  of  Sandwich;  was  born  in  that  town  about  1701;14 
graduated  at  Harvard  College,  1719 ;  and  upon  his  first  coming 
to  Woburn,  sojourned  a  while  at  the  house  of  his  uncle, 
Nathaniel  Saltonstall,  Esq.,  who  was  his  mother's  brother,  and 
brother  to  Gurdon  Saltonstall,  Esq.,  Governor  of  Connecticut  ; 
and  who,  at  his  death,  June  23,  1739,  is  said  to  have  made  him 


«  Rev.  Abel  Patten,  from  Sandwich  Town  Records. 

i*  Journal  of  Rev.  Dr.  Bewail,  Boston.       »  Boston  Weekly  News  Letter,  of  July  16. 
"  Genealogy  of  Cotton  Family,  N.  E.  Historical  and  Genealogical  Reg'r,  Vol.  I.,  p.  165. 
«  Copies  of  Inscriptions,  by  Nathan  Wyman,  Esq. 


HISTORY  OP   WOBUBff.  339 

sole  heir  to  his  large  estate.16  He  is  first  noticed  as  an  inhabi- 
tant of  Woburn  in  the  Province  Tax  List  for  1737 ;  and  then  in 
the  list  of  the  same  tax  for  1744,  by  the  title  of  Col.  Roland 
Cotton.17  He  was  chosen  in  1737,  and  the  seven  immediately 
succeeding  years,  to  represent  the  town  of  Woburn  in  the 
General  Court.17  And  in  1739,  and  perhaps  other  years,  he  was 
appointed  Clerk  of  the  House  of  Representatives ;  and  was  said 
to  have  discharged  the  duties  of  that  trust  "  with  fidelity  and 
despatch,  and  to  great  acceptance."  But  in  consequence,  it  is 
supposed,  of  alleged  inconsistency  of  profession  and  conduct  in 
his  political  career,  of  seemingly  arbitrary  (not  to  say,  illegal  and 
unjust)  proceedings  with  which  he  was  charged,  in  the  impress- 
ment of  men  for  military  service,  and  of  his  settled  hostility  to 
Rev.  Mr.  Jackson,  his  popularity  in  Woburn  after  1744  rapidly 
declined.  He  appears  to  have  left  Woburn  early  in  1754,  if  not 
before,  and  to  have  gone  back  to  Sandwich,  where  he  built  for 
himself  a  house,  and  where  he  probably  spent  the  remainder  of 
his  days.16  He  married  Deborah  Mason,  October  3,  1760,  who 
died  at  Sandwich,  August  1766.16  It  is  not  known  whether  he 
left  posterity. 

To  his  generosity,  while  living  in  Woburn,  the  church  of  the 
Second  Parish  (now  Burlington)  became  indebted  for  the  gift  of 
two  handsome  silver  cups,  dated  1740  and  1741,  for  the  com- 
munion service ;  and  also  previously  to  him  and  his  uncle  Salton- 
stall  for  their  joint  gift  of  another  like  cup  for  the  same  use. 
The  kind  donors  have  long  since  ceased  from  the  earth ;  but  by 
these  sacred  offerings,  their  names  inscribed  on  them,  will  long 
be  kept  in  grateful  remembrance. 

At  his  house  in  Woburn,  died  a  maiden  sister  of  his  in  1 742, 
of  good  repute,  as  "  Vertuous,  Usefull  &  Obliging  in  her  Day 
etc."  16  Upon  her  grave  in  the  old  burying-place  in  Woburn 
is  engraved  the  following  singular  inscription : 

«•  Letter  of  William  G.  Brooki,  Esq.,  from  Diary  of  Joiiah  Cotton,  B»q.t  brother  of 
Rev.  Robert  Cotton  of  Sandwich. 

17  Woburn  Records. 


340  HISTORY   OP  WOBURN. 

"Here  lyes  the  Remains  of 

M".  ELIZABETH  COTTON, 

Daughter  of  the  Rev* . 

ROLAND  COTTON,  late 

of  Sandwich.  Decd :  who  died 

A  VIRGIN  October  12*.  1742, 

Ataris  46. 

"  If  a  Virgin  Marry,  She  hath  not  Sinned, 
Neverthu  such  shall  have  trouble  in  the  Flesh : 
But  he  that  giveth  her  not  in  Marriage  doth  better : 1S 
She  is  happier  if  she  so  Abide." 

Comparing  the  lists  of  parish  taxes,  assessed  immediately 
before  and  after  the  reunion  of  the  Third  Parish  with  the  First, 
we  find  that  by  this  transaction  exclusively  of  non-residents,  fifty- 
five  were  added,  as  members  of  the  First  Parish,  to  the  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty-three  that  previously  belonged  to  it.19  So  large  an 
addition  to  the  parish  of  taxable  inhabitants,  with  their  families, 
must  obviously  render  necessary,  increased  accommodations  in 
their  house  of  public  worship.  Such  necessity  had  been  anticipa- 
ted while  the  proposals  for  reunion  were  pending,  and  had  been 
in  some  measure  provided  for  in  the  votes  that  finally  decided  in 
its  favor.  But  in  consequence,  probably,  of  some  division  of 
opinion,  how  much  it  would  be  needful  to  enlarge  the  meeting- 
house, or  what  proportion  of  the  expense  should  be  borne  by 
those  who  had  belonged  to  the  Third  Society,  for  whose  accom- 
modation principally,  such  enlargement  was  required,  no  meas- 
ures for  this  end  were  attempted  till  1769.  Then  the  want  of 
more  room  in  the  meeting-house  was  so  sensibly  felt,  especially 
by  those  who  had  been  of  the  Third  Parish,  that  articles  were 
inserted  in  the  warrants  for  several  successive  meetings  of  the 
parish,  having  in  view  the  making  of  more  seats  in  the  meeting- 
house ;  and  committees  were  successively  appointed  to  consider 
how  this  object  might  best  be  attained.  And  in  the  warrant  for 
a  meeting  called  to  be  June  14,  1770,  there  was  an  article  "  To 
see  if  the  Parish  will  hear  the  Petition  of  some  men  that  [had 
been]  of  the  Third  Parish  in  said  Town,  in  order  to  consult  and 


William  Gibbs,  Esq. ;  taken  from  Woburn  Old  Burying  Hill. 
Parish  Records,  Vol.  II.,  pp.  42-46. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  341 

agree  upon  some  methods  and  measures  that  shall  be  thought 
and  voted  most  expedient  and  beneficial,  for  their  having  equal 
and  proper  room  in  the  parish  meeting-house,  agreeable  to 
their  Petition."80  But  at  that  meeting,  and  at  an  adjournment 
of  it,  September  3,  1770,  after  many  fruitless  proposals,  nothing 
was  done,  and  the  meeting  was  dissolved. 

Such  a  result  must  needs  have  occasioned  much  disappoint- 
ment and  irritation  of  feeling,  especially  in  the  former  members 
of  the  Third  Society,  who  suffered  most  from  the  alleged  incon- 
venience. Seemingly  to  allay  such  feelings,  a  meeting  was 
held  only  a  fortnight  after,  at  which  a  committee  of  five  was 
chosen  "  to  seat  some  elderly  men  and  high  payers  in  the  Parish 
Rates,  and  [who]  have  no  seats  assigned  them — to  be  seated 
in  the  unappropriated  seats  during  the  Parish's  pleasure."81 

But  this  measure,  while  it  made  an  invidious  distinction,  could 
evidently  afford  only  a  partial  relief  from  the  evil  complained 
of.  Hence  the  question  of  enlarging  the  meeting-house,  which 
alone  proposed  an  adequate  remedy,  did  not  cease  to  be 
agitated.  In  the  course  of  the  eighteen  months  immediately 
following,  plans  for  opening  the  house  of  worship  twelve  feet, 
eighteen  feet  and  a  half,  and  twenty  feet,  were  submitted  to  the 
parish  and  considered;  but  not  one  of  them  all  then  obtained 
general  and  permanent  approbation;  for  though  the  plan  for 
opening  twelve  feet  was  repeatedly  voted  acceptance,  yet  it 
was  not  long  acquiesced  in.  It  was  not  till  March  30,  1772, 
that  the  first  effectual  step  was  taken  towards  the  desired  and 
much  needed  enlargement  of  this  House  of  God.  At  a  parish 
meeting  on  that  day,  it  was  voted, 

"1.  That  they  will  open  the  Meeting  House  eighteen  feet  and  a 
half,  and  move  to  the  West,  the  Pulpit  being  in  the  Centre. 

"  3.  That  the  new  Pews  that  shall  be  made  in  the  addition  to 
the  Meeting  House,  shall  be  sold  to  the  highest  bidder ;  they  pay- 
ing one-third  part  of  the  money  they  bid  for  the  Pew,  at  the  Pew's 
being  struck  off  to  them ;  and  giving  security  for  the  payment  of 
the  other  two  thirds  ;  viz.  one  third  at  the  closing  up  said  house, 
and  one  third  at  the  finishing  the  same  ;  with  sureties. 

*>  Pariah  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  119.  «  Parish  Record.,  Vol.  H.,  p.,121. 

29* 


342  HISTORY   OP  WOBURN. 

"  4.  And  if  any  of  the  said  Pews  be  sold  or  struck  off  to  any 
Person  that  hath  one  of  the  old  pews,  he  shall  immediately  resign 
his  old  pew  to  the  Parish,  to  be  sold  in  the  same  manner  that  the 
New  Pews  are  sold."22 

In  pursuance  of  these  resolves,  the  parish  voted  at  an  adjourn- 
ment of  this  meeting,  and  at  a  subsequent  one  June  8,  that  they 
would  "have  Twenty-two  Pews  made  in  the  Parish  Meeting 
House,  part  in  the  addition  of  eighteen  feet  &  half,  and  part 
in  the  old  house,  all  on  the  lower  floor ;  and  the  Parish  Pew 
moved  up  to  the  Pulpit,  as  it  stands  now."  They  also  chose 
Capt.  Benjamin  Wyman,  and  Messrs.  Jacob  and  Joseph  Wright, 
a  committee  to  sell  the  pew  ground  in  the  meeting-house,  both  in 
the  addition,  and  in  the  old  part  of  the  house,  to  the  highest  bid- 
der at  a  public  vendue,  he  belonging  to  the  parish,  and  appointed 
Mr.  Loammi  Baldwin,  vendue  master.23  And  at  an  adjourned 
meeting,  June  22,  they  appointed  a  committee  of  three  (viz: 
Messrs.  Jacob  Wright,  Benjamin  Wyman,  and  Jonathan  Fox)  to 
hire  workmen  to  complete  the  contemplated  enlargement  j  and 
made  provision  for  defraying  the  expense,  from  the  money  aris- 
ing from  the  sale  of  pew  ground.  And  finally  they  voted,  that 
the  common  seats  on  the  lower  floor  and  in  the  galleries  that 
are  made  or  shall  be  made  in  the  meeting-house,  shall  be  com- 
mon for  the  people  of  the  parish  to  sit  in,  during  the  parish's 
pleasure.24 

The  committee  chosen  to  sell  the  pew  ground  at  auction  dis- 
charged the  duties  of  their  appointment  June  22,  and  June  29, 

1772.  The  whole  was  sold  on  one  or  the  other  of  those  days : 
and  each  purchaser  paid  down  £4  10s.,  Old  Tenor,  as  earnest 
money ;  and  the  remainder  with  a  single  exception,  by  January 

17 73,  or  shortly  after.     The  whole  amount  raised  by  this  sale  of 
pew  ground,  for  twenty-two  additional  pews  on  the  lower  floor 
of  the  house,  was,  £2,125,  Old  Tenor,  or  $944$  ,25 

The  committee  for  hiring  workmen,  employed  Messrs.  John 
Tay  and  Bartholomew  Richardson.  These  two  gentlemen  cove- 
nanted on  their  part  with  the  committee,  within  three  months 

»  Parish  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  129.  »  Parish  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  130. 

*  Parish  Records,  Vol.  H.,  p.  131.  »  Parish  Records,  Vol.  II.,  pp.  133, 134. 


HISTORY  OP  WOBURN.  343 

from  the  date  of  their  contract,  viz :  July  27,  1772,  "  to  open  the 
Meeting  House  in  said  Parish,  and  move  to  the  West  eighteen 
feet  &  a  half;  and  move  the  Pulpit  to  the  middle  of  the  House 
on  the  North  side ;  and  provide  all  kind  of  materials,  and  fill 
up  the  vacancy  opened,  and  finish  all  parts  thereof  in  the  same 
form  &  fashion  with  the  Old  House,  except  building  the  Pews : 
and  wheresoever  any  part  of  the  Old  House  is  broken  or 
defaced  by  them,  they  will  make  it  good,  and  all  the  mate- 
rials for  said  house  and  the  work  shall  be  good  and  mer- 
chantable to  the  acceptance  of  the  said  Committee." 

And  the  committee  covenanted  on  their  part,  and  in  their 
capacity,  with  Messrs.  Tay  and  Richardson  to  pay  them,  for 
their  labor  and  expense,  £150  lawful  money  (or  $500)  in  all,  at 
three  several  payments,  the  last  on  or  before  October  10,  fol- 
lowing, or  at  the  finishing  of  the  house. 

And  to  insure  the  faithful  performance  of  this  contract  on 
both  sides,  each  party  bound  itself  to  the  other  in  the  penal  sum 
of  £300  lawful  money,  "  to  be  well  and  truly  paid  by  the  defec- 
tive party  to  the  party  performing." 

Although  the  fact  is  not  recorded,  yet  there  can  be  no  doubt 
that  the  enlargement  of  the  meeting-house  thus  contracted  for 
was  faithfully  completed  by  the  time  agreed  upon,  viz :  October 
27,  1772.  Nor  is  there  cause  to  question  but  that  the  pews 
were  built  in  due  season  by  the  several  purchasers  of  the  pew 
ground,  as  was  done  in  this  meeting-house  at  its  erection  in 
1749,  1750. 

And  now,  that  nothing  might  be  wanting  thoroughly  to  furnish 
this  house  of  worship  for  its  intended  use,  the  parish,  at  a  meet- 
ing January  18th,  the  following  year,  1773,  chose  Josiah  John- 
son, Esq.  and  Joseph  Wright  a  committee  to  sell  the  old  bell, 
and  to  purchase  a  new  one,  that  should  weigh  about  four  hun- 
dred and  fifty  pounds.b 

In  1755  began  that  sharp  national  contest  known  in  New 
England  as  "  the  last  French  war ; "  and  which  continued,  with 
some  abatements,  till  the  definitive  treaty  of  peace,  signed  at 

.  Parish  Record*,  Vol.  H.,  p.  137.  b  Parish  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  1«. 


344  HISTORY  OP  WOBURN. 

Paris,  February  10,  1763.  This  war  was  occasioned  by  en- 
croachments, which  the  French  were  constantly  making  in  Nova 
Scotia,  a  province  ceded  by  them  to  Great  Britain,  or  acknow- 
ledged to  belong  to  her,  by  a  succession  of  treaties ;  and  by  their 
commencing  a  chain  of  settlements  and  fortifications,  which  were 
designed  to  extend  the  whole  length  of  the  northern  and  western 
frontiers  of  the  English  colonies,  and  which  would  prove  exceed- 
ingly embarrassing  and  detrimental  to  their  interests  in  time  of 
peace,  and  might  be  successfully  employed  for  their  utter  ruin  or 
subjugation  in  time  of  war.  Remonstrances  against  these  pro- 
ceedings having  been  repeatedly  urged  in  vain,  hostilities  between 
the  two  nations  actually  commenced  in  1755,  although  war  was 
not  publicly  declared  till  the  following  year. 

In  this  war,  in  the  result  of  which  all  the  British  colonies  bor- 
dering on  the  Atlantic  were  so  deeply  interested,  the  inhabitants 
of  New  England  in  general  engaged  with  a  hearty  zeal,  and 
with  a  willingness  to  make  every  sacrifice  in  their  power,  in 
order  to  bring  it  to  a  successful  issue.  And  although,  through 
the  rashness,  or  imbecility  and  folly  of  the  military  commanders, 
appointed  and  sent  here  by  the  government  in  England,  these  col- 
onists were  grieved  and  mortified  the  first  three  years  of  the 
war  to  see  a  constant  series  of  losses  and  defeats  and  disappoint- 
ments, yet  upon  a  change  of  men  and  measures,  they  were  over- 
joyed to  behold  the  former  discouraging  prospect  entirely 
reversed ;  to  witness  success  and  victory  everywhere  attendant 
upon  the  arms  of  Britain  and  her  colonies,  especially  in  the  cam- 
paign of  1759,  when  Quebec  was  taken,  and  the  vast  region  of 
Canada  subdued.  For  from  the  first  settlement  of  New  England, 
Canada  had  been  a  perpetual  scourge  to  her  inhabitants ;  a  con- 
stant source  of  vexation  to  her  commerce,  of  war  and  bloodshed 
to  her  people,  and  of  malicious,  mischievous  interference  with 
her  Indian  neighbors.  Hence  they  longed  to  see  this  settlement 
of  France  subdued ;  they  freely  offered  their  persons  and  their 
fortunes  to  the  accomplishment  of  this  end  in  the  present  war. 
And  "  great  and  universal  was  the  joy  (saith  Rev.  Dr.  Trumbull 
in  his  History  of  Connecticut) 26  which  spread  through  the  Eng- 

*«  Vol.  II.,  Chap.  K.,  p.  429. 


HISTORY   OP  WOBUBN.  345 

lish  Colonies,  especially  through  New  England,  on  the  conquest 
of  Canada,  which,  for  more  than  a  century,  had  occasioned  so 
much  alarm,  such  an  expense  of  blood  and  treasure  to  them,  as 
well  as  to  the  sister  colonies.  Many  had  been  their  own  and 
their  forefathers'  fastings  and  prayers  for  this  great  event.  Now, 
they  conceived,  that  they  were  fully  answered.  Days  of  public 
thanksgiving  were  generally  appointed  in  New  England  to  recog- 
nize the  divine  goodness,  and  ascribe  due  honors  to  HIM,  whose 
is  the  greatness  and  the  victory,  and  whose  kingdom  ruleth  over 
all." 

In  order  to  the  accomplishment,  however,  of  this  most  desir- 
able end,  for  which  so  many  united  devout  thanksgivings  were 
offered  by  a  whole  people  unto  God,  numerous  and  costly  were 
the  sacrifices,  both  of  treasure  and  life,  which  the  colonies  were 
called  to  make  to  procure  it.  In  relating  the  close  of  the  war,  the 
Keverend  Historian  just  quoted,  thus  describes  these  sacrifices. 
"  For  nearly  eight  years  they  had  been  making  the  most  strenuous 
exertions  to  carry  on  the  war,  and  to  assist  his  Majesty  to  hum- 
ble the  pride  of  their  common  enemy.  Their  burdens  and  losses 
had  been  great.  As  the  provincials  enlisted  for  one  campaign 
only,  a  new  army  was  to  be  raised,  new  bounties  given,  and 
new  clothing  to  be  furnished,  every  spring.  So  great  was  the 
expense,  that  the  colonies  were  obliged  not  only  to  emit  bills  of 
credit  to  a  great  amount,  but  to  tax  the  people  as  highly  as  they 
could  bear.  Besides  the  public  bounties  given  by  the  colonies, 
the  merchants,  farmers,  and  gentlemen  of  character  were  obliged 
to  advance  considerable  sums  to  encourage  the  enlistments,  or 
they  must  have  left  their  farms,  merchandise,  and  various  employ- 
ments, and  gone  into  actual  service.  Especially  was  this  the 
case  with  the  northern  colonies.  New  England,  in  general,  had, 
during  the  war,  ten  thousand  men  in  the  field.  Some  years,  the 
two  colonies  of  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut  furnished  that 
number.  Massachusetts  annually  sent  into  the  field  five  thou- 
sand five  hundred  men,  and  one  year,  seven  thousand.  Besides 
her  annual  quota,  this  colony,  for  several  years,  garrisoned  Louis- 
burg  and  Nova  Scotia,  that  the  regular  troops  might  be  employed 
in  the  expeditions  against  Canada.  On  the  application  of  the 


346  HisioRr  OP  WOBURN. 

British  admiral,  she  furnished  five  hundred  seamen,  in  the  expe- 
dition against  Louisburg  and  Quebec.  At  several  times,  many 
others  were  impressed  out  of  the  vessels  employed  in  the  fishery. 
According  to  the  statement  made  by  Governor  Bernard,  and 
transmitted  to  the  lords  of  trade,  the  colony  had  expended  in 
the  war,  eight  hundred  and  eighteen  thousand  pounds  sterling. 
Of  this  sum,  three  hundred  and  twenty-eight  thousand  pounds 
had  been  replaced  by  parliamentary  grants.  Four  hundred  and 
ninety  thousand  pounds  [or  $2,177,777]  were  expended,  for 
which  the  colony  had  no  parliamentary  compensation."27  In  the 
course  of  this  war,  too,  it  has  been  estimated  by  the  same 
Reverend  Historian,  that  the  colonies  lost  considerably  more 
than  twenty  thousand  men.  "  These,  in  general,"  continues  he, 
"  were  their  most  firm  and  hardy  young  men,  the  flower  of  their 
country.  Many  others  were  maimed  and  enervated  in  the  many 
distant  and  arduous  campaigns  during  the  war.  And  as  the 
New  England  colonies  furnished  much  the  greatest  number  of 
men,  so  this  loss  fell  with  the  heaviest  weight  upon  them."  27 

Of  the  public  losses  and  sacrifices,  particularly  those  sus- 
tained by  Massachusetts,  during  this  war,  Woburn  had  her  full 
share.  During  the  five  years  immediately  preceding  1755,  when 
the  country  was  at  peace,  the  average  amount  of  her  proportion 
of  the  Province  Tax  was  only  XI 39  9*.  bd.  lawful  money.  But 
from  1755,  when  hostilities  commenced,  till  1763,  inclusively, 
when  peace  was  concluded  between  the  two  contending  nations, 
the  annual  average  amount  of  her  proportion  of  the  same  tax 
was  £518  9s.  $d.,  almost  four  times  as  much  as  the  average  in 
time  of  peace.  But,  oppressive  as  these  taxes  were,  yet  such 
was  the  patriotic  zeal  of  the  people,  they  appear  to  have  been 
borne  by  them,  and  paid  without  complaint. 

But  what  is  still  more  observable  is  the  large  proportion  of 
men  furnished  by  Woburn  in  that  war  for  military  service. 
From  a  partial  examination  of  the  voluminous  muster  roll 
returns  of  that  war,  preserved  in  the  archives  of  Massachusetts, 
and  also  from  family  papers  and  indisputable  popular  tradition, 

*  TrumbulT*  Connecticut,  Vol.  II.,  Chap,  xxii.,  pp.  463-455. 


HISTORY  OP  WOBURN.  347 

it  appears,  that  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  this  town  were  enlisted  or  impressed  for  service,  in  the 
successive  stages,  and  for  the  various  enterprises  of  that  long 
and  bloody  contest.  And,  were  the  examination  of  the  public 
documents  above  referred  to  completed,  it  would  not  improbably 
enlarge  that  number  to  one  hundred  and  fifty.  In  1755,  when 
the  war  commenced,  fifty-four  Woburn  men  were  enrolled  for  the 
expeditions  set  on  foot  that  year  against  Nova  Scotia  and  Crown 
Point  alone.  Now  this  number  is  more  than  two-elevenths  of 
all  the  males  in  Woburn  that  were  taxed  upon  the  Province  tax 
lists  of  that  year, 28  and  more  than  one  in  twenty-eight  of  all  the 
inhabitants  of  the  town  the  same  year,  reckoning  its  population 
in  1755  to  have  been  1500,  which  is  a  large  estimate.29  But 
what  a  heavy  burden  would  it  now  appear  to  be,  if  two- 
elevenths  of  all  the  taxable  males  in  any  town,  or  if  one  out  of 
every  twenty-eight  of  its  inhabitants,  including  old  and  young, 
men,  women  and  children,  were  to  be  drafted  and  sent  off 
upon  active  military  service  in  any  one  year ! 

Two  interesting  memorials,  one  written,  the  other  tradition- 
ary, of  persons  and  events  in  this  war,  have  been  handed  down 
to  us  by  Woburn  men,  and  are  well  deserving  notice  in  this 
connection. 

The  written  memorial  is  a  journal  of  Samuel  Thompson, 
Esq.,  once  a  well  known,  highly  respected  citizen  of  this 
place,  now  deceased,  which  was  kept  by  him,  while  serving  in 
this  war,  as  a  soldier.  In  April,  1758,  he  joined  a  company 
enlisted  for  the  Northern  campaign,  commanded  by  Capt.  Eben- 
ezer  Jones,  then  of  Wilmington,  but  of  Woburn  three  years 
before,  when  he  was  a  leader  in  the  expedition  against  Crown 
Point.  This  company  started  for  the  place  of  its  destination 
May  24th,  and  reached  Fort  Edward,  June  17th.  When  it 
began  its  march,  Mr.  Thompson  was  one  of  the  sergeants :  but  in 
consequence  of  the  sudden  death  of  its  commander  and  several 


w  Viz :  142  on 


162-168 


the  west  list,  and  152  on  the  east  list=294.    Town  Records,  Vol.  VH. 


pp. 


. 
The  total  population  of  Woburn,  ten  years  af  erwards,  viz  :  1765,  was  1,515.  See  Report 


, 
of  Town  Clerk  of  Woburn  for  1865,  p.  31 


348  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

-* 

other  officers,  of  wounds  received  in  an  attack  by  the  Indians, 
he  was  advanced  to  be  a  lieutenant.  The  journal  referred  to 
is  an  account  kept  by  him,  daily,  of  his  marches,  hardships,  and 
the  innumerable  incidents  which  befell  him  or  his  fellow-soldiers, 
or  which  he  had  occasion  to  notice  in  the  public  service,  from 
the  time  he  left  home  in  May  1758,  till  his  return  thither  again 
in  November  of  the  same  year.  The  entire  document  has  been 
accounted  as  well  worth  copying  and  preserving  in  this  connec- 
tion; and  a  place  has  therefore  been  given  to  a  copy  of  it  in 
the  Appendix  to  this  work,  No.  IX. 

The  traditionary  anecdote  referred  to,  in  connection  with  the 
war  of  1755-1763,  respects  Capt.  John  Wood,  son  of  John 
and  Esther  Wood,  who  was  born  August  23,  1740,  within  the 
limits  of  Woburn  precinct  (now  Burlington)  where  he  resided 
all  his  days,  and  died  there,  October  19,  1809. 

At  the  age  of  sixteen,  and  in  the  second  year  of  the  war,  Wood 
repaired  to  Concord  to  enlist.  The  enlisting  officer,  seeing  he 
was  but  a  stripling,  passed  him  by  till  all  other  applicants  had 
left.  He  then  addressed  Wood  in  some  such  terms  as  these : 
"  Well,  youngster :  and  what  have  you  come  here  for  ?  "  "  To 
enlist,  Sir,"  said  Wood,  "if  you  will  accept  me."  "  To  enlist!" 
replied  the  officer:  "Why,  do  you  think  you  can  kill  an 
Indian?"  "I  don't  know  about  that,  Sir,"  said  Wood:  "but 
I  think  I  can  fire  a  bullet  into  an  oak  stump  as  far  as  any  other 
man."  The  officer  perceiving  by  this  time  that  he  was  a  bold, 
hardy,  ingenuous  youth,  though  not  so  old  as  he  could  wish,  at 
length  took  down  his  age,  measured  him,  and  going  through  all 
the  other  ceremonies  of  enlistment,  dismissed  him  to  the  com- 
pany in  which  he  was  to  serve. 

At  a  certain  time  during  the  period  of  his  enlistment  in  the 
war,  being  under  the  command  (as  he  used  to  say)  of  Benedict 
Arnold,  the  future  traitor  in  the  War  of  the  Revolution,  as  he 
and  his  company  were  marching  through  the  forests  of  Canada 
in  midwinter,  with  the  snow  three  feet  under  them  on  a  level, 
and  the  weather  exceedingly  cold,  one  of  his  comrades  was 
seized  with  a  sore  on  one  of  his  legs,  which  became  so  swollen 
and  painful  as  totally  to  disable  him  for  keeping  up  with  the 


HISTORY    OF   WOBURN.  349 

rest.  This  the  captain  perceived;  and  being  resolved  not  to 
leave  him  behind  to  perish  with  cold,  or  by  the  hand  of  the 
enemy,  and  yet  being  unwilling  to  stop  to  take  care  of  him, 
feeling  it  to  be  important  to  hasten  to  the  post  he  was  going  to, 
which  was  thirty  miles  ahead,  he  called  his  men  together,  and 
then  bade  any  one,  who  might  be  willing  to  stop  there  and  take 
care  of  the  poor  lame  soldier  till  he  could  send  relief  from  the 
fort  he  was  marching  for,  to  present  his  arms.  But  no  one 
answering  to  his  bidding,  John  Wood  stepped  forward,  and 
offered  himself  for  this  benevolent,  yet  hard  and  trying  service. 
The  captain  gratefully  accepted  his  offer;  and  after  employing 
some  of  his  men  to  build  him  a  little  shanty  for  his  shelter,  and 
others  to  collect  in  the  forest  sufficient  wood  for  his  fuel,  he  gave 
him  such  necessaries  as  he  could  spare  him,  and  a  two-quart 
wooden  bottle  of  rum  for  his  comfort  and  that  of  the  suiferer  he 
was  to  wait  upon,  and  then  proceeded  with  his  men  on  their 
march. 

Early  the  next  morning,  as  Wood  drew  aside  a  blanket  which 
served  for  a  door  to  his  shanty,  and  looked  out/ he  spied  four  or 
five  Indians  approaching,  and  as  he  had  reason  to  think,  with 
hostile  intent.  At  this  sight,  he  was  utterly  dismayed  for  a  few 
moments.  But  quickly  perceiving  it  would  be  of  no  use  to 
attempt  either  to  resist  or  to  run,  he  resorted  to  kindness  for 
protection.  He  instantly  takes  the  bottle  of  rum  which  had 
been  given  him,  into  his  hands,  and,  going  out  and  holding  it  up 
to  the  Indians,  cries  out  "  Oncapee,  Oncapee,"  their  word  for 
ardent  spirit.  Upon  this,  the  Indians  stepped  up,  but  refused  to 
drink,  fearing  it  might  be  poison,  till  Wood  drank  himself.  But 
still  apprehending  that  he  might  treacherously  hold  in  his  mouth 
what  he  knew  would  be  death  to  take  down,  they  insisted  upon 
his  drinking  again,  and  make  it  appear  to  them  that  he  swallowed 
it.  Wood  readily  took  another  sip,  which  made  such  a  motion 
before  their  eyes  as  it  passed  down  his  throat,  that  the  Indians 
instantly  dismissed  all  suspicions  of  any  evil  design  in  his  offer- 
ing them  "  Oncapee,"  and  drank  of  it  freely,  as  much  as  they 
thought  proper.  And  now  Wood  takes  them  into  his  hoveb 
and  shows  them  the  diseased  swollen  limb  of  his  comrade  under 
30 


350  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

his  charge,  as  he  lay  helpless  upon  the  leaves  or  whatever 
served  him  for  a  bed.  Upon  viewing  it  attentively,  one  of  the 
Indians  (who,  it  seems,  was  an  Indian  doctor,)  signified  to 
Wood,  that  he  could  cure  that  sore,  and  that  he  wished  for  a 
flint.  The  flint  being  brought,  the  Indian  pounded  it  to  pieces 
as  well  as  he  could,  and  taking  the  splinters,  he  stuck  the  sore 
with  them  by  their  sharp  points,  very  thickly,  which  soon  caused 
matter  or  water  to  ooze  from  the  swollen  leg.  And  now  this 
Indian  surgeon  repairs  to  a  tall  hemlock  hard  by,  and  scraping 
away  the  deep  snow  at  its  foot,  he  takes  a  little  herb  he  found 
there,  and  gives  Wood  to  understand  that  he  must  make  of  it  a 
wash  which  he  must  apply  to  the  diseased  leg  three  times  a  day. 
And  now  the  red  men  of  the  forest  depart,  leaving  Wood 
unharmed,  he  prepares  and  applies  the  wash  as  directed ;  and  in 
three  days,  within  which  time  the  promised  help  from  the  fort 
arrived,  the  poor,  lame  soldier  entirely  recovered  the  use  of  his 
limb,  and  was  able  to  go  with  Wood  and  the  rest  to  his  company 
again.  How  much  real,  disinterested  benevolence  did  Wood 
display  on  this  cfccasion  !  And  what  evidence  did  the  uncivilized 
Indians  he  had  to  do  with  furnish,  by  their  forbearance  and 
kind  offices  towards  two  defenceless  foes,  that,  notwithstanding 
the  horrid  cruelties  with  which  their  countrymen  were  sometimes 
chargeable,  they  could  and  would  act  at  times  in  a  manner  that 
deserves  and  challenges  our  warmest  praise. 

The  ministry  of  Rev.  Mr.  Sherman  (who,  it  has  been  already 
stated,  was  ordained  in  Woburn  in  1755,)  commenced  under 
very  favorable  auspices,  and  promised  several  years  to  be  long, 
harmonious  and  successful.  But  pecuniary  embarrassments, 
incurred  by  him  originally  in  the  purchase  of  his  house  and 
lands,  at  length  produced  uneasiness  between  him  and  his  peo- 
ple. To  relieve  him  in  his  perplexed  situation,  recourse  was 
had,  but  unsuccessfully,  to  various  expedients.  At  one  time, 
the  parish  voted  to  give  him  £100  as  a  present;  but  this  vote 
was  presently  after  reconsidered,  and  declared  null  and  void. 
It  was  also  proposed,  that  they  should  purchase  of  him  his  home- 
stead, and  then  allow  him  to  occupy  it  free  of  rent  j  but  this 
measure,  also  for  his  help,  when  they  came  to  act  upon  it,  they 


HISTORY   OF   WOBUEN.  351 

declined  to  adopt.  They  raised  for  him,  however,  in  1761,  and 
three  years  afterward  in  succession,  in  addition  to  his  salary, 
eight  or  ten  pounds  in  money  for  procuring  his  firewood ;  and 
in  1765,  they  voted  him  a  permanent  grant  of  ten  pounds  per 
annum,  for  this  purpose,  so  long  as  he  should  "  carry  on  the 
whole  work  of  a  Gospel  Minister  "  among  them.30  But  this 
grant,  though  very  acceptable  to  Mr.  Sherman,  did  not  essen- 
tially relieve  him,  or  satisfy  his  wants.  He  was  very  desirous, 
that  beside  this  help,  an  addition  should  be  made  to  his  stated 
salary  in  money,  so  long  as  he  continued  to  preach  among  them ; 
and  that  while  he  retained  his  pastoral  relation  to  the  church 
in  the  place,  some  provision  should  be  made  for  his  support  and 
comfort,  in  case  he  should  be  necessarily  taken  ofi'  from  his 
ministerial  labors  by  any  Providential  occurrence.  And  at  length 
a  mutual  agreement  to  this  effect  was  entered  into  between  him 
and  the  parish,  through  their  committee,  which  is  here  copied 
from  the  records. 

"  Whereas  the  Rev.  Mr  Josiah  Sherman,  Pastor  of  the  First 
Church  in  Woburn,  appeared  in  a  legal  Parish  meeting  of  the  First 
Parish  in  said  Town,  on  the  20th  day  of  October  A.  D.  1766,  and 
requested  of  them,  that  they  would  make  an  addition  of  ten  pounds 
of  Lawful  Money  to  his  salary,  to  be  paid  to  him  annually  so  long 
as  he  shall  carry  on  the  whole  work  of  the  Gospel  Ministry  in  said 
Parish ;  and  state  sixty  pounds  of  his  salary  to  be  paid  to  him 
annually  so  long  as  he  shall  sustain  the  character  of  a  Pastor  to 
the  Church  in  said  Parish,  in  case  he  shall  be  taken  oft  his  labours 
in  Providence : 

"  In  answer  to  which  Request  (after  the  said  Parish  and  the 
Revd  Mr.  Josiah  Sherman  had  mutually  agreed  thereto)  the  said 
Parish  on  the  said  Twentieth  day  of  October  A.D.  1766,  passed 
the  following  votes,  which  are  to  take  place  and  be  in  force  from 
and  after  the  twenty-eighth  day  of  January,  Anno  Domini  1767. 

"  Voted,  by  said  Parish,  that  they  will  add  to  the  Rev.  Mr 
Josiah  Sherman's  salary  Ten  Pounds  of  Lawful  Money,  to  be  paid 
to  him  annually,  so  long  as  he  shall  carry  on  the  whole  work  of  a 
Gospel  Minister  in  said  Parish,  in  case  he  will  be  therewith  con- 
tented for  the  future. 

so  Parish  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  86. 


352  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

"  Voted,  that  they  will  state  only  fifty  Pounds  Lawful  Money  to 
be  paid  to  him  annually  for  his  support,  so  long  as  he  is  in  the 
Pastoral  Office  in  said  Parish,  when  he  shall  be  taken  off  his 
labours  in  Providence,  in  case  that  he  shall  request  no  more,  unless 
he  is  constrained  by  necessity  to  ask  more  :  but  not  to  exceed  ten 
pounds. 

"  In  Testimony  of  our  mutual  consent  to  the  above  agreement, 
we  have  hereunto  set  our  hands  this  seventeenth  day  of  December, 
Anno  Domini  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  sixty-six. 

"  JOSIAH  SHERMAN,  Pastor. 
"  BENJA.  WYMAN 
WILLIAM  TAT 
JOSIAH  PARKER 
Committee,  in  the  Name  of  the  Parish."31 

In  accordance  with  this  engagement,  the  parish  at  a  meeting 
March  16,  1767,  voted  "to  raise  XI 00  Lawful  for  Mr.  Sher- 
man's salary  and  firewood  the  present  year,  which  began  January 
28th,  1767."32  For  more  than  seven  years,  Mr.  Sherman  for- 
bore to  make  any  complaint,  upon  record,  of  the  provisions  of 
the  above  agreement.  But  necessity  seems  then  to  have  compelled 
him  to  open  his  mouth.  In  the  warrant  for  a  parish  meeting,  to 
be  held  March  14,  1774,  one  article  was,  "  To  see  if  the  Parish 
will  take  the  Rev.  Mr  Josiah  Sherman's  circumstances  under 
their  consideration,  and  grant  him  proper  relief;  or  vote  him  a 
Release  from  his  Ministerial  Relation  to  them,  according  to  his 
request  on  February  15, 1774."33  This  renewed  application  by 
Rev.  Mr.  Sherman  to  his  people,  for  their  help,  prepared  the  way 
for  a  twelvemonth's  debate  and  altercation  among  them  upon 
the  subject  of  his  affairs.  During  that  period  of  time,  various 
plans  for  his  relief  were  proposed  and  urged  by  his  friends ; 
but  these  were  all,  one  after  another,  obstructed  or  defeated  by  a 
party,  that  now  openly  appeared  in  opposition  to  Mr.  Sherman. 
In  view  of  this  opposition,  Mr.  Sherman  became  quite  disheart- 
ened. As  matters  now  were,  he  saw  no  prospect  of  securing  a 
comfortable  maintenance  for  himself  and  family.  His  people,  he 

»i  Parish  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  96.  s*  Parish  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  98. 

s>  Parish  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  152. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  353 

thought,  now  eyed  him  in  the  sanctuary  with  a  different  look 
from  that  which  they  once  used  to  present  in  the  Sabbath 
assembly.  It  seemed  to  him  that  his  comfort  and  usefulness  in 
the  place  were  now  gone:  and  hence  he  felt  constrained  to 
address  the  parish  committee  in  a  letter,  dated  January  18, 
1775,  expressing  an  earnest  request  that  they  would  call  a 
parish  meeting  as  soon  as  possible,  to  see  if  the  parish  would  be 
pleased  to  release  him  from  his  ministerial  connection.  In  com- 
pliance with  this  request,  a  meeting  of  the  parish  was  held 
February  6, 1775.  But  though  a  majority  could  not  be  obtained 
in  parish  meeting  to  aid  Mr.  Sherman  in  the  way  he  desired, 
yet  so  deep  rooted  was  the  attachment  to  him  of  many,  and  so 
strong  appears  to  have  been  the  expectation  of  retaining  him 
upon  some  terms  or  other,  that,  at  this  meeting,  a  majority  could 
not  be  found  willing  to  part  with  him.  After  sending  for  Mr. 
Sherman,  and  conferring  with  him,  and  debating  the  matter 
some  time,  the  parish  decided  after  he  withdrew,  by  a  vote  of 
thirty-seven  to  thirty-four,  not  to  dismiss  him.34 

Three  other  fruitless  meetings  concerning  Mr.  Sherman  were 
held  February  15th,  March  20th  and  March  27th.  That  on 
March  20th  was  convened  in  answer  to  the  petition  of  seventeen 
persons,  to  see  if  the  parish  would  relieve  Mr.  Sherman  by 
purchasing  the  place  he  lived  on,  or  by  granting  him  a  sum  of 
money,  or  in  any  other  way  they  should  deem  expedient,  and 
would  be  agreeable  to  Mr.  Sherman.  But  at  the  meeting  it  was 
voted  not  to  act  on  the  warrant,  and  the  meeting  was  declared 
dissolved.35  And  at  the  meeting,  March  27th,  (it  being  the 
annual  parish  meeting)  an  article  was  inserted  in  the  warrant, 
at  the  petition  of  ten  persons,  seconded  by  a  written  note  from 
Mr.  Sherman,  earnestly  requesting  the  parish  to  release  him  that 
day;  it  was  voted  again,  after  adjourning  to  March  28th,  and 
conferring  with  Mr.  Sherman  once  more,  not  to  release  him.36 

In  the  mean  while,  there  was  a  meeting  of  the  church  upon 
Mr.  Sherman's  affairs,  which  resulted  as  follows : 

"At  a  meeting  of  the  first  Church  in  Woburn  conven'd  at 

»*  Parish  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  170.  »»  Parish  Records,  Vol.  II.,  p.  174. 

M  Parish  Records,  Vol.  H.,  p.  179. 
30* 


354  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

the  meeting  house   in   the   first  Parish   in  said   Town  March 
27th.  1775. 

"  The  following  Votes  were  passed. 

"  1.  That  they  would  dismiss  and  recommend  Mr  Josiah 
Sherman,  their  present  Pastor,  in  answer  to  his  request. 

"  Then  the  following  Recommendation  was  read. 

"At  a  Meeting  of  the  first  Church  in  Woburn  March 
27th.  1775: 

"  The  Rev.d  Mr  Sherman,  who  hath  been  for  many  years  Pastor 
of  this  Church,  having  represented  that  he  is  under  great  difficul- 
ties respecting  his  temporal  Circumstances,  which,  he  finds,  cannot 
be  removed  without  disturbing  the  peace  and  harmony  of  this 
Society  ;  that  he  therefore  thinks  it  necessary,  his  Pastoral  relation 
should  be  dissolved  ;  and  having  accordingly  requested  a  dismission 
from  us  as  Pastor : 

"  The  Church  having  taken  the  said  request,  and  the  circum- 
stances which  attend  it,  into  their  serious  and  deliberate  consider- 
ation, cannot  but  express  their  sincere  regret  at  parting  with  a 
Minister,  whose  doctrine  and  morals  have  been  unexceptionable 
while  he  hath  been  with  us,  and  who  hath  discharged  the  duties  of 
his  office  and  trust  reposed  in  him  with  fidelity  and  diligence.  But 
as  there  seems  to  be  no  way  of  removing  the  difficulties  under 
which  Mr  Sherman  labors,  without  introducing  great  contentions 
and  divisions  among  us,  We  are  obliged  to  consent  to  his  removal ; 
and  do  accordingly  dismiss  him  from  his  Pastoral  Relation  to  this 
Church,  and  Recommend  him,  as  one  who  is  well  qualified  for  the 
Gospel  Ministry,  to  any  Church  who  may  employ  him  in  that 
sacred  work.  We  heartily  wish  him  all  the  comforts  of  that 
Gospel  which  he  hath  preached  to  us ;  and  that  he  may  be  an 
Instrument  of  building  up  the  Redeemer's  Kingdom  in  the  world. 

"  2.  Voted  that  they  were  willing  to  subscribe  that  form  of  dis- 
mission and  Recommendation  that  was  then  read  to  them. 

"  3.  Voted  that  they  would  appoint  and  make  choice  of  a  Com- 
mittee to  sign  said  Recommendation  in  their  name. 

"4.  Voted  Deacon  Nathan  Richardson,  Deacon  Samuel  Wyman, 
and  Brother  William  Tay  to  be  a  Committee  for  that  purpose. 

"  JOSIAH  SHERMAN,  Pastor."  37 

87  Church  Records. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  355 

Quickly  after  this  action  taken  by  the  Church,  a  petition  was 
handed  in  to  the  parish  committee,  signed  by  Deacon  Nathan 
Richardson  and  others,  to  call  a  meeting  on  April  11,  1775,  to 
see  if  the  parish  would  do  anything  to  relieve  Mr.  Sherman 
under  his  present  difficulties,  and  make  him  comfortable  among 
them ;  or,  if  not,  to  see  if  they  would  release  him  :  and  also  to 
act  upon  another  request  of  Mr.  Sherman  to  be  released,  dated 
April  3,  1775. 

At  this  meeting  of  the  parish,  April  15,  1775,  it  was  voted, 
"  that  [they]  will  not  relieve  the  Revd-  Josiah  Sherman  (accord- 
ing to  his  ?  Request). 

"  Voted  to  dismiss  the  Revd-  Josiah  Sherman  from  his  Ministe- 
rial Relation  to  them,  according  to  his  Request,  upon  his  giving 
the  Parish  full  and  proper  discharges."38 

And  thus,  after  a  year's  altercation,  was  accomplished  the  dis- 
mission of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Sherman  from  his  charge  in  Woburn, 
much  to  the  grief  of  a  large  proportion  of  the  inhabitants,  and 
greatly,  it  seems,  to  the  detriment  of  the  cause  of  religion  in 
the  place.  It  caused  the  parties  concerned  to  be  exceedingly 
embittered  one  against  the  other :  so  that  in  all  subsequent  pro- 
ceedings of  the  parish,  respecting  the  employment  of  candidates  to 
preach,  or  the  re-settlement  of  the  ministry  among  them,  whatever 
pleased  one  party,  excited  the  distrust  or  the  opposition  of  the 
other;  and  sufficient  union  among  the  people  could  not  be 
obtained  to  settle  a  successor  to  Mr.  Sherman  for  ten  years  to 
come. 

Rev.  Josiah  Sherman  was  a  son  of  William  Sherman,  and  a 
brother  of  Hon.  Roger  Sherman,  a  signer  of  the  Declaration  of 
Independence,  1776,  and  of  Rev.  Nathanael  Sherman  of  Bedford, 
Mass.,  and  a  descendant  of  the  third  generation  from  Capt.  John 
Sherman,  a  highly  respected  citizen  of  Watertown,  its  represen- 
tative in  the  General  Court  1651,  1653,  1663,  and  eminent  for 
his  skill  as  a  surveyor  of  land,  in  which  capacity  he  was  frequently 
employed  by  the  Colonial  Legislature.  He  was  a  cousin  to  the 
distinguished  minister  of  Watertown,  Rev.  John  Sherman,  who 

»»  Parish  Records,  Vol.  H.,  p.  181. 


356  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

died  in  1685,  as  did  Capt.  Sherman  in  1691.  They  both  origi- 
nated in  Dedham,  Essex  County,  England ;  and  both  came  to 
New  England  about  1635. 

William  Sherman,  above  mentioned,  a  son  of  Mr.  Joseph 
Sherman  of  Watertown,  and  a  grandson  of  Capt.  John,  was  a 
shoemaker  by  trade ;  resided  successively  at  Charlestown,  New- 
ton, Stoughton  and  Watertown ;  and  married  at  Watertown,  for 
his  second  wife,  Mehetabel,  daughter  of  Benjamin  Wellington  of 
that  place,  September  3,  (13?)  1715.  In  the  record  of  this 
marriage,  he  is  said  to  have  been  then  of  Charlestown.  But  he 
soon  removed  to  Newton,  where  his  son  Roger  was  born  in 
1721;  and  in  1723,  he  removed  to  Stoughton,  the  birthplace 
probably  of  his  son  Nathanael. 

Josiah,  fourth  son  of  William  and  Mehetabel  (Wellington) 
Sherman,  the  future  minister  of  Woburn,  was  born  at  Water- 
town,  April  2,  1729 ;  was  graduated  at  Nassau  Hall,  Princeton, 
N.  J.,  1754;  studied  theology  with  Rev.  Dr.  Bellamy  of  Beth- 
lehem, Conn,  and  with  Rev.  Mr.  Graham  of  Southbury,  was 
ordained  at  Woburn,  January  28,  1756,  and  dismissed  April  11, 
1775.  From  Woburn,  he  went  to  Milford,  (New  Milford?) 
Conn.  In  1781,  after  leaving  Milford,  and  residing  a  short  time 
with  his  family  at  Stratford,  he  was  installed  at  Goshen,  Conn. 
Being  dismissed  from  Goshen,  in  1788,  he  lived  a  while  at  Shef- 
field, Mass.,  and  then  received  and  accepted  an  invitation  to 
settle  over  the  church  and  society  in  Woodbridge,  Ct.,  but  died 
soon  after  his  arrival  there,  November  24,  1789. 

Rev.  Mr.  Sherman  was  much  extolled  in  his  day  as  a  very 
eloquent  preacher.  "His  elocution  (writes  one)  was  very  dis- 
tinct, tho'  fluent  &  rapid.  His  voice  was  excellent.  His  mind 
was  discriminating.  His  eloquence  was  often  pathetic,  some- 
times very  powerful,  and  always  of  such  a  character  as  to  com- 
mand the  respect  &  attention  of  his  audience."  "While  at 

Goshen,  he  published  several  discourses One  was  from 

the  text, '  And  he  fain  would  have  filled  his  belly  with  the  husks 
which  the  swine  did  eat;'  and  was  addressed  to  infidels,  in 
consequence  of  the  publication  of  "  Ethan  Allen's  Theology." 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  357 

"  The  others  were  on  '  the  Redemption  by  Jesus  Christ ; '  and 
the  'History  of  Melchizedec."  In  1760,  while  at  Woburn,  he 
preached  the  Artillery  Election  Sermon  from  Psalm  cxlix.  6 ; 
but  this  was  not  published. 

During  Rev.  Mr.  Sherman's  ministry  in  Woburn,  and  the 
short  period  which  elapsed  from  his  dismission,  April  11,  1775, 
and  November  26th  following,  the  admissions  into  his  church 
were  one  hundred  and  twenty-six;  viz,  forty-four  males,  and 
eighty-two  females,  of  whom  one  hundred  and  nineteen  were  by 
profession,  and  seven  by  letter.  The  baptisms  were  three 
hundred  and  ninety-one;  viz,  three  hundred  and  eighty-one 
infants,  and  ten  adults. 

He  married  January  24,  1757,  Martha,  daughter  of  Hon. 
James  Minot  of  Concord,  by  his  second  wife,  Elizabeth  Merrick, 
of  Brookfield,  and  by  her  had  issue,  viz : 

1.  Roger  Minot,  born  December  9,  1757 :  of  Fairfield  Conn. : 
graduated  at  Yale  College,  1794:  LL.D.,  Judge  of  Sup.  Court, 
Conn. 

2.  Martha,  born  December  8,  1758. 

3.  Elizabeth,  born  March  26,  1761. 

4.  Mary,  born  February  3,  1 763. 

5.  Susanna,  born  April  7,  1765. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Revolutionary  War,  —  Sacrifices  of  Woburn  In,  both  of  Men  and  Money.  — 
Depreciation  of  Money,  and  exorbitant  prices.  —  Convention  at  Concord, 
to  remedy  this  evil.  —  Constitutions  of  this  State,  and  of  the  United 
States  Government  approved.  —  Colonel  Baldwin  —  Count  Rumford. 

THE  declaration  of  peace  between  England  and  France,  in 
1763,  found  the  inhabitants  of  Woburn  a  loyal  people.  They 
were  strongly  attached  to  the  mother  country  and  its  government : 
and  during  the  war,  just  brought  to  a  close,  they  had  given  sig- 
nal proof  of  this  their  attachment,  in  freely  hazarding  their  lives, 
and  submitting  to  many  and  costly  sacrifices,  to  extend  and 
establish  the  dominion  of  Britain.  But  the  unconstitutional 
enactments  and  oppressive  proceedings  of  the  Parliament  of 
England,  which  quickly  followed  the  restoration  of  peace,  awa- 
kened in  all  her  American  colonies,  especially  in  Massachusetts,  a 
feeling  of  distrust  and  apprehension,  which  gradually  alienated 
the  minds  of  the  people  from  the  mother  country,  and  issued  in 
open  dissatisfaction,  complaint,  and  opposition.  This  feeling 
occasionally  manifested  itself  in  Woburn.  For  instance,  it 
prompted  the  people  there,  at  a  meeting,  October  20,  1766  (in 
disregard  to  the  King's  recommendation  or  injunction),  to  direct 
their  representative  in  General  Court,  Josiah  Johnson,  Esq.,  not 
to  consent  to  making  up  the  damages,  which  Lieut.  Governor 
Hutchinson  and  other  crown  officers  in  Boston  had  sustained  the 
year  before,  by  the  violence  of  a  mob,  excited  by  their  resent- 
ment at  parliament's  passing  the  Stamp  Act.1  Again,  it  showed 
itself  in  their  sending  delegates  (at  the  invitation  of  the  Select- 
men of  Boston)  to  a  convention  assembled  at  Boston,  September 
22,  1768,  from  numerous  towns  and  districts  in  the  province,  to 
confer  with  one  another  upon  the  existing  state  of  public  affairs, 
and  to  consider  what  was  to  be  done.2  Woburn  was  represented 

1  Town  Records,  Vol.  IX.,  p.  10,  new  paging. 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  IX.,  p.  78.    Massachusetts  Gazette,  September  22, 1768.    Hatficld 
ec  li  ned  sending  delegates,  for  reasons.    See  Massachusetts  Gazette,  October  6, 1768. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  359 

in  that  Convention  by  Mr.  Oliver  Richardson  and  Deacon  Samuel 
Wyman.  The  date  of  their  appointment  is  not  recorded.  But 
at  a  meeting,  March  6,  1769,  the  town  voted  them  twenty  shil- 
lings each  "  for  their  time  and  expences  at  the  late  Convention 
in  Boston."  2 

But  the  most  noticeable  tokens  of  their  uneasiness  and  dis- 
satisfaction at  the  public  condition  were  exhibited  at  a  town 
meeting,  called  January  14,  1773,  to  consult  what  measures  to 
take  at  that  "  alarming  crisis,"  that  would  be  "  most  conducive 
to  the  public  weal."3  At  this  meeting,  a  recent  communication 
•  from  the  town  of  Boston,  "  relative  to  the  publick  affairs  of 
Government"  was  first  read,  and  then  a  committee  of  nine  was 
chosen,  consisting  of  Lieut.  William  Tay,  Lieut.  Joshua  Walker, 
Mr.  Joseph  Wright,  Lieut.  Samuel  Thompson,  Deacon  Samuel 
Wyman,  Capt.  Thomas  Peirce,  Mr.  Robert  Douglas,  Dr.  Samuel 
Blogget,  Deacon  Timothy  Winn,  to  take  into  consideration  the 
important  matters  suggested  by  the  above  communication,  and  to 
report  to  the  town  at  an  adjourned  meeting.3  On  the  day  of 
adjournment,  February  1,  1773,  this  committee  presented  to  the 
town  a  report,  consisting  of  twelve  resolutions,  in  which  they 
acknowledge  King  George  to  be  their  rightful  sovereign,  profess 
their  attachment  to  his  person,  and  their  confidence  in  his  readi- 
ness to  do  justice  to  his  subjects  in  these  colonies,  could  their 
complaints  be  laid  before  him.  They  likewise  declare  their 
satisfaction  with  the  British  constitution ;  and  disclaim  all  dis- 
position to  cast  off  their  allegiance,  or  to  murmur  against  the 
rulers  set  over  them,  with  a  view  to  obstruct  their  influence,  or 
weaken  their  authority,  so  long  as  their  rulers  governed  their 
measures  by  the  principles  of  the  constitution  from  which  their 
authority  was  derived.  At  the  same  time,  they  assert  their  right 
to  petition  government  for  the  rectifying  of  wrongs  which  they 
endured,  in  violation  of  the  constitution  of  the  British  govern- 
ment; and  specify  particular  grievances  which  they  conceived 
they  were  subjected  to,  by  reason  of  certain  proceedings  and 
acts  of  parliament,  contrary  to  tl  e  privileges,  to  which,  as 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  IX.,  pp.  188-191. 


3 GO  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

British  subjects,  they  deemed  themselves  entitled.  Among  the 
grievances  complained  of,  were  the  following,  viz : 

The  assumption,  by  parliament,  of  power  to  bind  them  by 
laws,  and  to  impose  on  them  taxes,  without  their  consent  either 
in  person,  or  by  their  representatives. 

The  delivery,  by  the  Governor,  of  Castle  William,  which  they 
regarded  as  the  property  of  the  province,  under  its  jurisdiction, 
and  the  "  key  of  its  defence,"  into  the  hands  of  troops,  over 
whom,  nevertheless,  the  Governor  himself  had  declared,  that  he 
had  no  authority  or  control. 

The  exorbitant  power  of  the  officers  of  the  Customs. 

The  extending  of  the  power  of  the  Vice  Admiralty  Court,  so 
as  virtually  to  deprive  the  people  of  this  province  of  their  right, 
in  many  instances,  to  a  trial  by  a  jury. 

The  appointment  of  the  Judges  of  the  Superior  Court  of  the 
province,  the  grant  of  their  salaries,  and  the  term  of  their  con- 
tinuance in  office,  by  the  King,  thus  rendering  the  Judges 
entirely  dependent  upon  the  Crown  for  their  creation  and  sup- 
port, and  independent  of  the  people,  whose  property,  liberty 
and  lives,  do  often  turn  upon  their  opinions  and  decisions.3 

This  report  was  unanimously  accepted  by  the  town;  instruc- 
tions, in  accordance  with  it,  were  given  to  Mr.  Oliver  Richardson 
their  representative  in  General  Court ; 4  the  clerk  was  ordered 
to  return  an  attested  copy  of  the  proceedings  of  the  meeting  to 
the  corresponding  committee  of  the  town  of  Boston;  and  a 
committee  of  five  was  chosen  on  behalf  of  Woburn ;  viz,  Deacon 
Samuel  Wyman,  Mr.  Robert  Douglas,  Dr.  Samuel  Blogget,  Mr. 
Loammi  Baldwin,  and  Deacon  Timothy  Winn,  to  correspond 
with  Boston,  and  any  other  towns  they  thought  proper.4 

During  the  interval  which  elapsed  between  the  proceedings 
just  recorded,  and  April  19,  1775,  the  inhabitants  of  Woburn 
gave  various  tokens  of  their  continued  distrust  of  the  govern- 
ment over  them,  and  of  their  dissatisfaction  with  it.  They 
repeatedly  manifested  apprehensions  of  the  approaching  contest, 
and  concern  to  be  prepared  for  it  in  season.  At  a  general 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  IX.,  pp.  191, 192. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  361 

meeting,  December  23,  1773,  they  voted  to  build  a  house  to  put 
their  stock  of  ammunition  in ;  and  chose  a  committee  of  three, 
to  see  that  the  work  was  done;5  and  subsequently,  they 
appointed  the  Selectmen  a  committee  to  procure  an  additional 
stock  of  ammunition,  viz :  two  barrels  of  powder,  and  bullets 
and  flints  in  proportion,  for  the  use  and  benefit  of  the  town.5 
•  At  a  meeting,  January  4,  1775,  the  town  chose  Dea.  Samuel 
Wyman,  a  delegate  to  the  Provincial  Congress,  which  was  to 
assemble  at  Cambridge,  (or  some  other  convenient  place,)  Feb- 
ruary 1st.  They  likewise  directed  their  constable,  to  pay  the 
moneys  which  they  then  had  in  their  hands,  or  might  thereafter 
be  raised  by  the  town  to  defray  "  the  publick  charges  of  Gov- 
ernment," to  Henry  Gardner,  Esq.,  of  Stow,  till  further  order 
be  given  by  the  town  to  the  contrary.  And  agreeably  to  this 
direction,  Woburn's  proportion  of  the  province  tax,  <£75  ISs. 
5d.,  apportioned  by  the  General  Court,  May  25,  1774,  and 
assessed  January  11,  1775,  was  paid  by  the  constables  to  the 
said  Henry  Gardner,  Esq.,  instead  of  Harrison  Gray,  Esq., 
the  treasurer  of  the  province,  appointed  the  year  preceding 
by  the  General  Court.6 

At  the  same  meeting,  a  committee  of  twenty-one  was  chosen 
by  the  town,  as  a  "  Committee  of  Inspection,"  "  to  see  that 
the  Association  of  the  Continental  Congress  [the  Non  Importa- 
tion Agreement  ?]  be  strictly  adhered  to."6 

And,  finally,  at  a  meeting,  April  17,  1775,  it  was  voted  "to 
raise  a  number  of  Minute  Men  so  called,  not  exceeding  fifty,  and 
they  to  meet  half  a  day  every  week  in  each  month  the  six  suc- 
ceeding months,  viz :  May,  June,  July,  August,  September  and 
October,  for  Instructing  themselves  in  the  military  science  of 
handling  the  firelock ;  and  if  called  into  service,  the  town  voted 
to  each  man  a  Dollar  as  a  premium  for  their  services,  exclusive 
of  what  they  shall  be  allowed  by  the  government."  7 

At  length,  that  momentous  day,  April  19,  1775,  arrived, 
when  commenced  the  conflict,  which  issued  in  the  acknowledg- 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  IX.,  pp.  227,  276.  «  Town  Records,  Vol.  EX.,  pp.  252,  262. 

7  Town  Records,  Vol.  IX.,  p.  280. 

31 


362  HISTORY   OF   WOBTTRN. 

ment  of  these  United  States,  as  an  independent  nation.  Before 
daybreak,  on  the  morning  of  that  day,  the  citizens  of  Woburn 
had  been  notified  of  the  march  of  the  British  troops  towards 
Lexington  with  hostile  intent,  by  means  of  special  messengers, 
beat  of  drum,  etc.,  etc.8  At  the  receipt  of  this  intelligence,  while 
some  stayed  behind,  to  protect  their  terrified  families,  or  to  con- 
vey them  to  places  of  greater  safety,  others,  in  large  numbers, 
hastened  to  Lexington,  not  in  military  array,  but  promiscuously, 
armed  or  unarmed,  by  the  road,  or  across  the  fields,9  as  happened 
to  be  most  convenient,  to  the  defence  and  aid  of  their  country- 
men in  that  hour  of  peril.  Of  those  who  thus  went  from 
Woburn,  two  did  not  live  to  return,  viz :  Mr.  Asahel  Porter,  son 
of  Mr.  William  Porter,  who  was  shot  down  by  the  British  in  the 
early  part  of  the  day ;  and  Mr.  Daniel  Thompson,  brother  of 
Samuel  Thompson,  Esq.,  who  was  killed  by  the  enemy  in  their 
retreat  from  Concord.  They  were  both  young  men  of  promise ; 
and  the  following  notice  of  their  funerals  is  extracted  from  a 
recent  reprint  of  a  sheet  published  at  that  period,  giving 
accounts  of  Lexington  fight,  taken  from  E.  Russell's  Salem 
Gazette,  or  Newbury  and  Marblehead  Advertiser  of  April  21st, 
April  25th,  and  May  5th.  "Same  day  [Friday,  April  21st]  the 
remains  of  Mess™.  Azel  [Asahel  ?]  Porter  and  Daniel  Thompson, 
of  Woburn,  who  also  fell  victims  to  tyranny,  were  decently 
interred  at  that  place,  attended  to  the  grave  by  a  multitude  of 
persons,  who  assembled  on  the  occasion  from  that  and  the 
neighboring  towns :  Before  they  were  interred,  a  very  suitable 
sermon  and  prayer  was  delivered  by  the  Rev.  Mr  Sherman." 

8  Mrs.  Betsey,  widow  of  Amos  Taylor,  of  Burlington,   (whose  100th 
birthday  was  commemorated  at  her  request  by  religious  exercises  and  an 
appropriate  address  at  her  house,  October  31,  1864,)  once  told  me,  that 
while  it  was  yet  dark,  on  the  morning  of  the  19th  of  April,  a  messenger  was 
despatched  from  Capt.  Joshua  Walker,  commander  of  the  then  military 
company  of  the  precinct,  to  her  father,  Mr.  Jonathan  Proctor,  the  drum- 
mer of  that  company,  to  beat  an  alarm  as  soon  as  possible ;  for  that  the 
"  red-coats  "  were  on  the  march  towards  Lexington,  etc.,  etc. 

9  It  is  matter  of  authentic  tradition,  that  as  Woburn  men  crossed  the 
fields  on  their  way  to  Lexington,  on  the  19th  of  April,  the  winter  rye 
waved  like  grass  before  the  wind;  indicating  that  to  be  an  unusually  for- 
ward season. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  363 

Rev.  Mr.  Marrett,  ordained  pastor  of  the  church  in  Woburn 
precinct,  December  1774,  gives  the  following  account  of  the 
transactions  of  this  memorable  day,  in  his  interleaved  Almanacs, 
"  1775,  April  19.  Fair,  windy  &  cold.  A  Distressing  Day. 
About  800  Regulars  marched  from  Boston  to  Concord.  As 
they  went  up,  they  killed  8  men  at  Lexington  meeting  house : 
they  huzza'd  and  then  fired,  as  our  men  had  turned  their  backs 
(who  in  number  were  about  one  hundred) ;  and  then  they  pro- 
ceeded to  Concord.  The  adjacent  country  was  alarmed  the 
latter  part  of  the  night  preceding.  The  action  at  Lexington 
was  just  before  sunrise.  Our  men  pursued  them  to  and  from 
Concord  on  their  retreat  back ;  and  several  killed  on  both  sides, 
but  much  the  least  on  our  side,  as  we  pickt  them  off  on  their 
retreat.  The  regulars  were  reinforced  at  Lexington  to  aid  their 
retreat  by  800  with  two  field  pieces.  They  burnt  3  houses  in 
Lexington,  and  one  barn,  and  did  other  mischief  to  buildings. 
They  were  pursued  to  Charlestown,  where  they  entrenched  on 
a  hill  just  over  the  Neck.  Thus  commences  an  important 
period." 

Two  incidents  of  that  eventful  day,  in  which  persons  belong- 
ing to  Woburn  were  concerned,  and  both  of  which  have  been 
transmitted  by  authentic  and  reliable  tradition,  it  may  not  be 
uninteresting  to  rehearse. 

Mr.  Silvanus  Wood,  then  living  at  Kendall's  Mill  in  Woburn, 
was  awaked  while  in  bed  before  daybreak  that  morning,  by  a 
messenger  who  called  to  him,  announcing  that  a  party  of  British 
soldiers  was  on  the  march  towards  Lexington,  and  urging  him 
to  go  and  join  Capt.  Parker's  company  then  assembled  on 
Lexington  Common.  He  went,  and  was  mustered  in  Capt. 
Parker's  company,  and  was  in  its  ranks  when  the  men  were 
fired  upon  by  the  British,  after  they  had  turned  their  backs  to 
retreat,  in  obedience  to  the  orders  of  their  captain.10  When 
the  British  continued  their  march  that  morning  towards  Concord, 
Wood  followed  with  his  gun  in  their  rear,  accompanied  by 
another  person  who  was  without  a  gun.  Upon  or  near  Park- 

10  Mr.  Wood. 


364  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

hurst's  Hill,  in  Lexington,  about  a  mile  from  the  meeting-house, 
observing  a  British  soldier  turn  aside  from  the  ranks  upon  some 
necessary  occasion,  he  hastened  up  to  him  while  he  was  alone, 
and  pointing  his  gun  to  his  breast,  ordered  him  immediately  to 
deliver  up  himself  and  his  weapon  to  him,  or  he  should  instantly 
be  a  dead  man.  The  soldier,  taken  thus  by  surprise,  and  when 
unable  to  defend  himself,  or  receive  help  from  others,  obeyed ; 
and  Wood  taking  his  musket  to  himself,  and  giving  his  own  gun 
into  the  charge  of  his  unarmed  associate,  bade  him  take  that 
man  to  such  a  person  (or  place)  in  Lexington ;  and  then  pro- 
ceeded himself  in  the  track  of  the  British,  towards  Concord. 
What  became  of  the  British  private,  who,  taken  in  an  evil  hour 
had  surrendered  himself  and  weapon  to  Wood,  could  never 
afterwards  be  satisfactorily  ascertained.  It  has  been  conjectured 
that  the  soldier,  having  a  supply  of  British  gold  in  his  pockets, 
offered  a  piece  of  it  to  the  person  who  had  him  in  charge,  and 
with  it  successfully  bribed  him  to  give  him  his  liberty.  Upon 
the  ground  of  this  seemingly  unavailing  capture  however,  Wood 
always  claimed  the  honor  of  having  taken  the  first  prisoner  in 
the  American  War.  And  urging  this  claim  at  Washington, 
about  the  year  1 824,  he  obtained,  with  the  aid  of  Hon.  Edward 
Everett,  then  Representative  in  Congress  for  the  District  of 
Middlesex,  a  handsome  pension  for  life.10 

Mr.  Wood  was  son  of  John  and  Esther  Wood,  of  Woburn  Pre- 
cinct, and  a  younger  brother  of  the  Capt.  John  Wood  mentioned 
in  the  chapter  preceding.  He  was  born  January  27, 1749, 0.  S. ; 
admitted  a  member  of  the  Precinct  Church,  July  5,  1772 ;  was  a 
lieutenant  in  the  Continental  army,  in  his  brother's  company,  and 
in  the  regiment  commanded  by  Col.  Loammi  Baldwin ;  and  died 
on  his  valuable  farm  at  Woburn,  west  side,  August  12,  1840,  at 
the  advanced  age  of  ninety-one  years.  His  son,  of  the  same  name, 
Mr.  Silvanus  Wood,  of  Woburn,  from  whom  some  of  the  facts 
respecting  his  father  in  the  above  brief  notice  were  originally 
derived,  and  by  whom  all  were  confirmed,  still  (1867)  lives. 

Upon  the  evening  of  April  1 8th,  Hon.  John  Hancock  and  Hon- 
Samuel  Adams,  having  left  the  Provincial  Congress,  which  had 
adjourned  from  Concord  on  the  15th,  came  to  the  house  of  Rev. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  365 

Jonas  Clark,  of  Lexington,  to  lodge.  But  as  soon  as  it  was 
ascertained,  very  early  the  next  morning,  that  a  party  of  British 
soldiers  was  approaching  Lexington,  Capt.  Parker,  Rev.  Mr. 
Clark,  or  some  other  friend  of  the  above-named  illustrious,  but 
proscribed  guests  of  the  minister,  put  them  in  charge  (it  is  said) 
of  Sergeant,  afterwards  Colonel  Edmund  Munroe,  to  conduct 
them  to  a  place  of  safety ;  and  he,  in  fulfilment  of  this  charge, 
directed  them  (together  with  Miss  Dorothy  Quincy,  the  future 
wife  of  Mr.  Hancock)  to  Madam  Jones',  in  Woburn  Precinct, 
widow  of  Rev.  Thomas  Jones,  the  former  minister,  whose  family 
was  on  intimate  terms  with  Rev.  Mr.  Clark's,  and  whose  house 
was  but  about  four  miles  from  Lexington  Centre.  And  here 
the  good  lady  of  the  house,  who  was  a  zealous  Whig,  in  honor  of 
her  distinguished  guests,  and  to  gratify  them  as  highly  as  possible, 
exerted  herself  to  the  utmost  to  provide  for  them  an  elegant  din- 
ner. Among  other  delicacies  prepared  for  the  occasion  was  a 
fine  salmon,  which  had  been  presented  to  Messrs.  Hancock  and 
Adams,  as  a  rare  dainty  at  that  early  season ;  but  which,  having 
been  left  behind  in  their  hasty  flight  from  Lexington,  the  coach- 
man had  been  sent  back,  after  their  arrival  at  Mrs.  Jones',  to 
bring  with  him  on  his  return. 

The  hour  for  dinner  being  at  length  come,  Mrs.  Jones,  with 
her  honored  guests,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Marrett,  the  recently  settled 
minister  of  the  parish,  then  boarding  at  her  house,  sat  down 
with  keen  appetites  to  the  repast  she  had  provided  for  them. 
But  scarcely  had  they  seated  themselves  at  the  table,  when  a  man 
fresh  from  the  bloody  scenes  at  Lexington,  rushed  into  the  room 
where  they  were,  and  with  uplifted  hands  and  affrighted  looks 
exclaimed,  "  My  wife,  I  fear,  is  by  this  time  in  etarnity ;  and  as 
to  you,  (addressing  himself  to  Hancock  and  Adams)  you  had 
better  look  out  for  yourselves,  for  the  enemy  will  soon  be  at 
your  heels."  Startled  by  this  unexpected,  earnest  warning,  all 
the  company  instantly  rose  from  the  table,  and  prepared  for 
concealment  or  flight.  Their  first  care  was,  to  put  the  coach  out 
of  sight,  in  which  Mrs.  Jones'  guests  had  been  conveyed  from 
Lexington,  and  which  was  then  standing  by  the  road  side  in 
front  of  the  house.  This  was  hurried  into  Path  Woods,  in  the 
31* 


366  HISTORY   OP  WOBURN. 

northwest  part  of  the  precinct,  near  the  road  to  Billerica.  Mr. 
Marrett  next  conducted  Mrs.  Jones'  illustrious  visitors  to  the 
house  of  Mr.  Amos  Wyman,  situate  in  an  obscure  corner  of  Bed- 
ford, Billerica  and  Woburn  Precinct,  where  were  collected  the 
women  and  children  of  several  of  the  neighboring  families,  who 
had  fled  thither  for  safety;  fearing  that  if  they  remained  at 
home,  "  the  regulars"  might  come,  and  murder  them,  or  carry 
them  off.  And  now,  as  soon  as  Messrs.  Hancock  and  Adams 
had  had  time  to  become  calm  after  their  flight,  they  besought 
Mrs.  Wyman  to  give  them  a  little  food ;  saying  they  had  had 
neither  breakfast  nor  dinner  that  day.  Their  good  natured 
hostess,  in  ready  compliance  with  their  request,  took  down 
from  a  shelf  a  wooden  tray,  containing  some  cold  boiled  salt 
pork,  and  also  (it  is  believed)  some  cold  boiled  potatoes  unpealed, 
and  brown  bread ;  and  upon  this  plain,  coarse  fare,  they  made  a 
hearty  meal.11  Upon  their  return  to  Mrs.  Jones'  the  next  day, 
they  learned  that  the  enemy  had  not  come  there  in  pursuit  of 
them.  Either  they  had  never  intended  it,  or  else,  being  closely 
pursued  from  Concord  by  their  exasperated  and  hourly  increas- 
ing Yankee  foes,  they  thought  it  best  to  take  a  prudent  care  for 
their  own  safety,  rather  than  to  digress  in  their  march,  into  the 
neighboring  towns,  in  pursuit  of  Hancock  and  Adams.  Not 
many  years  since,  it  was  a  current  report  in  Lexington,  that 
Hancock,  in  gratitude  to  Mrs.  Wyman  for  her  kindness  to  him 
and  Adams  at  her  house,  in  their  flight  for  fear  of  the  British, 
made  a  present  to  her  of  a  cow. 

Through  the  whole  contest  with  the  mother  country  now 
begun,  Woburn  acted  a  decided  and  zealous  part.  At  the  com- 
mencement of  the  war,  a  few  of  her  citizens  were  charged  with 
being  inimical  to  the  cause  of  their  country.12  But  the  great 

"  Report  of  Madam  JoneB,  confirmed  by  Madam  Hancock,  afterwards  Madam  Scott. 

12  At  a  town  meeting,  June  23,  1777,  in  pursuance  of  previous  arrange- 
ments, the  Selectmen  reported  the  names  of  Caleb  Simonds  and  Luther 
Simonds,  as  being,  in  their  opinion,  "  enemies  to  this  and  the  United 
States."  Whereupon  it  was  voted  "that  the  said  Caleb  and  Luther 
Simonds  be  tried,  to  see  whether  they  be  inimical  to  this  and  the  United 
States,  agreeably  to  an  Act  entitled  an  '  Act  for  securing  this  and  the 
United  States  against  the  dangers  to  which  they  are  exposed  by  the 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  367 

body  of  the  people  were  steadfast  opposers  of  the  unconstitu- 
tional claims  and  pretensions  of  Great  Britain,  and  determined 
to  do  all  in  their  power  to  preserve  inviolate  those  rights  and 
liberties  for  which  they  were  contending. 

In  particular,  a  very  large  number  of  her  citizens,  in  propor- 
tion to  her  population,  enlisted  in  the  war. 

In  the  year  1775,  the  number  of  the  male  inhabitants  of 
Woburn  who  were  taxed  in  the  Province  or  State  tax  for  that 
year,  was  three  hundred  and  eleven.  This  number  was  after- 
wards considerably  enlarged  each  year  of  the  war's  continuance, 
so  that  at  its  close,  in  1783,  the  average  number  of  the  male 
inhabitants  of  Woburn  who  had  been  annually  taxed  in  the 
ordinary  State  tax,  while  the  war  was  going  on,  was  three  hun- 
dred and  thirty-two.  But  from  various  authentic  documents, 
especially  from  numerous  town  orders  for  the  payment  of  her 
soldiers,  and  their  receipts  for  the  same,  still  preserved  in  the 
archives  of  Woburn,  it  appears,  that  no  fewer  than  three  hun- 
dred and  seventy-six  distinct  individuals,  from  among  her  own 
male  population,  enlisted  in  the  service  of  their  country  in  this 
contest,  besides  forty-six  persons  from  abroad,  who  were 
employed  and  paid  by  the  town  for  the  same  purpose.  For  a 
list  of  those  persons,  see  Appendix,  No.  XII. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  war,  men  were  procured  to  serve  in 
it,  by  drafting  in  equal  proportions  from  the  three  military  com- 
panies then  belonging  to  the  town.  Afterwards,  enlistments 
were  obtained  by  a  committee  appointed  by  the  town,  "  to  hire 
men  into  the  War."  In  this  way,  the  three  years'  men  were 
enlisted  in  the  Continental  army  from  Woburn  in  1777,  and 
the  six  months'  men,  in  1780.  And  subsequently  the  method  of 
classing  was  resorted  to  for  this  purpose.  It  seems  that,  agree- 
ably to  Resolves  of  the  General  Court,  in  Feb.  1781,  and  March 
1782,  the  assessors  of  every  deficient  town  were  authorized  to 
distribute  all  its  taxable  inhabitants  (where  the  people  had  not 

internal  enemies  thereof.' "  The  meeting  was  then  adjourned  to  July  7th, 
when  after  long  debate,  it  was  again  adjourned  to  the  last  Monday  in 
August,  and  then  again  to  September  15,  when  the  whole  design  was 
abandoned,  and  the  meeting  dissolved.  —  Town  Records,  Vol.  IX.,  p.  377. 


368 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 


already  classed  themselves)  into  as  many  classes  as  the  quota 
of  men  required  of  it  amounted  to,  to  assess  where  necessary, 
the  several  members  of  each  class  their  just  proportion  of  the 
expense  of  procuring  its  man ;  and,  if  any  one  proved  delinquent 
in  paying  his  assessment,  to  put  the  amount  into  the  hands  of  a 
collector,  to  collect  and  pay  it  over  to  the  treasurer  of  the  town. 
Several  documents,  illustrative  of  this  new,  unusual  mode  of 
obtaining  men  to  serve  in  war,  are  still  extant  in  Woburn ;  from 
which,  as  matters  of  curiosity,  the  following  are  selected. 

"  Memorandum  of  a  Class  made  out  by  James  Fowle  junr,  and 
others,  in  order  to  hire  Philip  Alexander  as  a  Soldier  for  three 
years,  to  fill  up  the  Continental  Army,  agreeably  to  Recommenda- 
tion of  the  General  Court. 


3ads.               Names. 

Heads 

Names. 

Silver  Tax  

£7.12.5 

James  Fowle  junr. 

£2  :14.0. 

1 

John  Tay 

0:19.7 

John  Bruce 

5.0 

1 

Col.  Loammi  Baldwin 

2:2:4 

John  Richardson 

13.8 

1 

Mr  Jacob  Coggin 

10:8 

Benjn.  Fowle 

1  :10.8 

1 

James  Tottingham 

6.0 

David  Wyman 

9.4 

2 

Daniel  Reed 

2:2:0 

Aaron  Tay 

1:3:1 

2 

Capt.  Nathi.  Brooks 

1:17:4 

1    John  Fox 

9.0 

1 

Philip  Alexander 

5.0 

1.    James  Wyman 

7.8 



7:12:5 


"  Double  four  times" 
Woburn  June  7th.  1781. 


To  Mr  James  Fowle  &  Class.' 


15:15:4 
Pay  to  Mr  Paul  Wyman       4  :6 

"£1510:10: 


"  SAMUEL  BLODGET 
"  ZEBU-  WYMAN 


"  We  the  Subscribers  [have]    assessed  the   delinquent  members 

belonging  to  the  Class  No.  2  (Capt.  Nathaniel  Brooks  head  of  said 

Class)  the  sum  of  £22  :5  :7  :  and  committed  the  same  to  Mr  Paul 

Wyman,  one  of  the  Collectors  of  Woburn,  to  collect  and  pay  to 

the  Treasurer  of  Woburn,  according  to  the  Resolve  of  the  Great 

and  General  Court,  dated  March  ye  8th.  1782. 

"  SAMUEL  THOMPSON 

"  JEDUTHUN  RICHARDSON 

"Woburn  April  26.  1782." 

w  Class  Papers  on  file. 


>  Assessors. 13 


HISTORY   OP   WOBUBN.  369 

Of  the  large  number  above  designated  of  the  citizens  of  Wo- 
burn,  engaged  in  the  war,  all  did  not  serve  their  country  in  one 
way  only ;  but  a  considerable  proportion  of  them,  at  different 
periods  of  the  contest,  in  more  ways  than  one.  In  the  years  1 775, 
1776,  there  were  various  military  services,  or  "tours  of  duty," 
as  they  were  tended,  to  employ  her  men,  as  enlisting  for  eight 
months,  and  afterwards,  for  one  year,  in  the  Continental  Army ; 
guarding  at  the  lines  of  Boston,  Charlestown,  Cambridge,  and 
Roxbury ;  serving  in  detachments  sent  into  the  States  of  New 
York  and  New  Jersey ;  and  joining  the  expeditions  to  Ticonde- 
roga  and  Canada.  In  one  or  more  of  these  ways,  during  the  two 
years  named  above,  one  hundred  and  eighty  citizens  of  the  town 
enlisted  in  the  war,  as  appears  from  orders  on  the  Treasurer  still 
extant,  which  were  given  in  their  favor,  and  are  receipted  by 
them;  and  which,  being  dated,  for  the  most  part,  early  in  1777, 
the  year  next  following,  are  expressly  stated  to  be  in  payment 
of  services  performed  "  in  the  present  War,"  or  "  before  Jan- 
uary 1777." 

Subsequently  to  1776,  (as  appears  from  additional  orders  on 
file  for  the  payment  of  soldiers,  and  from  other  authentic  or  reli- 
able documents,  still  preserved,)  numerous  individuals,  inhabitants 
of  Woburn,  and  persons  who  were  strangers  in  the  place,  were 
enlisted  in  the  war,  for  various  other  services,  such  as  the  exigen- 
cies of  the  times  required. 

But  Woburn  manifested  her  zeal  in  sustaining  the  War  for 
Independence,  not  only  by  furnishing  men  to  contend  in  the 
struggle,  but  also  by  liberal  grants  of  money  for  the  encourage- 
ment of  those  men,  and  large  supplies,  according  to  their  ability, 
of  food  and  clothing  for  their  support. 

At -a  town  meeting,  held  December  13,  1776,  and  called  "in 
observance  of  the  Resolves  of  the  Continental  Congress  now 
sitting  at  Philadelphia,"  it  was  voted  to  raise  XI, 500  lawful 
money,  "  to  defray  the  charges  that  had  or  may  arise,  relative 
to  the  raising  or  hiring  men  in  this  town  for  the  defence  of  these 
American  Colonies,  relating  to  the  unhappy  dispute  between 
them  and  Great  Britain."  ..... 

"  Voted,  to  choose  a  Committee  of  nine  men  '  to  enquire  and 


370  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

see  what  each  and  every  one  has  paid14  and  to  ascertain  the  sum 
total  of  said  charges :  and  to  report  to  the  town  upon  the 
adjournment,  what  each  turn  or  tour  of  duty  shall  be  set  at,  for 
their  acceptance.'  etc.  etc. 

"Also  Voted,  that  the  Town  will  proportion  the  necessary 
charges  that  have  arisen  over  and  above  those"  Encouragements 
that  have  been  given  by  the  Continent  or  this  State  since  April 
y..  19th.  1775,  and  all  Charges  [that]  shall  arise,  during  these 
unhappy  disputes  with  Great  Britain,  relating  to  hiring  troops 
for  our  defence ;  and  to  levy  the  same  as  all  other  taxes  are 
levied."15 

At  the  adjournment  of  this  meeting,  December  27,  1776,  the 
committee  of  nine,  then  appointed,  reported  as  follows : 

"  To  each  and  every  Person,  which  is  to  be  paid  out  of  the 
Town  Treasury,  as  follows,  Viz. 

"  For  the  first  eight  Months  in  the  year  1775, 

per  man  £4 :  0 :0. 

"  For  the  two  Months  Service  in  the  beginning 

of  1776.  1:  0:0 

"  For  twelve  Months  in  the  Continental  Army  8  :  0 :0. 

"  For  five  Months  at  Ticonderoga  12:0 :0. 

"  For  five  Months  at  or  near  Boston  lines.  0 :12  :0. 

«  For  two  Months  at  New  York  6  :  0 :0. 

"  For  the  three  Months  at  New  York  [and  New 

Jersey?]  12:  0:0."15 

This  Report  was  read  and  accepted.  And  now  to  defray  the 
expenses  hitherto  incurred  by  Woburn  in  the  war,  and  especially 
to  pay  her  soldiers  the  bounties  which  she  had  engaged  to  give 
them,  over  and  above  the  encouragements  that  had  been  given 
them  by  this  State  or  the  country  to  expect,  the  .£1,500  lawful 
money,  which  it  had  been  voted  to  raise  for  these  purposes,  was 

14  In  this  expression  (has  paid)  and  others  which  occur  in  the  lists  of 
two  of  the  military  companies  in  Woburn  (Documents,  Vol.  I.,  II.,)  it 
seems  to  be  implied  that  several,  both  of  the  soldiers  and  other  citizens, 
advanced  money  to  pay  immediate  expenses  of  the  war,  and  had  it 
deducted  from  their  proportion  of  the  tax  of  £1,500,  soon  after  assessed. 
"  Town  Records,  Vol.  IX.,  p.  331. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBTJRN.  371 

assessed  February  18,  1777.     And  from  its  proceeds,  apparently, 
there  was  paid 

"To  the  22  men  who  engaged  in  the  two 

months  service  at  the  beginning  of  1776         £23  :13 :0 

"To  those  who  enlisted  for  a  year  in  the 

Continental  Army  247  :13  :4 

"  To  the  men  who  marched  June  24th,  1776 
[to  Ticoiideroga]  under  Capt.  Samuel 
Tay  607  :13  :8. 

"To  20  men,  who  served  2  months  in  1776 
under  Capt.  Samuel  Belknap,  in  New 
York—  120:  0:0. 

"  To  2 1  men,  who  served  three  months  under 
the  same  commander  in  New  York,  or 
New  Jersey  303  :  2  :7." 


Amounting  in  all  to  .         .    £1302  :2  :  7  16 

The  residue  of  the  XI, 5 00  lawful  money,  (equivalent  to  £1,562 
depreciated  currency,17)  voted,  December  13,  1776,  to  be  raised 
by  tax  for  the  payment  of  military  expenses,  was  probably  paid 
in  the  bounties  agreed  upon  to  give  the  men  who  enlisted  in 
1775  for  eight  months,  in  the  Continental  army,  and  to  those 
who  served  five  months  at  one  time,  in  1776,  at  the  Boston 
lines. 

Subsequently  to  1776,  Woburn  paid  during  the  war,  in  boun- 
ties to  her  soldiers,  the  nominal  sum  of  £48,944  Os.  8d.  This 
sounds  like  an  enormous  amount  of  money  to  be  appropriated 
by  a  single  town  to  this  purpose,  at  that  day.  But  here  it  is  to 
be  observed  that  while,  previously  to  the  commencement  of  1777 

18  War  Document,  XJI. 

17  War  Document,  XVIII.,  "  the  whole  amount  of  the  expenses 
[bounties]  arising  by  the  War,  in  Capt.  Samuel  Belknap's  Company,  from 
the  beginning  of  the  present  War  up  to  the  tirst  of  January  1777 

£533:  2:  8i 

"  Amount  of  do  in  Capt.  Jesse  Wymau's  Company  4(»1 :  1 :  3. 

"  Amount  of  ditto  in  Capt.  Joshua  Walker's  Company  567  :18  :ll£ 

"  Amouut  1502:2:11." 


372  HISTORY   OP  WOBURN. 

bounties  were  equivalent  in  value,  or  nearly  so,  to  their  nominal, 
amount  in  lawful  money,  they  were  paid  from  the  beginning  of 
that  year  in  depreciated  bills  of  credit ;  and  their  depreciation 
increased  with  surprising  rapidity  towards  the  close  of  the  war. 
On  this  head,  Lemuel  Shattuck,  Esq.,  remarks,  in  his  History  of 
Concord,  "  The  value  of  money  was  regulated  monthly."  .... 
"  January  1st.  1777,  $100  in  silver  was  worth  $105  currency; 
in  1778  [January  1st?]  $328;  in  1779,  $742;  in  1780,  $2,934; 
and  in  February  1781,  $7,500." 18  At  this  rate  of  depreciation,  it 
is  obvious  that  the  nominal  bounties  paid  by  Woburn,  after 
1776,  to  the  soldiers  in  her  employ,  would  quickly  become 
greatly  diminished  in  value.  To  ascertain  their  real  worth  in 
lawful  money,  let  $100  in  silver  be  accounted  as  equivalent  to 
$105  currency  through  the  whole  year  1777,  as  it  was,  according 
to  Mr.  Shattuck,  on  the  first  day  of  January  of  that  year ;  let 
the  same  sum  in  silver  be  estimated  equal,  agreeably  to  his 
statements,  to  $328  paper,  in  1778 ;  to  $742,  in  1779 ;  to  $2,934, 
in  1780;19  and  to  $7,500  paper  in  February  1781,  which  was 
as  soon,  almost  without  exception,  as  the  bounties  due  to  the 
six  months'  men,  hired  in  June  1780,  were  paid  them;  and  the 
nominal  amount  of  the  bounties  paid  by  Woburn  after  1776, 
would  at  once  be  reduced  from  .£48,944  8s.  to  £5,283  4s.  in 
lawful  money.  To  this  sum  add  the  XI, 500,  paid  before  1777, 
and  the  sum  total  of  the  bounties  paid  by  Woburn  in  the  war 
of  the  Revolution  will  be  £6,783  4s.,  lawful  money. 

The  annexed  schedule  exhibits  the  numbers  of  the  men  employed 
by  Woburn,  in  distinct  companies,  for  various  military  services 
after  1776;  the  times  and  j)laces  when  and  where  they  served; 
the  names  of  their  respective  commanders ;  the  kind  of  service  in 
which  they  were  severally  engaged;  the  nominal  bounties  they 
received  for  those  services ;  and  the  annual  amount,  nearly,  of 
those  bounties  in  lawful  money ;  so  far  as  these  several  particu- 
lars can  now  be  ascertained. 

18  History  of  Concord,  p.  123. 

"  Zebadiah  Wyman,  Esq.,  Treasurer  of  Woburn  in  1780,  casually  remarks  on  a  loose 
paper  left  behind  him,  "  1400  Paper  Dollars,  in  the  year  1780,  Augt  4th.  is  £6 :0 :0  [or 
$20]  in  specie."  In  this  proportion,  $100  in  silver  would  be  equal  to  $7,000  paper  at  that 
time ;  and  between  August  4,  and  December  31, 1780,  there  would  be  ample  room  for  $7,000 
to  sink  five  hundred  dollars. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 


373 


SCHEDULE. 

1777  :  $100=$105.  Fourteen  men,  3  months  from 
Jany  1st.,  in  a  "  tour  of  duty"  at  Boston,  at  12  /each  £8  :8  *° 

Twelve  men,  2  months,  under  Capt.  Jesse  Wyman, 
at  Rhode  Island  72  :0  zo 

Twenty  nine  men,  about  4  months,  under  Capt. 
Abraham  Foster  [of  Wilmington?]  at  the  Westward, 
[against  Burgoyne]  491 :8  8l 

Sixty  four  men  in  the  "Fifteen  Battalions"  re- 
quired of  Massachusetts  for  the  Continental  Army, 
enlisted  for  three  years,  or  during  the  War.  1558  :0 2S 

Twenty  men,  2  months  from  Sepf  1st.  at  Cam- 
bridge, under  Lieut.  Joseph  Johnson,  "guarding 
Stores."  154  :8  M 

Twenty  five  men,  5  months  from  Novr  1st.  under 
Capt.  Cad wallader  Ford  of  Wilmington,  "guarding 
prisoners  "  at  Cambridge.  283  :14  ** 

Twenty  six  men,  hired  Deer  22d.  to  do  military 
duty,  for  a  bounty  of  £12.00  each;  but  service  and 
commander  not  named.  312  :00  K  £2742  :00 

1778:  $100=$328.  Twenty  men,  3  months  at 
Bunker  Hill,  under  Capt.  Jesse  Wyman,  by  Order 
of  Court,  Feb.  7.  1778.  216  :10  M 

Eight  men,  3  months  from  April  2d.  under  Lieut. 
Nathan  Dix,  guarding  prisoners  at  or  near  Cam- 
bridge. 88  :8  OT 

Four  men,  under  Capt.  Benjan  Edgell,  in  Rhode 
Island,  till  Jany  1.  1779,  by  Order  of  Court  June  10. 
1778.  129:00W 

Twenty  seven  men,  by  Resolve  of  Court  June  25 
[23d?]  1778,  15  days  at  the  Lines,  "to  guard  prison- 
ers." 67: 10s" 

Eight  men,  by  Order  of  Brigadier,  June  26<k  to 
serve  5  months  at  the  Lines,  "  to  guard  prisoners  of 
Convention."  »  108  :00  *» 

Twelve  men,  hired  April  20th.  to  join  the  Conti- 


20  Documents,  X.,  XVTII. 

11  Documents,  XVTII.  This  document  mentions  twenty-four  men  only.  But  there  are 
twenty-nine  orders  on  file  for  paying  twenty-nine  distinct  individuals,  as  engaged  in  the  ex- 
pedition under  Capt.  Foster. 

**  Documents,  X.,  XVUI.  »  Documents,  V.,  VUI.,  X.,  XVHI. 

"  Documents,  VI.,  VUI.,  X.,  XVIII.  «  Documents,  XII. 

*>  Documents,  VIII.,  X.,  XVI ,  XVHI.  »  Documents,  VII.,  VUI.,  X.,  XVIII. 

»  Document*,  XV.  *>  The  captured  army  of  Burgoyne.  The  treaty  of  capitulation, 
by  which  it  was  surrendered  to  Gates,  was  called  a  "Convention." 

32 


374  HISTORY   OP    WOBURN. 


nental  Army  at  Fishkill  for  9  months  :  bounty  paid.      1190 :00 3U 

Eight  men  hired  to  do  duty  at  the  North  River,  as 
Militia,  for  eight  months  :  bounty  815  :00 30 

Six  weeks  men  (number  not  stated)  to  serve  in 
Rhode  Island ;  by  Order  of  Council  July  1778.  335  :14  3l 

Men  (number  not  given)  engaged  Sept*  Gth.  to 
serve  in  Rhode  Island,  and  afterwards  ordered  to 
Boston,  under  Lieut.  Joseph  Winn,  for  3i  months, 
ending  Jany  1st.  1779.  339  :8  »  1003  :00 

1779  :  $100=$742.  Levies  of  fifty  men  in  all  made 
In  January,  April,  June  and  October  1779,  and  bounty 
money  paid  them,  amounting  to  £7976:00;  but  to 
what  place  these  men  were  ordered,  and  for  what 
service  is  not  stated 32  7976 :00  1074  : 1 8 

1780.  Twenty  seven  men,  to  serve  3  months  in 
Rhode  Island,  under  Capt.  William  Green  of  Reading. 
Their  wages  appear  to  have  been  paid  them  by  the 
town,  which  was  then  reimbursed  by  the  State.  No 
bounty  mentioned.33 

Twenty  nine  men  were  hired  to  serve  in  the  Con- 
tinental Army  six  months,  for  a  bounty  of  £1200 :00 
each,  paper  money.  34800 :00 34  464  :00 

Amount  of  Bounties  after  1776.  £48945  :08      £5283  :18 


1781 :  $100=$7500.  But  it  was  not  only  men  for 
the  army,  and  bounty  money  to  encourage  them  to 
enlist,  that  was  required  of  Woburn.  In  the  course 
of  the  War,  in  common  with  all  the  other  towns  in 
the  State,  this  town  was  called  upon  to  furnish  her 
due  proportion  of  meat  for  the  sustenance  of  the 
soldiers,  and  of  raiment  for  their  wear,  and  of  horses 
for  cavalry  or  draught.  And  from  numerous  Docu- 
ments, originally  kept  in  the  town  treasurer's  office, 
and  still  extant,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  town 
fully  answered  all  the  demands  made  on  her  for  these  ' 
ends. 

»  Documents,  X.,  X  VIII.  si  Documents,  XII.,  XV. 

»  Documents,  XII.  «  Documents,  IX. 

34  Document,  XII.,  and  orders  on  file  for  the  payment  of  the  men. 
£12  bounty  per  man  appears  to  be  the  sum  originally  agreed  upon.  But 
in  consequence  of  the  continued  depreciation  of  the  paper  currency, 
orders  were  eventually  given  many  of  the  soldiers  for  their  bounty, 
amounting  to  £1,650  and  £1,800  currency.  And  yet,  in  paying  two  such 
orders  in  1782,  the  treasurer  allowed  in  lawful  money  only  £12  2s.  8d.  for 
£1,800,  and  only  £12  for  £1,650  currency,  including  in  both  instances, 
"  expenses  of  travel  home." 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  375 

Nominal  or 
Depreciated, 


Nominal  or  Lawful 

Money. 


1780:  $100=$2934. 

By  two  Resolves  of  the  State  Legislature,  passed 
in  September  and  December  1780,  Woburn  was  re- 
quired to  supply  the  Continental  Army  with  24078 
pounds  of  beef;  or  if  the  town  preferred,  to  furnish 
the  worth  of  that  quantity  of  provision  in  money. 
In  these  two  instances,  agents  employed  by  the  town 
raised  a  large  proportion  of  the  beef  required ;  and 
two  Beef  Taxes  were  assessed  in  October  and  De-  4 

cember  of  that  year,  amounting  to  £54927  currency, 
to  pay  for  the  whole.  £54927  :00  £1872 :01 :00 

1781 :  $100=$7500.  From  the  following  Receipt 
on  file,  the  Legislature  appears  to  have  passed  a 
third  Resolve  on  this  subject  Jany  4. 1781.  "  Woburn 
Feb.  20.  1781.  Received  of  the  town  of  Woburn, 
by  the  hand  of  Mr  Zebadiah  Wyman,  treasurer  for 
said  town,  the  sum  of  five  thousand  pounds,  in  lieu 
of  three  thousand  five  hundred  and  three  pounds  & 
two  thirds  of  a  pound  of  beef,  in  part  of  said  town's 
proportion  of  beef,  agreeable  to  a  Resolve  of  the 
General  Court  Jany  4.  1781 ;  for  which  I  have  given 
duplicate  Receipts.  Reuben  Kimball,  Agent."  5000  :00  66 :13 :4 

A  fourth  Resolve  was  passed  by  the  Court  June 
22d.  1781,  by  which  9938  Ibs.  of  beef  was  appor- 
tioned on  Woburn  for  the  supply  of  the  Army.  In 
regard  to  this  requisition,  the  town  at  a  meeting 
July  16.  1781  chose  a  committee  of  five,  to  purchase 
the  proportion  of  beef  now  called  for,  at  the  town's 
expense.  Several  citizens  advanced  specie  for  the 
immediate  purchase  of  the  beef  demanded ;  agents 
procured  the  meat  asked  for;  and  were  eventually 
reimbursed  by  Orders  on  the  town  treasurer.  If  the 
charge  per  100  Ibs  for  the  9938  Ibs  was  equal  to  that 
charged  for  a  portion  of  that  quantity  mentioned  in 
the  annexed  Order,35  viz.  33/9<Z  lawful  money  per 
100  Ibs,  the  whole  cost  was  £167  :14  lawful  money, 
equal  to  £12525  and  upwards  of  depreciated  cur- 
rency that  year.  12525 :00  167 :14 :0 

Total  expense  of  the  town  for  beef 


15  "  To  the  Treasurer  of  the  Town  of  Woburn  :  Sir,  please  to  pay  Col. 
Loammi  Baldwin  eight  pounds  in  specie,  in  part  for  three  thousand  pounds 
of  beef,  he  supplied  the  Town  of  Woburn  for  the  use  of  the  army,  at 
33/9  per  hundred,  in  1781.  Woburn  Feb.  11.  1782. 

Zebh  Wyman  > 

Joseph  Johnson  &c  $  Selectmen  of  Woburn." 


376  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

Again,  Woburn  was  repeatedly  called  upon  to  furnish  its  due 
proportion  of  clothing  for  the  army.  A  Resolve  was  passed 
by  the  State  Legislature,  March  13,  1778,  requiring  each  town 
in  the  State  to  provide  for  the  army  as  many  shirts,  pairs  of 
shoes  and  pairs  of  stockings,  as  would  be  equal  to  one-seventh 
part  of  all  its  male  inhabitants.  These  articles  when  collected 
in  any  town  were  to  be  delivered  by  its  Selectmen  or  committee 
to  the  agent  appointed  for  the  county  in  which  that  town  was 
situated.  The  agent,  in  his  turn,  was  to  provide  wagons  or  other 
suitable  carriages,  at  the  public  expense,  for  the  conveyance  of 
those  articles  to  the  State  Commissary  in  the  northern  or  in 
the  southern  department  of  the  army,  agreeably  to  directions  of 
the  resolve.  And  the  commissioners  were  required  to  deliver 
without  delay,  in  their  respective  departments,  out  of  the  articles 
of  clothing  thus  put  into  their  hands,  by  the  several  towns,  one 
shirt,  one  pair  of  shoes  and  one  pair  of  stockings,  as  "  a  present 
from  the  people  of  this  State,"  to  each  non-commissioned  offi- 
cer, and  to  each  private  soldier,  raised  in  this  State,  and  enlisted 
in  the  service  for  three  years,  or  during  the  war,  towards  fill- 
ing up  the  State's  quota  of  the  continental  army.36  This  Re- 
solve was  printed,  and  a  copy  was  sent  to  each  town,  and  one 
to  each  agent  in  the  State.  And  Woburn,  upon  receiving  a  copy, 
showed  no  backwardness  to  comply  with  its  requisitions.  At 
town  meeting,  March  31st,  soon  after  the  Resolve  was  passed, 
it  was  voted  to  draw  money  out  of  the  treasury,  to  buy  stock- 
ings, shoes  and  shirts  with,  for  Woburn's  part  of  the  continen- 
tal army.  And  numerous  orders  on  the  town  treasurer,  still 
preserved  on  file,  do  show  that  in  compliance  with  this  Resolve 
of  the  Legislature,  large  supplies  of  every  description  of  cloth- 
ing mentioned  in  it,  at  a  cost  of  above  £650,  were  brought  in  to 
the  Selectmen,  to  be  transported  under  their  care,  to  the  state 
storehouse  in  Concord,  kept  by  James  Barrett,  Esq.,  agent  for 

«•  "  The  Continental  Journal,  and  Weekly  Advertiser,"  Boston,  March  19, 1778. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  377 

the  county  of  Middlesex.     See  copies  of  a  few  of  these  orders 
in  the  notes.37 

Moreover,  a  Resolve  was  passed  by  the  State  Legislature,  June 
22,  1781,  "for  collecting  clothes  for  this  Commonwealth's  quota 
of  the  Continental  army,"  etc.,  etc.38  By  this  Resolve,  there  was 
apportioned  upon  the  whole  county  of  Middlesex  nine  hundred  and 
ninety-three  shirts,  and  as  many  pairs  of  stockings,  and  of  shoes, 
and  four  hundred  and  ninety-six  blankets ;  and  of  these  articles, 
Woburn  was  required  to  supply  forty-two  shirts,  forty-two  pairs 
of  stockings,  forty-two  pairs  of  shoes,  and  twenty-one  blankets ; 
the  same  apportionment  as  was  set  upon  the  adjoining  town  of 
Reading.  To  make  sure  of,  or  to  facilitate  Woburn's  compliance 
with  this  requisition,  a  meeting,  to  be  held  August  13,  1781,  was 

37  "  To  the  Town  Treasurer. 

"  Sir :  Please  pay  Pea.  David  Blanchard  forty  one  pounds  and  eight 
pence  in  full  for  Shirts  and  Hose,  and  making  Shirts,  and  for  Collecting 
and  carrying  the  store  to  Concord  for  the  Continental  Soldiers ;  and  this 
shall  be  your  Discharge  for  the  same. 

"  £41  =0  :8.  "  William  Tay 

"  Woburn  Sept*  10.  1778.  "  Samuel  Thompson  (.selectmen  " 

"  JedB  Kichardson 
"Jona.  Tidd  J 

"  Sir  Please  to  pay  to  Sami  Leathe  twenty  seven  pounds  in  full  for 
fifteen  pair  Shoes  he  has  supplied  the  Town  with  for  the  use  of  the  Conti- 
nental Soldiers. 

"  Woburn,  May  4th.  1778.  "  William  Tay 

44  To  Jona.  Lawrence,  Treasurer.     "  Sami  Thompson       [-Selectmen" 
•  "  Benjan  Edgell 
"  Jedn  Richardson      J 

"To  the  Town  Treasurer. 

"  Sir :  Please  to  pay  Col.  Loammi  Baldwin  eighty  seven  pounds,  six 
shillings  &  eight  pence  in  full  for  Shirts  he  dcLvared  to  the  Selectmen  to 
turn  into  the  State  Store  &c  &c  &c 

"  Woburn  llth  Feby  1780.  [SigQed]  j  Selectmen." 

"  To  the  Town  Treasurer. 

"  Sir,  Please  to  pay  Zechariah  Richardson  twenty  pounds  for  Hose  he 
delivered  to  the  Selectmen,  to  turn  into  the  State  Store ;  and  this  shall 
be  &c  &c  &c  "  William  Tay 

"  Woburn  llth.  February  1780.       "  Sam1  Thompson       ^Selectmen.' 
"  Benjn  Edgell 

»«  Vol.  of  Resolves  at  the  State  House;  No.  LX1V. 


378  HISTORY   OP  WOBURN. 

notified  by  the  Selectmen,  of  such  inhabitants  as  were  disposed 
to  give  their  assistance  towards  it.  At  that  meeting,  sundry  in- 
dividuals agreed  to  secure  the  complement  of  clothing  for  the 
soldiers  that  was  demanded  of  this  town ;  and  there  can  be  no 
question  that  their  agreement  was  duly  and  faithfully  fulfilled. 
Many  individuals,  both  male  and  female,  were  now  set  on  work, 
procuring  cloth  and  making  it  up  into  shirts,  knitting  stockings, 
making  shoes,  and  providing  blankets ;  and  upon  finishing  their 
work,  they  severally  presented  their  bills,  and  obtained  orders 
for  payment  out  of  the  treasury  of  the  town,  which,  in  return, 
agreeably  to  provisions  of  the  Resolve  of  Court  above  re- 
ferred to,  was  reimbursed  for  its  expense  upon  the  articles  of 
raiment  supplied  by  it,  out  of  the  treasury  of  the  State.  Orders 
yet  extant,  obtained  for  articles  of  clothing  for  the  army,  fur- 
nished by  inhabitants  of  Woburn  under  this  Resolve  of  Court, 
amount  to  about  .£100.  Copies  of  a  few  of  these  Orders  are 
given  in  the  notes.39 

39  "  Sir,  Please  to  pay  Mr  Sami  Leathe  one  pound  ten  shillings  two 
pence  two  farthings  in  part  for  fifteen  pairs  Shoes  he  supplied  the  Select- 
men with  in  December  1781.  Woburn  Jany  28.  1782. 

"  To  Mr  Zebh  Wyman  "  Loammi  Baldwin  1 

"  Treasurer  for  s*  Town.  « Paul  Wyman 

"  Zebh  Wyman        J 
"  Sir,  Please  to  pay  Mr  Sami  Leathe  five  pounds,  nineteen  shillings  & 
nine  pence  two  farthings  in  full  for  fifteen  pairs  of  Shoes,  at  10 /  a  Pair, 
he  supplied  the  Selectmen  with  in  Decembr  1781 ;  he  having  received  an 
Order  for  the  other  part.    Woburn  Jany  28th.  1782. 

"  To  Mr  Zebadiah  Wyman  "  Loammi  Baldwin  "1 

"  Treasurer  for  s*  Town."  "  Paul  Wyman         I    wtfoaru  " 

"  Zebh  Wyman        j 

"  Sir :  Please  to  pay  Mr  Jacob  Caldwell  five  Pounds  two  Shillings  in  full 
for  four  Blankets  he  supplied  the  Selectmen  of  Woburn  for  ye  use  of  y« 
Army  in  1781,  at  25/  6.     Woburn  Feb.  18.  1782 
"  To  Mr  Zebh  Wyman,  Treasurer  for  Woburn. 

"  Loammi  Baldwin  1 
"Joseph  Johnson    i    Selectmen 
"Zebh  Wyman         f    Woburn." 
"  Ezra  Wyman        J 

"  Woburn  February  19.  1782. 

"  Sir,  Please  to  pay  to  Paul  Wyman  the  sum  of  seven  pounds,  it  being 
in  part  for  his  procuring  the  following  parts  of  Clothing :  Viz'  Shirts, 


HISTORY   OP  WOBURN.  379 

During  the  whole  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  Woburn  was 
excessively  burdened  with  taxes,  the  larger  portion  of  which 
that  war  had  originated,  and  rendered  necessary.  In  1774,  the 
year  before  the  commencement  of  the  contest,  its  province  tax 
was  but  £75  18*.  5d',  its  county  tax,  £21  2*.  6^.;  and  its  town 
rate  only  XI 50;  making  its  taxes,  of  every  description,  for  that 
year  but  little  more  than  £247.  But  during  the  years  the 
war  continued,  viz:  from  1775  to  1783,  inclusively,  taxes  in 
Woburu  rose  within  a  trifle  to  the  enormous  nominal  sum  of 
£300,000.  Most  of  these  rates,  it  is  true,  were  made  payable 
in  the  depreciated,  ever  declining  currency  of  that  day.  But 
after  making  all  due  allowance  for  the  depreciation  of  the  pa- 
per they  were  payable  in,  they  will  be  found,  when  added  to 
the  taxes  that  were  expressly  ordered,  or  evidently  intended 
to  be  assessed  in  lawful  money,  or  to  be  paid  in  silver  or 
gold,  to  amount  to  a  little  more  than  £2  8,000,  lawful  money.40 
In  the  course  of  the  nine  years  above  referred  to,  there  were 
assessed  in  Woburn,  and  ordered  to  be  collected  and  paid  over 
to  the  Town,  County,  or  State  Treasurer,  twelve  town  and  five 
county  rates ;  twelve  State  taxes,  three  "  Continental  taxes,"  (as 
they  were  termed) ;  two  "  War  taxes,"  four  "  Silver  "  or  "  hard 
money  taxes,"  and  two  "Beef  taxes,"41  making  forty  assess- 

shoes,  stockings  and  blankets  he  supplied  the  State  for  Woburn  in  1781 : 
and  his  Receipt  &c  "  Zeb^  Wyman        1 

"  To  the  Treasurer  of  the  Town.       "  Joseph  Johnson     f  ^obum" 

"  Ezra  Wyman 

40  In  reducing  sums  in  paper  currency  to  their  equivalents  in  lawful 
money,  I  have  observed  here  and  elsewhere  the  rule  suggested  by  Lemuel 
Shattuck,  Esq.,  in  his  History  of  Concord,   and  quoted  above  in  this 
chapter. 

41  The  reason  of  the  distinction  made  in  the  records  between  "  Conti- 
nental" and  "  State"  taxes  is  unknown.    Taxes  of  both  descriptions  were 
made  by  order  of  the  General  Court  of  the  State,  and  were  payable  alike 
to  the  State  Treasurer,  without  naming  any  distinct  object  for  either.    The 
two  "  War  taxes  "  were  ordered  by  votes  of  the  town  in  1776  and  1777, 
expressly  to  enable  the  town  to  defray  the  charges  incurred  by  it  thus  far 
in  the  war.    Of  the  four  "  Silver,"  or  "  Hard  money  taxes,"  two  were 
imposed  by  the  town  and  two  by  the  State.    The  "  Beef  Taxes  "  were  to 
raise  money  for  the  purchase  of  beef  for  the  army.     All  taxes  assessed 
after  1780  appear  to  have  been  in  "  lawful  money." 


380  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

meuts  within  nine  years.  That  these  public  burdens  must  have 
weighed  very  heavily  upon  the  people  will  be  readily  perceived. 
Especially  must  this  have  been  the  case  in  the  year  1780,  when, 
beside  a  tax  of  £376,  to  be  paid  in  specie,  no  less  than  eight 
other  taxes  were  assessed  in  Woburn,  amounting,  in  all,  to 
£230,880  currency,  equal"  to  £7,869  8s.,  lawful  money,  or  to 
£8,245  8s.,  inclusively  of  the  silver  tax  of  £376,  just  referred  to. 
Again,  to  pay  the  "  large  town  tax,"  as  it  was  called,  assessed  in 
July  of  that  year,  and  amounting,  nominally,  to  £60,190,  equiva- 
lent to  £2,05 1  9s.,  lawful  money,  there  were  only  three  hundred 
and  seventy-seven  residents,  and  fifty-six  non-resident  tax  payers ; 
of  the  residents,  twenty-three  were  widows  and  unmarried 
females,  and  seventy-four  paid  only  a  poll-tax  or  less ;  and  of 
the  fifty-six  non-residents,  forty-nine  paid  less  than  a  poll-tax, 
which,  in  that  assessment,  was  £41  currency.  Under  such 
circumstances,  how  must  these  and  the  like  burdens  have  ground 
some  of  those  they  fell  upon  to  the  very  dist,  as  it  were  !  And 
what  could  have  sustained  any  under  the  load,  but  the  persuasion, 
that  the  load  of  oppression  which  they  must  otherwise  have 
borne,  was  still  heavier ;  and  that  they  were  contending  for  a 
boon,  which  was  more  precious  than  houses,  lands,  money,  or 
life  itself  could  be  without  it  ? 

The  burdens  of  taxation  which  the  war  for  Independence 
occasioned  were  vastly  enhanced  by  the  constant  depreciation 
of  the  paper  currency,  which  the  government  issued  to  pay  the 
expense  of  the  contest.  For  two  or  three  years  after  the  war 
broke  out,  the  currency  seems  to  have  varied  but  little  in  value 
from  lawful  money.  But  in  the  fourth  year  (1778)  that  variation 
had  become  considerable,  and  was  continually  increasing.  Wages 
for  labor  by  the  month,  paid  at  the  end  of  six  months,  in  the 
nominal  sum  agreed  upon,  would  not  purchase  for  the  laborer 
nearly  so  large  a  supply  of  necessaries  for  his  family  as  they 
would  when  contracted  for.  Goods  bought  to  be  sold  again 
seldom  brought  back  to  the  trader  a  return  of  equal  worth  to 
his  purchase  money,  though  it  might  nominally  exceed  it.  And 
a  legacy  devised  to  a  widow  in  needy  circumstances,  kept  back 
a  year  by  the  executor,  as  the  law  allowed,  and  then  paid  in  the 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  381 

paper  currency  of  the  day,  was  sure  to  be  of  far  inferior  worth 
to  the  sum  named  and  intended  in  the  will.  To  remedy  the 
grievous  evils  growing  out  of  this  state  of  things,  and  which  were 
universally  felt,  a  State  convention  was  held  at  Concord,  July  14, 
1779,  in  which  Woburn  was  represented  by  its  delegate,  Deacon 
Samuel  Thompson.  There  were  present  at  this  convention  one 
hundred  and  seventy-four  delegates,  who,  "after  passing  some  very 
spirited  resolutions,  fixing  the  prices  of  several  articles  of  mer- 
chandise, and  agreeing  upon  an  address  to  the  people,  adjourned 
on  the  1 7th,  recommending  another  similar  Convention  to  meet 
again  in  October."42  The  proceedings  of  the  convention,  "relative 
to  the  lowering  the  exorbitant  prices  of  all  and  each  of  the  neces- 
saries of  life,"  were  accepted  by  the  inhabitants  of  Woburn,  at  a 
meeting  August  4th,  and  a  committee  of  nine  was  chosen  "  to 
report  to  the  town  on  this  subject  at  the  adjournment  of  the 
meeting  to  August  26th.  The  report  of  this  committee,  which 
was  duly  presented  and  accepted  by  the  town,  was  as  follows : 

""West  India  Flip  or  Toddy  at  12s.  per  mug  or  bowl:  New 
England  10s.  per  mug. 

"A  common  Dinner  15  /  ;  other  meals  in  proportion. 

"Keeping  a  horse  at  hay  15 /  ;  at  grass  10 /  per  night. 

"  Oats  45  /  per  bushel ;  5  /  per  mess. 

"A  yoke  of  Oxen  12  /  per  night  at  grass. 

"Lodging  4 /  per  night. 

"  Day  Labour  48  / ,  being  found,  until  the  last  of  August ;  after 
that,  36  /  per  day. 

"A  Team  carrying  a  ton  weight,  18 /  per  mile,  not  going 
more  than  90  miles. 

"  Carpenters  and  Masons  54  /  per  day,  being  found. 

"  Horse  shoeing  all  round,  steeling  the  fore  shoes  at  the  toe> 
£3  12s. 

"Shoeing  Oxen,  16  dollars  per  yoke:  other  smith  work  in 
proportion. 

•'  A  Tailor  36  /  per  day. 

"  Green  Hides  3  /  per  pound :  Sole  Leather  1 8  /  per  pound ; 
and  all  other  Leather  in  proportion. 

«*  Shattuck's  Concord,  p.  122. 


382  HISTORY  OP   WOBTJRN. . 

"  Mens  best  Shoes  1 8  dollars  per  pair ;  women's  best  Leather 
Shoes  84  / . 

"  For  making  mens  shoes  48  /  :  Womens,  40  /  per  pair :  aiid 
other  work  in  proportion. 

"  Cloth  Shoes,  finding  the  leather  and  heels,  54  / . 

"Shecps  Wool,  23 /  per  pound;  Flax,  15 /  per  Ib;  Rough 
Tallow  9  /  per  pound. 

"  And  all  other  mechanics  that  are  not  mentioned  here,  are  to 
work  in  the  same  proportions  as  those  that  are  here  mentioned. 
"  Per  Order  of  the  Committee, 

BENJ".  EDGEL,  Clerk." 43 

At  the  same  adjourned  meeting,  (August  26th,)  a  committee  of 
fifteen  was  chosen  "to  Inspect  and  see  that  the  Resolves  of  the 
Convention  begun  and  held  at  Concord  on  the  fourteenth  day 
of  July  last,  and  the  Resolves  of  the  Committee  chosen  by  this 
Town  at  a  General  Town  Meeting,  August  the  4th.  1779,  be 
strictly  adhered  to  in  each  and  every  particular." 

A  committee  also  of  three  was  chosen  at  the  same  time,  con- 
sisting of  Dr.  Samuel  Blogget,  Timothy  Winn,  Jr.,  and  Isaac 
Johnson,  which  "  should  draw  up  something  by  way  of  Instruc- 
tions" for  the  committee  of  inspection.  This  committee  of 
three,  after  a  short  interval,  made  a  report,  which  being  read, 
was  accepted  and  passed.  Their  report  contained  several  very 
stringent  resolutions,  among  which  was  substantially  the  fol- 
lowing, namely:  That  if  any  person  belonging  to  this  town 
should  violate  the  resolutions  of  the  Concord  Convention,  or 
those  of  this  town  made  in  pursuance  thereof,  he  should,  upon  con- 
viction, [at  a  public  trial  before  the  committee  of  inspection]  be 
accounted  as  an  enemy  of  his  country,  have  his  name  published 
in  the  newspapers  of  Boston,  and  be  cut  off  from  all  intercourse 
and  dealings  with  the  other  inhabitants  of  the  town  for  such  a 
term  of  time  as  the  committee  of  inspection  should  appoint.44 

But  it  was  probably  soon  found  by  experience  that  it  is  easier 
to  pass  resolutions  concerning  such  matters,  than  to  enforce 
them.  We  read  of  no  one  being  accused  of  a  breach  of  these 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  IX.,  pp.  521,  522.         «  Town  Records,  Vol.  IX.,  pp.  521,  522. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  383 

Orders  of  the  town,  or  of  suffering  the  penalty  annexed  to  the 
transgression  of  them.  At  a  town  meeting,  October  22,  1779, 
a  new  committee  was  chosen  "  to  stipulate  prices  for  the  town 
of  Woburn."  At  an  adjournment  of  this  meeting,  November  1st, 
the  report  of  this  committee  in  regard  to  prices  was  recommitted, 
for  the  sake  of  making  amendments  and  additions ;  and  then  it 
was  voted  to  abide  by  it.  But  at  a  further  adjournment,  Novem- 
ber 13th,  this  vote  was  reconsidered.  Learning  by  experience 
doubtless,  that  there  were  insuperable  difficulties  in  the  way  of 
carrying  the  resolutions  they  had  passed  on  this  subject  into 
effect,  nothing  more  was  done  about  them,  and  they  were  all 
suffered  to  go  to  rest. 

Amid  the  din  of  war,  the  attention  of  the  people  of  Massa- 
chusetts generally  was  diverted,  in  1780,  to  a  very  different 
subject. 

A  new  constitution  or  form  of  government  for  Massachusetts, 
framed  by  the  State  Legislature  of  1777,  had  been  sent  to 
Woburn,  May  1778,  for  the  consideration  of  its  inhabitants. 
But  this  being  read  and  deliberately  considered  in  town  meeting, 
June  8th  following,  had  been  unanimously  disapproved.  At  the 
same  time,  the  people  had  instructed  their  representative  for 
that  year,  Col.  Loammi. Baldwin,  to  favor  no  plan  for  drawing 
up  another  constitution,  except  in  a  convention  chosen  by  the 
people  at  large,  expressly  for  that  purpose.45  The  constitution 
now  laid  before  them  had  been  framed  and  sanctioned  by  such 
a  convention,  which  had  assembled  at  Cambridge  in  September 
1779,  and  in  which  Woburn  had  been  represented  by  Dr.  Sam- 
uel Blogget,  as  its  delegate.46  Al  a  legal  meeting,  May  15,  1780, 
a  committee  of  fifteen  was  chosen  to  consider  the  proposed  con- 
stitution, and  to  report  to  the  town  at  its  adjournment,  June  5th. 
On  the  day  appointed,  this  committee  reported ;  and  the  town 
voted  to  pass  upon  the  new  constitution  submitted  to  them,  arti- 
cle by  article. 

The  Bill  of  Rights  was  approved,  except  the  third  article, 
relative  to  provision  by  law  for  the  support  of  public  worship, 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  IX.,  p.  451.  «  Town  Records,  Vol.  IX.,  p.  621. 


384  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

which  met  some  opposition.  The  article,  however,  was  finally 
accepted  as  it  stood,  by  a  vote  of  fifty-two  to  twenty-three. 

The  article  of  the  constitution  requiring  in  voters  a  property 
qualification  was  offensive  to  some;  and  an  amendment  was 
carried,  allowing  every  freeman  the  privilege  of  voting,  who  was 
twenty-one  years  of  age. 

At  an  adjournment  of  this  business  to  June  7th,  votes  were 
passed,  that  delegates  to  Congress  should  be  qualified  as  were 
representatives  to  our  own  General  Court,  and  that  all  or- 
dained ministers  of  the  gospel,  and  attorneys-at-law  should  be 
excluded  from  seats  in  the  Legislature  of  Massachusetts. 

It  was  voted,  moreover,  as  the  sense  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Woburn,  that  at  the  expiration  of  seven  years  from  the  ratifica- 
tion of  the  new  constitution,  a  convention  should  be  called  to 
revise  it. 

And  now,  having  finished  the  consideration  of  the  proposed 
new  constitution  of  Government  for  Massachusetts,  Woburn 
voted  its  acceptance  of  it,  excepting  the  articles  objected  to,  and 
amended  by  twenty-two  votes  in  the  affirmative,  to  two  in  the 
negative.47 

The  Federal  Constitution,  or  Form  of  Government  for  the 
United  States,  was  drawn  up  in  a  convention  of  delegates  from 
twelve  States,  assembled  in  Philadelphia ;  and  was  unanimously 
agreed  to  by  all  the  States  present,  September  17, 1787.  Agree- 
ably to  a  Resolve  passed  by  the  Legislature  of  Massachusetts, 
October  1787,  this  constitution  was  submitted  to  the  con- 
sideration of  a  convention  chosen  by  the  several  towns  and 
districts  of  this  Commonwealth,  which  assembled  in  Boston, 
January  9,  1788,  and  which,  after  several  weeks  of  careful 
deliberation,  voted  to  adopt  it.  The  delegates  of  Woburn  to 
this  convention,  chosen  at  a  town  meeting,  December  17,  1787, 
were  Deacon  Timothy  Winn  and  Mr.  James  Fowle,  Jr.  Deacon 
Winn  opposed  the  adoption  of  this  constitution  without  some 
amendments ;  and  prepared  a  speech  to  deliver  before  the  con- 
vention upon  the  subject,  when  a  motion  was  expected  to  be 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  X.,  pp.  24,  25. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURX.  385 

made  for  the  appointment  of  a  committee  which  should  endeavor 
to  harmonize  the  conflicting  views  of  different  members  of  that 
body,  and,  by  consenting  to  certain  amendments  of  the  constitu- 
tion, to  insure  its  acceptance  by  the  unanimous  or  very  general 
voice  of  its  members.  But  it  so  happened,  that  the  proposed 
conciliatory  committee  was  appointed,  and  its  report  accepted 
at  a  time  when  Deacon  Winn  was  absent  from  the  convention. 
And  being  consequently  disappointed  in  his  intentions  to  deliver 
in  person  the  speech  he  had  prepared  for  the  occasion,  he  sub- 
mitted it  for  publication,  as  "  a  part  of  the  debate  "  before  the 
convention,  in  one  of  the  newspapers  of  the  day. — See  a  copy 
of  it  in  the  Boston  Independent  Chronicle  of  March  27,  1788. 

During  the  Revolutionary  "War,  two  gentlemen,  natives  of 
Woburn,  attained  to  great  eminence  in  society,  of  whom  it  seems 
a  matter  of  right,  that  some  particular  notice  should  here  be 
taken. 

To  begin  with  the  elder  of  the  two,  Colonel  Loammi  Baldwin. 
He  was  son  of  James  and  Ruth  (Richardson)  Baldwin,  and  a 
descendant  of  the  third  generation  from  Deacon  Henry  Baldwin, 
one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Woburn,  and  a  subscriber  to  the  "  Town 
Orders,"  drawn  up  at  CLarlestown,  for  the  regulation  of  the  then 
projected  new  settlement,  in  December  1641. 

His  father  was  by  trade  a  carpenter,  of  good  repute ;  and  is 
reported  to  have  been  the  master  workman  in  the  erection  of 
the  precinct  (Burlington)  meeting-house  in  1732,  which  is  still 
standing. 

He  was  born  at  "  New  Bridge,"  (North  Woburn)  January  10, 
1744,  O.  S.,  or  January  21,  1744-5,  N.  S.  Discovering  from 
early  life  a  strong  desire  for  acquiring  knowledge,  he  was  a  con- 
stant attendant  upon  the  instructions  of  Master  Fowle,  that  noted 
teacher  of  the  grammar  school  in  Woburn,  both  in  the  centre  of 
the  town  and  at  the  precinct,  many  years  in  succession.  And  at  a 
more  advanced  period  of  life,  with  a  view  to  obtaining  a  thorough 
acquaintance  with  Natural  and  Experimental  Philosophy,  he  was 
accustomed  to  walk  from  North  Woburn  to  Cambridge,  in  com- 
pany with  his  school-mate,  Benjamin  Thompson  (afterwards 
Count  Rumford),  to  attend  the  lectures  of  Professor  Winthrop 
(for  which  liberty  had  been  given  them) ;  and  upon  their  return 


386  HISTORY    OF   WOBURN. 

home  on  foot,  they  were  wont  to  make  rude  instruments  for  them- 
selves, with  which  to  illustrate  the  principles  they  had  heard  laid 
down  in  the  lecture-room  at  the  college. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  war  in  1775,  he  enlisted  for  the 
service  of  his  country  in  the  regiment  of  foot,  commanded  by 
Col.  Samuel  Gerrish.  Here  he  was  rapidly  advanced  to  be  Lieut.- 
Colonel :  and  upon  the  retirement  of  Col.  Gerrish  from  the  army, 
in  August  of  that  year,  he  was  put  at  the  head  of  the  regiment,  and 
was,  not  long  after,  commissioned  to  be  Colonel. 

His  regiment  was  originally  distinguished  as  the  38th,  and  con- 
sisted of  eight  companies,  all  of  them  stationed  at  Boston  lines, 
viz  :  four  at  Sewall's  Point,  Brookline,  three  at  Chelsea,  and  one 
(Capt.  Wood's  company  of  Woburn)  at  Medford.  But  upon  the 
reorganization  of  the  army  at  the  close  of  1775,  it  included  ten 
companies,  and  was  designated  as  the  26th  regiment.  Till  the  end 
of  1775,  Col.  Baldwin  remained  near  Boston:  but  in  April,  1776, 
he  followed  Washington  to  New  York  city ; 48  and  there  we  find 
him  June  22d,  at  the  "  Grand  Battery,  in  the  command  of  the 
•'  Main  Guard." 

When  Washington  was  compelled, by  the  superior  numbers  of  the 
enemy,  to  evacuate  New  York,  September  14,  1776,  and  to  retreat 
to  the  west,  or  Pennsylvania  side  of  the  Delaware,  about  Decem- 
ber 8th,  Baldwin  with  his  men  followed  him.  And  on  the  memo- 
rable night  of  December  25,  1776,  when  in  face  of  a  violent  and 
extremely  cold  storm  of  snow  and  hail  the  Commander  in  Chief 
recrossed  the  Delaware  to  the  Jersey  side,  and  took  by  surprise  at 
Trenton  the  next  morning  a  body  of  about  1 ,000  Hessian  troops, 
commanded  by  Col.  Rahl,  Col.  Baldwin  and  his  men49  accompanied 

48  The  following  passages  are  extracts  from  the  folio  volume  deposited 
at  the  State  House  by  the  Baldwin  family,  and  containing  his  correspond- 
ence and  various  memoranda :  — 

"  New  York  Api.  19.  1776  Abstract  for  Non-Commissioned  Officers  & 
Soldiers  ....  in  26th.  Reg*  commanded  by  Col.  Loanimi  Baldwin  for 
month  of  Feby  1776." 

"  A  Report  of  the  main  Guard  at  the  Grand  Battery  N.  Y.  June  13.  1776." 
"  A  List  of  the  Main  Guard,  under  the  command  of  Lt.  Col.  Baldwin 
[Col.  Loainmi  Baldwin?]  June  22.  1776." 

49  "  A  Return  of  the  Officers  and  Soldiers  belonging  to  the  26th.  Reg* 
commanded  by  Col.  Loammi  Baldwin,  that  went  on  the  Expedition  to 
Trentown  the  26th.  inst.  December." 

"  Trenton  Jany  ye  2d.  1777. 

"  This  will  impower  Corp'  Caleb  Simonds  to  receive  all  that  I  do  not 
receive  at  my  discharge,  namely,  wages,  allowance  money  granted  by  the 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  387 

the  General  in  his  daring  enterprise,  and  partook  of  the  honor  and 
joy  with  which  it  was  crowned ;  a  victory  most  unexpected  and 
disastrous  to  the  British,  but  most  reviving  to  the  desponding 
minds  of  the  friends  «of  liberty  and  of  the  American  cause. 

Colonel  Baldwin  was  honorably  discharged  from  the  continental 
army  about  1777,  on  account  of  ill  health.  But  his  subsequent 
life,  spent  in  his  native  place,  though  free  from  the  hardships  and 
dangers  of  the  camp,  was  by  no  means  a  life  of  leisure  and  retire- 
ment. He  still  retained  and  cherished  the  enterprising  spirit  and 
active  habits  of  his  youth.  And  his  fellow-citizens  highly  appre- 
ciating his  talents  and  capacity  for  business,  and  confident  of  his 
integrity  and  zeal  for  the  public  good,  took  frequent  opportunities 
for  manifesting  their  respect  for  him,  and  found  him  ample  employ- 
ment the  remainder  of  his  days.  We  find  him  appointed  on  a 
large  proportion  of  all  the  committees  chosen  for  a  long  succession 
of  years,  on  important  town  business  ;  and  of  these,  he  was  gen- 
erally the  chairman.  In  1780,  he  was  appointed  High  Sheriff  of 
the  County  of  Middlesex,  being  the  first  who  held  that  office  in 
this  county,  after  the  adoption  of  the  State  constitution.  In  1778, 
1779,  and  again  in  1800  and  the  four  immediately  following  years, 
he  represented  Woburn  in  the  General  Court.  At  the  election  of 
representative  to  Congress  for  Essex  South  District  (to  which 
Woburn  was  then  attached)  in  1794,  he  had  all  the  votes  cast  in 
Woburn  but  one.  In  August  and  September  1796,  he  had  all  the 
votes ;  and  in  November  of  that  3Tear,  at  the  third  trial  for  the 
choice  of  the  same  officer,  he  had  seventy-four  votes  out  of  the 
seventy-six  that  were  then  cast  in  Woburn.  And  at  elections  in 
other  years,  he  was  a  prominent  candidate  among  those  held  up  in 
Woburn,  for  the  office  of  State  Senator,  Lieutenant  Governor  of 
the  Commonwealth,  and  Elector  of  President  of  the  United 

States.50 

General,  and  for  arras,  ammunition  &c  taken  at  Trenton  the  26th.  of  Dec* 

1776.  "Ebeiiezer ?"  [Ebenezer  Lock?] 

"  Rowley,  July  25th.  1778. 

"  Col.  Baldwin  :  Sir,  Be  pleased  to  pay  unto  Jonathan  Stickney  my  travel 
money  from  the  Army  at  Trenton  to  Rowley  in  the  year  1776,  and  my 
share  of  plunder  money  that  was  taken  at  Trintown,  and  his  Receipt  shall 
be  your  discharge.  "  Joseph  Stickney." 

50  To  the  above  it  may  be  added,  that  Col.  Baldwin,  on  account  doubtless 
of  his  enlarged  acquaintance  with  mathematics,  and  his  familiarity  with 
arts  connected  therewith,  was  chosen  a  member  of  the  American  Academy 
of  Arts  and  Sciences;  and  received  from  Harvard  College  in  1785  the 
honorary  degree  of  Master  of  Arts. 


388  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

But  though  Col.  Baldwin  was  deservedly  a  favorite  with  his 
fellow-townsmen  and  with  his  fellow-citizens  generally,  he  was  not 
an  abject  seeker  of  popularity — not  one,  who,  for  the  sake  of  win- 
ning or  prolonging  the  popular  favor,  stood  ready  to  sacrifice  his 
principles  of  duty  to  the  public.  Witness  his  protest  with  others 
against  the  action  of  the  town  in  the  time  of  Shays'  Rebellion. 
In  1786,  1787,  when  the  Executive  was  constrained  to  call  out  a 
military  force  to  put  that  rebellion  down,  the  town  of  Woburn, 
in  a  moment  of  high  excitement,  voted  January  29,  1787  : 

"1.  Not  to  give  any  encouragement  to  the  men  called  out  to  go 
into  the  present  Expedition. 

"  2.  Not  to  aid  or  assist  in  the  present  Expedition." 

But  against  this  proceeding  of  the  town,  Col.  Baldwin  and 
thirty-six  others  immediately  entered  their  protests  ;  and,  two  days 
after,  the  town  itself  reconsidered  the  votes  it  had  passed  on  this 
subject. 

The  prominent  part  taken  by  Col.  Baldwin  in  the  construction 
and  establishment  of  the  Middlesex  Canal  will  be  adverted  to 
more  particularly  in  a  following  chapter.  To  him  also  are  the 
community  indebted  for  the  introduction  to  public  notice,  and  for 
the  earliest  cultivation  of  the  Baldwin  apple.  The  history  of  this 
celebrated  variety  of  fruit,  as  connected  with  his  name,  is  under- 
stood, upon  good  authority,  to  be  this :  As  Col.  Baldwin  was 
one  da}r  surveying  land  at  a  place  called  Butters'  Row  in  Wilming- 
ton, near  the  bounds  of  that  town,  Woburn  and  Burlington,  he 
observed  one  or  more  wpodpeckers  continually  flying  to  a  certain 
tree,  growing  on  land  of  Mr.  James  Butters,  hard  by.  Prompted 
by  curiosit}7  to  ascertain  the  cause  of  their  frequenting  that  tree, 
he  at  length  went  to  it ;  and  finding  under  it  apples  of  an  excellent 
flavor,  and  well  worth  cultivating,  he  returned  to  the  tree  the  next 
spring,  and  took  from  it  scions  to  graft  into  stocks  of  his  own. 
Other  persons  in  that  vicinity,  induced  by  his  example  or  advice, 
grafted  trees  of  theirs  soon  after  with  scions  from  the  same  stock. 
And,  subsequently,  whenever  Col.  Baldwin  attended  court,  or  went 
into  different  parts  of  the  county,  as  High  Sheriff,  he  was  accus- 
tomed to  carry  scions  of  this  variety  of  apple  with  him,  and  to 
distribute  them  among  his  friends ;  so  that  this  species  of  fruit 
soon  came  to  be  extensively  known  and  cultivated.  The  original 
tree,  it  is  said,  was  blown  down  in  the  famous  "  September  gale," 
in  1815. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  389 

At  first,  apples  of  this  description  were  called  by  many, 
"  Butters'  Apples,"  from  the  name  of  the  person  upon  whose 
land  the  original  tree  was  found ;  and  by  others,  "  Woodpecker 
Apples,"  from  the  bird,  whose  constant  flight  to  it  attracted  the 
notice  of  Col.  Baldwin,  and  led  to  the  discovery  of  the  excellency 
of  the  fruit  which  grew  on  it.  But,  on  a  certain  day,  (it  is 
reported)  when  Col.  Baldwin  had  a  party  of  gentlemen  at  his 
house  to  dine,  he  set  before  them  a  dish  of  these  apples  ;  and  one 
of  his  guests,  admiring  their  good  qualities,  asked  him  by  what 
name  they  were  known  ?  "  By  no  name  in  particular,"  the 
Colonel  replied ;  "  call  them,  if  you  please,  Baldwin  apples." 
And  this  has  ever  since  been  their  common  name. 

Col.  Baldwin's  first  wife  was  Mary,  daughter  of  James  Fowle,  Esq : 
for  many  years  Town  Clerk  of  Woburn.  His  children  by  her 
were: 

1.  Cyrus,  for  many  years  the  respected  agent  of  the  Middlesex 
Canal  Company,  residing  at  the  head  of  the  canal  in  Chelmsford. 

2.  Mary,  who  died  young,  of  scarlet  fever,  May  13,  1776,  when 
her  father  was  absent  in  the  war. 

3.  Benjamin  Franklin,  Esq.,  who  died  suddenly  October  1821,  as 
he  was  on  his  return  to  Woburn  from  the  catfte  show  in  Brighton. 

4.  Loammi,  Esq.,  born  in  1780,  graduated  at  Harvard  Univer- 
sity, 1800,  a  well  known  and  highly  respected  civil  engineer  ;  died 
in  1838. 

5.  Hon.  James  Fowle,  born  in  1782  ;  settled  in  Boston   as  a 
merchant ;  sometime  member  of  the  Senate  of  Massachusetts,  for 
the  County  of  Suffolk ;  and  prominent  among  the  Commissioners 
for  introducing  pure  water  into  Boston  from  the  lake  Cochituate. 
He  died  after  a  very  short  illness,  May  20,  1862. 

Col.  Baldwin's  first  wife,  Mary,  dying  September  27,  1786,51 
he  married  for  his  second  wife,  Margaret,  daughter  of  Josiah 
Fowle,  of  Woburn.  »His  children  by  her  were : 

1.  Clarissa,  wife  of  Thomas  B.  Coolidge. 

2.  George  R.,  born  in  1798,  and  now  (1867)  the  only  surviving 
child  of  Col.  Loammi  Baldwin.     He  is  still  the  proprietor  of  the 
original  farm  of  his  ancestors,  and  the  occupant  of  the  spacious 
mansion  of  his  father. 

Col.  Baldwin's  second  wife,  Margaret,  died  August  8,  1799.51 
He  himself  deceased  October  20,  1807.51 

•"•'  Diary  of  Samuel  Thompson,  Esq. 


390  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

Benjamin  Thompson,  Count  Rumford,  was  a  descendant  of  the 
fifth  generation  from  James  Thompson,  who  was  born,  in  England 
probably,  in  1593,  emigrated  to  New  England  about  1630  ;  took  up 
his  abode  at  Charlestown,  Mass.,  was  admitted  with  his  wife  Eliza- 
beth into  the  church  of  Charlestown,  July  81,  1633  ;  became  one 
of  the  earliest  settlers  of  Woburn,  being  a  subscriber  with  thirty- 
one  others  to  the  original  Town  Orders  in  December  1640  ;  was  a 
member  of  the  first  Board  of  Selectmen,  chosen  1644 ;  and  died, 
1682,  aged  eighty-nine  years. 

Benjamin  Thompson,  his  father,  was  the  son  of  Capt.  Ebenezer 
Thompson  and  Hannah  (Convers)  his  wife  ;  was  born  November  27, 
1729  ;  and  married,  1752,  Ruth  Simonds,  daughter  of  Lieut.  James 
Simonds,  a  worthy  descendant  of  the  third  generation  from  Wil- 
liam Simouds,  another  of  the  early  settlers  of  Woburn.  Lieut. 
Simonds  served  his  country  in  the  French  and  Indian  wars  ;  was 
an  inhabitant  of  Woburn  Precinct  (now  Burlington) ;  dwelt  in  the 
house,  recently  of  Capt.  Ishmael  Munroe,  that  stood  where  the  road 
from  the  precinct  meeting-house  to  Lexington  intersects  the  an- 
cient road  from  Woburn  Centre  to  Hodge  Hole  Meadows  in  Bur- 
lington ;  was  Precinct  Clerk  from  1733  to  1747;  married  Mary, 
daughter  of  James  and  Mary  Fowle,  of  Woburn,  June  17,  1714 ; 
and  died  July  30,  1775,  aged  eighty-nine. 

Benjamin  Thompson,  the  future  Count  of  Rumford,  and  son  of 
the  above  Benjamin  and  Ruth  Thompson,  was  born  March  26, 
1753,  in  the  west  end  of  the  house  of  his  grandfather,  Capt.  Eben- 
ezer Thompson,  where  his  parents  went  to  live  immediately  after 
their  marriage.  That  house,  an  ancient  two-story  dwelling  house, 
is  still  standing  ;  recently,  till  her  death,  the  home  of  the  Count's 
first  cousin,  the  widow  of  Willard  Jones,  and  situate  a  few  rods 
south  of  the  meeting-house  in  North  Woburn;  at  the  corner  of  the 
road  coming  from  Burlington,  and  of  the  road  leading  from 
Woburn  Centre  to  Wilmington ;  and  is  distinguished  by  a  huge 
willow  tree  growing  directty  in  front  of  it. 

In  this  humble  dwelling,  the  child  Benjamin  continued  to  live 
with  his  mother  and  grandfather  after  the  death  of  his  father,  who 
died  November  7,  1754,  when  the  boy  was  hardly  one  year  and 
eight  months  old.  But  in  March  1756,  his  mother  married,  for  her 
second  husband,  Mr.  Josiah  Pierce,  Jr.,  of  Woburn, 52  and  took  her 

52  "  Josiah  Peirce  junr  entered  his  Intentions  of  Marriage  with  Ruth  Thompson,  both 
Woburn,  Jany  1. 1756."    (Woburn  Records  of  Int.  of  Marriage.) 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  391 

son  Benjamin  with  her  to  her  new  home  ;  a  house,  it  is  said,  that 
once  stood  directly  opposite  the  Baldwin  mansion,  but  is  now  taken 
down,  though  the  cellar  of  it  is  yet  visible. 

He  was  distinguished,  while  yet  a  boy,  by  quickness  of  apprehen- 
sion, fondness  for  books,  and  a  genius  for  mechanical  invention. 
At  a  suitable  age,  he  was  sent  (accompanied  by  his  neighbor  and 
school-mate,  Loammi  Baldwin)  to  that  celebrated  teacher  in 
Woburn,  Master  John  Fowle,  a  graduate  of  Harvard  College,  1747  ; 
who  kept  the  grammar  school  in  his  native  town,  some  ten  or 
twelve  years  in  succession.  By  him  he  was  taught  reading,  writing, 
arithmetic,  and  the  grammar  of  his  own  language,  through  the 
medium  of  the  Latin.  After  leaving  Mr.  Fowle  at  eleven  years  of 
age,  he  was  put  under  the  charge  of  a  Mr.  Hill  of  Medford,  with 
whom  he  proceeded  in  the  study  of  mathematics ;  and  was  also 
taught  astronomy  ;  of  bis  proficiency  in  which,  he  gave  evidence  by 
calculating  eclipses  of  the  sun  and  moon. 

At  the  age  of  thirteen,  he  was  bound  an  apprentice  to  Mr.  John 
Appleton,  a  respectable  merchant  in  Salem  ;  and  while  he  was  with 
him,  he  industriously  improved  his  leisure  moments  in  extending 
his  acquaintance  with  mathematics  and  physical  science.  But 
this  gentleman,  having  in  consequence  of  the  growing  difficulties 
between  Great  Britain  and  her  Colonies,  entered  into  the  non- 
importation agreement,  his  business  became  so  contracted,  that  he 
no  longer  needed  an  apprentice  ;  and  young  Thompson  was  allowed 
to  return  to  his  mother's  in  Woburn.  From  the  same  cause,  he  left 
the  employ  of  Mr.  Hopestill  Capen,  a  dry  goods  dealer  in  Boston, 
in  whose  store,  some  time  after  he  quitted  Mr.  Appleton,  he  was 
engaged  in  the  Spring  of  1770  as  a  clerk. 

The  leisure  which  these  successive  relinquishments  of  commercial 
pursuits  gave  young'  Thompson,  was  diligently  employed  by  him 
either  in  school-keeping,  or  in  the  cultivation  of  his  own  mind. 
In  the  winter  of  1768-9,  we  find  him  teaching  a  school  at  Wilming- 
ton. And  in  the  summer  of  1709,  he  applied  himself  to  the  study 
of  anatomy  and  physiology,  under  the  direction  of  Dr.  John  Hay, 
a  physician  then  resident  in  Woburn,  with  a  view  to  qualifying 
himself  for  the  practice  of  medicine. 

In  the  summer  of  1770,  after  quitting  Mr.  Capen's  store  in 
Boston,  he  and  his  friend  and  school-mate,  Loammi  Baldwin, 
obtained  liberty  to  attend  Professor  Winthrop's  course  of  lectures 
upon  Natural  Philosophy,  delivered  in  Harvard  College.  This 


392  HISTORY  OP   WOBURN. 

was  a  privilege  which  was  highly  appreciated  by  them  both.  In 
their  attendance  upon  these  lectures,  they  were  accustomed  to 
walk  from  Woburn  to  Cambridge ;  and  upon  their  return,  they 
would  employ  themselves  in  attempts  to  illustrate  the  principles 
which  they  had  heard  laid  down  in  the  lecture-room,  by  experi- 
ments and  rude  instruments  of  their  own  contriving. 

In  the  autumn  of  1770,  he  took  charge  of  a  school  at  Concord, 
N.  H.,  (then  called  Rumford)  ;  and  while  fulfilling  this  engage- 
ment, he  became  acquainted  with  Mrs.  Sarah  Rolfe,  daughter  of 
Rev.  Timothy  Walker,  the  first  minister  of  the  place,  and  widow 
of  Col.  Benjamin  Rolfe,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Concord,  and 
a  gentleman  of  influence  there,  who  deceased  in  1770.  This  lady 
he  married,  in  1772,  and  came  into  possession  by  her  of  a  large 
property.  And  attending  with  her,  not  long  after  their  marriage, 
a  military  muster  at  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  he  was  introduced  to 
Gov.  Wentworth,  who  conceived  such  an  esteem  for  him,  that 
he  quickly  after  conferred  on  him  the  office  of  Major,  in  one  of 
the  New  Hampshire  regiments. 

But  this  sudden  military  promotion  was  deeply  resented  by  the 
officers  over  whose  heads  he  had  been  unexpectedly  elevated. 
Henceforth,  they  omitted  no  opportunity  of  doing  him  an  injury. 
At  the  commencement  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  they  but  too 
successfully, spread  an  insinuation  that  he  was  disaffected  to  the 
cause  of  his  country ;  and  that  he  held  a  criminal  correspondence 
with  Gov.  Wentworth  and  Gen.  Gage.  To  refute  this  latter 
charge,  he  solemnly  averred  that  the  correspondence  he  had 
holden  with  Gov.  Wentworth  was  not  of  a  political  character, 
and  was  begun  before  the  Governor  avowed  himself  a  tory,  and 
while  his  administration  was  popular  with  all  parties  ;  and  that 
his  only  letter  to  Gen.  Gage  consisted  of  six  lines,  requesting 
him  to  order  that  two  deserters  from  the  British  army,  in  1774, 
whom  he  had  employed  on  his  farm  in  Concord,  N.  H.,  and  whom 
Gen.  Gage  had  pardoned  upon  their  return  to  their  ranks,  at 
the  intercession  of  Maj.  Thompson  while  in  Boston,  might  not 
publicly  reveal  the  name  of  their  successful  advocate  with  the 
General  on  their  behalf. 

But  no  defence  he  could  make,  no  explanation  he  could  offer  of 
the  charges  alleged  against  him,  could  free  him  from  public  sus- 
picion and  obloquy.  At  Concord,  he  was  not  suffered  to  remain  in 
safety  and  peace :  and  when  he  came  to  Woburn,  he  was  on  one 


HISTORY  OF   WOBURN.  393 

memorable  occasion  in  danger  of  personal  violence,  from  which, 
probably,  only  the  interposition  of  his  friend,  Baldwin,  delivered 
him ;  and,  on  another  occasion,  he  was  arrested  and  tried  in  the 
meeting-house  at  Woburn,  before  the  Committee  of  Correspond- 
ence, upon  the  charge  of  disaffection  to  the  cause  of  his  country. 
This  trial  resulted  in  his  release  from  arrest,  but  a  refusal  on  the 
part  of  the  court  to  give  him  a  full  acquittal.  Considering  this 
refusal  as  unjust,  he  appealed  to  the  Committee  of  Safety  for  the 
colony,  which  referred  him  to  the  Provincial  Congress  ;  and  this 
body  declined  acting  on  the  petition  he  presented  them.  Deeply 
resenting  this  treatment,  and  the  insults  to  which  he  was  con- 
stantly subjected,  finding  that  the  actual  services  he  was  occasion- 
ally enabled  to  render  the  popular  cause  were  insufficient  to  secure 
him  the  public  confidence,  and  that  his  repeated  efforts  to  obtain 
a  command  in  the  army  of  his  country  were  unavailing,  he  at 
length  made  up  his  mind  to  remove  to  a  distance  from  this  scene 
of  trial.  Accordingly,  in  a  letter  to  his  father-in-law,  Rev.  Timo- 
thy "Walker,  he  assures  him,  that  not  being  conscious  of  any 
feelings  or  acts  in  his  political  career  that  were  inimical  to  the 
interests  of  the  land  of  his  birth,  he  could  not  conscientiously 
make  any  confessions  to  his  opponents,  (as  that  gentleman  had 
proposed  he  might  do,  for  the  sake  of  appeasing  their  animosity)  ; 
he  assigns  reasons  why  he  deemed  it  imperatively  necessary  to 
retire  to  some  place  at  a  distance  from  his  friends  in  this  vicinity ; 
and  earnestly  and  affectionately  commends  his  wife  and  daughter 
to  his  care.53  And  then  collecting  what  money  he  could,  from 
every  resource  at  his  command,  and  giving  out,  that  having  failed 
to  obtain  employment  in  the  northern  army,  he  was  going  south 
to  find  means  of  support,  he  left  Cambridge,  October  10,  1775  ; 
and  going  to  the  nearest  post-town,  accompanied  by  Josiah 
Peirce,  Jr.,  (3d?)  his  half  brother,  he  there  dismissed  him;  and 
then  went  on  his  way,  leaving  his  relatives  and  friends  here  in 
utter  uncertainty  where  he  was,  how  he  was  situated,  and  what  he 
was  doing,  till  the  revolutionary  struggle  was  over. 

Maj.  Thompson  himself  proceeded  directly  to  Newport ;  and 
finding  there  the  next  day  a  boat  belonging  to  the  British  Frigate 
Scarborough,  he  was  conveyed  in  it  to  the  frigate,  which  took  him 
on  board  ;  and  after  remaining  in  it  a  few  days,  he  was  landed  at 
Boston,  which  was  still  occupied  by  Gen.  Gage,  and  his  army. 

»  Renwick'8  Life,  Appendix,  pp.  210-218,  In  Sparks's  Collection. 


394  HISTORY   OP   WOBTJBN. 

And  when  Gage's  successor,  Gen.  Howe,  evacuated  Boston,  in 
March  following,  he  sent  his  despatches  containing  the  news  to 
England  by  Thompson,  who  re-embarked  in  the  ship  which  had  con- 
veyed him  to  Boston,  while  Gen.  Howe  himself  with  his  army 
sailed  for  Halifax. 

The  despatches  borne  by  Thompson  were  directed  to  Lord 
George  Germaine,  Secretary  of  State  for  the  department,  to  which 
the  affairs  of  the  colonies  were  intrusted.  By  this  powerful  min- 
ister, he  was  very  graciously  received,  and  immediately  offered 
employment  in  his  own  department,  which  Thompson  thankfully 
accepted,  and  entered  at  once  on  the  discharge  of  his  official  duties. 
And  in  this  employment  he  acquitted  himself  with  so  much  ability 
and  faithfulness,  that  within  four  years  from  his  arrival  in  England, 
he  was  advanced  to  the  dignity  of  "  under  Secretary  of  State." 

Early  in  1784,  being  on  a  tour  to  the  continent,  Col.  Thomp- 
son received  a  flattering  invitation  from  Charles  Frederick,  Elector 
and  reigning  Duke  of  Bavaria,  to  come  and  reside  with  him  at 
Munich  his  Capital,  with  encouraging  assurances  of  advantageous 
employment.  Being  inclined  to  accept  this  invitation,  he  went 
back  to  England  shortly  after  receiving  it,  to  obtain  permission 
from  the  King  to  enter  into  the  service  of  a  foreign  prince.  Such 
permission  was  readily  granted  him.  And,  as  a  testimonial  of  the 
royal  approbation  of  his  labors  while  in  England,  the  king  conferred 
on  him  the  honor  of  knighthood,  accepted  his  resignation  as  a 
colonel  of  dragoons,  (an  office  with  which  he  had  been  recently 
invested,)  and  allowed  him  to  retain  the  half  pay  of  his  military 
rank  ;  a  privilege  which  was  continued  to  him  through  life. 

Going  from  England  to  Munich,  before  the  close  of  the  year 
1784,  he  found  an  honorable  post  assigned  him  near  the  person  of 
the  sovereign ;  and  there  he  at  once  commenced  a  series  of  exer- 
tions and  labors,  which  proved  very  successful,  and  highly  bene- 
ficial both  to  the  government  and  to  the  public.  He  effected  very 
important  reforms  in  the  military  establishment  of  the  country. 
He  brought  about  arrangements,  by  which  the  soldiers  were  better 
fed,  clothed  and  paid  ;  were  encouraged  in  various  industrial  pur- 
suits for  the  benefit  of  themselves  and  families :  schools  were 
founded,  in  which  they  and  their  children  were  instructed  gratis  in 
the  rudiments  of  learning ;  and  workshops  were  provided,  in  which 
their  uniforms  were  made,  and  military  equipments  were  wrought 
by  their  own  hands  and  those  of  their  wives,  the  State  furnishing 
the  raw  materials. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  395 

He  adopted  measures  likewise,  by  which  mendicity,  that  had 
grown  to  be  an  enormous  evil  in  Munich,  was  utterly  abolished 
there.  But  while  he  put  down  beggary  in  Munich,  he  instituted 
means,  by  which,  through  the  voluntary  contributions  of  its  inhab- 
itants, and  the  countenance  and  aid  of  the  principal  officers  of 
State,  and  by  a  council  chosen  by  them  from  among  the  people, 
the  poor  were  in  all  respects  amply  provided  for,  were  trained  und 
inured  to  habits  of  honest  industry,  and  were  led  to  cherish  senti- 
ments of  self-respect,  which  fostered  in  them  both  the  desire  and. 
the  ability  to  get  their  own  living,  and  to  make  themselves  inde- 
pendent of  the  public  aid.  These  benevolent,  disinterested  labors 
of  Sir  Benjamin  Thompson  for  the  poor  of  Munich  kindled  in  them 
the  warmest  sentiments  of  veneration,  gratitude,  and  love ;  senti- 
ments of  which  they  repeatedly  gave  public  unmistakable  tokens. 
On  occasion  of  his  being  once  seized  with  a  dangerous  illness, 
while  he  had  the  management  of  the  workhouse  established  for 
their  benefit,  "  its  inmates,"  we  are  told,  "  went  in  procession  to 
the  cathedral,  where,  at  their  request,  divine  service  was  performed, 
and  public  prayers  offered  for  his  recovery :  and  four  years  after- 
wards, when  the  news  of  his  being  ill  at  Naples  reached  Mu- 
nich, they  voluntarily  set  apart  an  hour  each  evening,  to  join  in 
supplications  for  his  restoration  to  health."  54 

Nor  was  it  by  the  poor  only  that  he  was  honored,  revered,  and 
caressed.  Many  were  the  tokens  conferred  on  him  of  the  high 
esteem  in  which  he  was  held  for  his  abilities  and  worth  by  his 
noble  friend,  the  Elector,  and  by  the  literati  of  Bavaria,  and  other 
countries  of  Germany.  Among  the  numerous  honorary  distinctions 
awarded  him,  was  his  admission  "  as  a  member  of  the  two  acade- 
mies of  Munich  and  Manheim  ;  "  his  election  in  1787  as  "  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Academy  of  Science  at  Berlin ; "  his  appointment  of 
44  Councillor  of  State  "  to  the  Elector  ;  Lieut.-General  of  the  Army 
of  Bavaria;  "  Commander-in-chief  of  the  General  Staff';"  "Min- 
ister of  War  ; "  "  Superintendent  of  the  Police  of  the  Electorate  ;  " 
and  to  crown  all,  "  in  the  interval  between  the  death  of  the 
Emperor  Joseph,  and  the  coronation  of  his  successor  Leopold," 
his  friend,  the  Elector,  becoming  Vicar  of  the  empire,  availed 
himself  of  the  prerogatives  of  that  office,  to  make  him  '•  a  Count  of 
the  Holy  Roman  Empire."  "  In  receiving  the  last  dignity,  he 
chose  a  title  in  remembrance  of  the  country  of  his  nativity,  and  of 

«  Eenwick's  Lifu,  Chap,  vi.,  p.  98. 


396  HISTORY   OP   WOBUBN. 

the  place  endeared  by  recollections  both  of  pleasure  and  pain  ;  and 
was  thenceforth  known  as  Count  of  Ruinford,  from  one  of  the 
names  by  which  the  residence  of  his  wife  had  been  distinguished."  M 

After  a  residence  of  about  ten  years  in  Bavaria,  his  health 
became  impaired,  and  he  sought  relief  in  a  journey  to  Naples. 
But  this  expedient  proving  ineffectual,  he,  on  his  return  to  Munich, 
obtained  leave  to  visit  England  again,  which. he  did  in  1795, 
after  an  absence  of  eleven  years.  Here  he  received  great  atten- 
tion from  his  former  friends  and  associates,  was  consulted  in  almost 
all  schemes  for  the  promotion  of  public  benevolent  ends,  and 
published  his  essays  for  the  improvement  of  fireplaces,  and  the 
cure  of  smoky  chimneys.  And  now  having  recovered  his  health, 
(his  principal  inducement  for  making  this  visit  to  England)  he 
was  enabled  advantageously  to  pursue  his  philosophical  inquiries 
and  experiments  both  in  England  and  in  Ireland,  when  alarming 
intelligence  from  the  Electorate  hastened  his  departure  from  Lon- 
don to  Munich.  Arriving  in  that  city  early  in  1796,  he  found  it 
in  a  state  of  terror  and  consternation.  The  war  between  France 
and  Austria,  which  followed  the  French  Revolution,  had  brought 
an  army  of  each  of  the  contending  parties  into  the  neighborhood, 
or  to  the  very  walls  of  the  city.  And  the  Elector,  alarmed  for  his 
own  safety,  fled  from  his  capital,  eight  days  after  the  arrival 
of  Rumford,  having  first  appointed  him  head  of  the  Council 
of  Regency,  during  his  absence.  Availing  himself  of  the  power 
conferred  on  him  by  this  appointment,  Rumford  put  himself  at 
the  head  of  the  Bavarian  forces,  and  by  his  resolute  yet  prudent 
management,  he  induced  both  the  opposing  armies  to  desist  from 
their  threatened  hostile  purposes,  and  to  retire  ;  thus  averting  the 
danger  which  threatened  the  city,  and  opening  a  way  for  the  Elec- 
tor's return.  For  this,  his  services,  the  inhabitants  of  Munich 
gave  Rumford  unequivocal  tokens  of  their  gratitude.  And  the 
Elector  loaded  him  with  new  honors,  and  permitted  him  to  settle 
one-half  of  the  pension  which  he  allowed  him  on  his  daughter, 
(who  had  accompanied  him  thither  from  England,)  and  extended 
its  term  to  the  duration  of  her  life.56 

To  recover  his  health,  which  was  again  giving  way,  he  was 
induced,  with  the  elector's  leave,  to  make  another  journey  to 
England,  accompanied  by  his  daughter,  in  1798.  While  there, 
the  fame  of  his  attainments  in  learning,  philosophy  and  usefulness 

BO  Renwick'e  Life,  Chap,  iv.,  pp.  69-71.  «>  Kenwiek's  Life,  Chap,  ix.,  p.  156. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  397 

having  spread  far  and  wide,  he  received  a  formal  invitation  from 
the  government  of  the  United  States  to  revisit  his  native  land. 
This  invitation,  his  daughter  was  very  urgent  with  him  to  accept 
immediately.  He  himself  was  strongly  inclined  to  do  so ;  and 
wrote  to  his  friend,  Col.  Loammi  Baldwin,  of  Woburn,  Mass.,  to 
secure  for  him  a  house  and  land  in  the  vicinity  of  Cambridge, 
which  he  might  make  the  place  of  his  residence  on  his  arrival,  and 
leave  to  his  daughter  for  a  home,  when  he  had  done  with  it.  But 
being,  in  the  mean  while,  earnestly  solicited  to  assist  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  "Royal  Institution,"  an  institution  patronized  by 
the  King,  aided  by  liberal  contributions  of  the  wealthy,  and 
designed,  according  to  its  charter,  for  "  diffusing  the  knowledge, 
and  facilitating  the  general  introduction  of  useful  mechanical 
inventions  and  improvements,  and  for  teaching,  by  courses  of 
philosophical  lectures  and  experiments,  the  application  of  science 
to  the  useful  purposes  of  life,"  he  was  reluctantly  persuaded,  from 
motives  of  duty,  to  postpone  his  intended  visit  to  the  United 
States,  and  never  afterwards  found  it  convenient  to  resume  it.57 

The  death  of  the  Elector,  Charles  Frederic,  Rumford's  zealous 
patron,  benefactor,  and  fast  friend,  in  1799,  changed  the  whole 
future  course  of  his  life.  For  the  Elector's  nephew  and  successor, 
Prince  Maximilian  Joseph  Deux  Fonts,  though  the  first  to  intro- 
duce Rumford  to  the  notice  of  his  uncle,  and  still  friendly  to  him, 
was  so  wrought  upon  by  his  nobles,  who  were  jealous  of  the  fame 
and  influence  of  Rumford,  as  to  show  himself  indisposed  to  find 
him  the  employment  which  the  old  Elector  had.  This  state  of 
things,  Rumford  perceived  upon  his  return  from  England  to  Bava- 
ria. And,  disappointed  and  mortified  by  the  neglect  he  had  to 
submit  to,  having  first  assisted  in  reorganizing  "  the  Bavarian 
Academy  of  Sciences,"  he  took  his  final  leave  of  the  Electorate.58 

But  he  did  not  go  from  it  without  leaving  behind,  in  the  hearts 
of  the  people,  a  grateful  remembrance  of  his  benevolent  exertions, 
not  only  for  the  correction  of  great  evils  existent  among  them, 
and  for  the  advancement  of  their  highest  and  best  worldly  inter- 
ests, but  also  for  the  promotion  of  their  pleasure,  entertainment 
and  comfort,  in  their  leisure  moments.  To  use  the  words  of  his 
biographer,  "  In  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Munich  was  a  large 
extent  of  waste  land,  which  had  formerly  been  a  hunting  ground  of 
the  Prince  :  and  although  the  game  had  long  since  been  extirpated, 

,*Renwick'8  Life,  Ch.  ix.,  pp.  157-161.  »  Kan-wick'i  Life,  Cb.  ix.,  pp.  164-1M. 

35 


398  HISTORY   OF   WOBTTRN. 

and  the  forest  had  disappeared,  it  was  still  the  property  of  the 
Elector.  Rumford,  who  had  in  England  imbibed  a  taste  for  the 
art  of  landscape  gardening  ....  proposed  to  render  this  profit- 
able, by  converting  portions  of  it  into  a  '  ferine  ornee,'  [an  orna- 
mental farm,]  while  other  parts  were  laid  out  in  walks  and  drives, 
for  the  recreation  of  the  inhabitants  of  Munich.  The  circuit  of 
the  grounds  was  six  miles,  around  which  a  road  was  constructed, 
embellished  at  intervals  with  picturesque  cottages  and  dwellings, 
that  were  occupied  by  the  tenants  who  cultivated  portions  of  the 
ground,  or  by  those  employed  in  superintending  and  taking  care 
of  the  grounds. 

"  To  diversify  the  features  of  the  ground,  a  space  was  excavated, 
which  filled  with  water,  formed  a  beautiful  artificial  lake,  while  the 
earth  removed  from  it  was  employed  to  form  a  mount  (mound  ?). 
To  accommodate  the  citizens  in  search  of  recreation,  a  public 
coffee-house  was  erected,  and  committed  to  the  charge  of  a  respec- 
table keeper,  while  edifices  intended  for  embellishment,  afforded 
seats  at  the  best  points  of  view. 

"  After  Rumford  left  Bavaria,  the  principal  nobility  and  inhab- 
itants of  Munich  chose  to  express  their  gratitude  for  his  exertions 
in  procuring  them  this  place  of  recreation,  by  erecting  a  monument 
to  commemorate  his  agency,  on  which  they  also  caused  to  be  recor- 
ded his  services  in  rooting  out  mendicity,  and  founding  institutions 
for  education."  59 

89  "  This  monument  is  of  a  quadrangular  form,  having  two  principal 
fronts  opposite  to  each  other,  ornamented  with  basso  relievos  and  inscrip- 
tions. On  one  side  is  an  inscription  in  the  German  language,  of  which  the 
following  is  a  literal  translation :  — 

" '  Stay,  Wanderer. 
At  the  creative  flat  of  Charles  Theodore, 

Rumford,  the  Friend  of  Mankind, 
By  Genius,  Taste,  and  Love  inspired, 
Changed  this  once  desert  Place 
Into  what  thou  now  beholdest.' 

"  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  monument,  under  a  bust  of  Count  Rum- 
ford: 

" '  To  him, 
Who  rooted  out  the  greatest  of  public  Evils, 

Idleness  and  Mendicity, 
Relieved  and  instructed  the  Poor, 
And  founded  many  Institutions 
For  the  Education  of  our  Youth. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  399 

After  quitting  Bavaria,  having  employed  himself  some  time  in 
travelling  in  Germany,  Italy,  and  Switzerland,  Rumford  arrived  at 
length  in  Paris,  where  he  was  received  with  all  due  honor  and  dis- 
tinction. His  daughter  had  now  left  him,  having  returned  to 
America  about  the  time  he  gave  up  his  projected  voyage  to  his 
native  land.  And  the  Count  himself  becoming  acquainted  at  Paris 
with  the  widowed  lady  of  Lavoisier,  the  celebrated  chemist,  a 
mutual  attachment  between  them  ensued,  which  terminated  in  their 
marriage,  as  soon  as  the  requisite  certificates  of  his  own  birth,  and 
of  the  death  of  his  first  wife  (which  he  had  written  his  daughter  in 
July  1804  to  procure  for  him)  could  be  obtained  from  the  United 
States.  He  now  took  up  his  abode  in  the  village  of  Auteuil  (near 
Paris),  which  had  belonged  to  his  wife's  former  husband,  and  been 
the  seat  of  many  of  his  important  discoveries  in  physical  and  chem- 
ical science.  And  here  Rumford  himself  continued  to  pursue  his 
philosophical  inquiries  and  studies,  till  death  removed  him  from  the 
world.  His  decease,  occasioned  by  a  fever,  occurred  August  21, 
1814,  at  his  villa  in  Auteuil,  in  the  sixty-second  year  of  his  age, 
"  depriving  mankind  of  one  of  its  most  eminent  benefactors,  and 
science  of  one  of  its  brightest  ornaments." 60 

Count  Rumford  left  behind  him  many  precious  memorials  of  his 
filial  affection,  and  of  his  general  benevolence  and  largeness  of 
heart. 

In  letters,  written  between  1795  and  1808,  to  his  mother,  who 
lived  to  an  advanced  age,  he  gave  reiterated  assurances  of  his 
warmest  gratitude  and  love ;  and  in  proof  of  this,  he  transmitted 
to  her  ten  thousand  dollars  in  stocks  of  the  United  States,  as  a 
deed  of  gift,  to  be  absolutely  at  her  disposal.  For  his  daughter 
Sarah,  (known  here  as  the  Countess,  who  died  lately  at  Concord, 
N.  H.,)  he  made  ample  provision  for  her  comfort  and  support.  Nor 
did  he  forget,  in  the  distribution  of  his  bounty,  an  unfortunate  sis- 
ter-in-law, Ruth,  a  daughter  of  his  mother  by  her  second  marriage. 
Learning  that  his  mother  had  bequeathed  by  will,  out  of  the  moneys 
he  had  given  her,  a  thousand  dollars  to  his  daughter  Sarah,  he 

Go,  Wanderer, 
And  strive  to  equal  him 
In  Genius  and  Activity, 

And  us 
In  Gratitude.' "» 

•  Renwick's  Life,  Chap,  vil.,  pp  123, 124. 

«>  lienwick's  Life,  Chap,  ix.,  pp.  166-168;  Chap,  xi.,  p.  201. 


400  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

wrote  to  his  mother,  requesting  her  to  make  a  new  will,  and  to 
devise  to  Ruth  the  legacy  she  had  intended  for  Sarah.61 

Nor  did  he  confine  his  beneficence  to  the  narrow  circle  of  his 
family  connections  and  early  friends.  In  the  year  1796,  being  at 
that  time  in  London,  "  he  presented  to  the  American  Academy  of 
Arts  and  Sciences  at  Boston,  five  thousand  dollars,  in  the  three  per 
cent  Stocks  of  the  United  States "...."  to  the  end  that  the 
interest  of  the  same  may  be  received  from  time  to  time  forever, 
and  the  amount  of  the  same  applied  and  given,  once  every  second 
year,  as  a  premium  to  the  author  of  the  most  important  discovery, 
or  useful  improvement,  which  shall  be  made  and  published  by  print- 
ing, or  in  any  way  made  known  to  the  public,  in  any  part  of  the 
continent  of  America,  or  in  any  of  the  American  islands,  during  the 
preceding  two  years,  on  heat,  or  on  light ;  the  preference  always 
being  given  to  such  discoveries,  as  shall,  in  the  opinion  of  the 
academy,  tend  most  to  promote  the  good  of  mankind."  62 

"  By  his  Will,  Count  Rumford  bequeathed  to  Harvard  College 
one  thousand  dollars  annually,  and  the  reversion  of  other  sums, 
for  the  purpose  of  founding  a  professorship  '  to  teach,  by  regular 
courses  of  academical  and  public  lectures,  accompanied  with  proper 
experiments,  the  utility  of  the  physical  and  mathematical  sciences, 
for  the  improvement  of  the  useful  arts,  and  for  the  extension  of 
the  industry,  prosperity,  happiness,  and  well-being  of  society.' 
The  amount  of  property  which  came  into  the  hands  of  the  corpo- 
ration of  the  College,  in  1815,  after  the  death  of  Count  Rumford, 
was  about  eleven  hundred  dollars  annually,  subject  to  a  deduction 
of  about  two  hundred  dollars  a  year,  payable  to  the  Countess,  his 
daughter,  in  case  she  should  fail  to  receive  her  annuity  of  two 
thousand  florins  from  the  Court  of  Bavaria.  The  University  was 
also  to  receive  the  reversion  of  about  four  hundred  and  forty  dol- 
lars annually,  after  the  death  of  certain  annuitants. 

"  The  Rumford  professorship  was  accordingly  established  in  the 
university,  and  went  into  operation  in  the  year  1816.  Dr.  Jacob 
Bigelow  was  the  first  professor,  who  occupied  the  chair  eleven 
years,  and  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Daniel  Treadwell.  Hitherto  this 
foundation  has  produced  all  the  benefits  which  the  liberal  donor 
could  have  anticipated.  A  course  of  lectures  is  annually  delivered 
to  the  undergraduates  and  other  students  of  the  university.  The 
aggregate  amount  of  the  fund  at  this  time,  according  to  the  Treas- 

M  Renwick's  Life,  Appendix,  pp.  J07-209.  «*  Renwick's  Life,  Appendix,  p.  202. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBUEN.  401 

urer's  last  Annual  Report  is  about  twenty-nine  thousand  dollars. 
A  valuable  apparatus,  consisting  of  machines,  models  and  instru- 
ments, suitable  for  illustrating  the  topics  embraced  in  the  lectures, 
has  been  added  to  the  department."  63 

In  view  of  the  literary  studies,  of  the  diversified  labors  and  sacri- 
fices of  Count  Ruinford  to  benefit  his  fellow-men,  as  well  as  of  the 
final  disposal  of  his  property,  all  must  acknowledge  him  entitled  to 
the  highest  praise,  as  a  practical  philosopher  and  philanthropist, 
an  ardent  lover  of  learning,  and  friend  to  the  cause  of  humanity. 

In  respect  to  his  religious  sentiments,  Rumford  cherished  appar- 
ently unshaken  faith  in  the  being  and  infinite  perfections,  the 
universal  providence  and  government  of  God.  In  speaking  upon 
this  subject,  his  biographer  observes, 

" Above  all,  in  his  inquiries  he  never  lost  sight  of  the 

most  important  object  of  science,  its  bearing  upon  the  evidences 
of  natural  theology ;  and,  at  every  new  step  in  his  discoveries, 
pauses  to  show  in  what  manner  they  illustrate  the  power1  and  wis- 
dom of  the  Deity.  After  dwelling  upon  this  subject,  he  goes  on 
to  say,  — 

"  '  But  I  must  take  care  not  to  tire  my  reader  by  pursuing  these 
speculations  too  far.  If  I  have  persisted  in  them,  if  I  have  dwelt 
upon  them  with  peculiar  satisfaction  and  complacency,  it  is  because 
I  think  them  uncommonly  interesting,  and  also  because  I  conceived 
they  might  be  of  use  in  this  age  of  refinement  and  skepticism. 

'"If,  among  barbarous  nations,  the  fear  of  a  God,  and  the  prac- 
tice of  religious  duties,  tend  to  soften  savage  dispositions,  and  to 
prepare  the  mind  for  those  sweet  enjoyments  which  result  from 
peace,  order,  and  friendly  intercourse ;  a  belief  in  the  existence  of 
a  Supreme  Intelligence,  who  rules  and  governs  the  universe  with 
wisdom  and  goodness,  is  not  less  essential  to  the  happiness  of 
those,  who,  by  cultivating  their  mental  powers,  have  learnt  to  know 
how  little  can  be  known.' " 64 

It  is  truly  refreshing  to  read  the  above  passage,  dictated,  as  it 
was,  by  one  so  eminent  for  learning  and  practical  philosophy,  as 
Count  Rumford,  and  bearing  his  testimony,  as  it  does,  to  truths 
lying  at  the  foundation  of  all  true  religion.  And  it  would  have 
been  exceedingly  gratifying  to  have  closed  the  foregoing  brief 
sketch  of  him  in  this  History  of  Woburn,  his  native  place,  with 
an  additional  statement  upon  good  authority,  that  he  was  a  pro- 

«  Renwick's  Life,  Appendix,  p.  206.  ««  Renwick'a  Life,  Chap,  xi.,  pp.  196, 197. 

35* 


402  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

fessed  Christian,  an  exemplary,  consistent  follower  of  the  meek 
and  holy  Jesus.  But  such  a  statement,  his  biography,  so  often 
quoted  above,  does  not,  in  any  passage  that  has  been  observed, 
warrant  to  be  made  concerning  him.  It  is  true  that  Rumford  is 
once  or  twice  there  presented,  as  calling  himself  a  Protestant,  in 
distinction  from  the  Catholic  population  around  him.  Such  an 
avowal  is  a  sufficient  proof  that  he  preferred  the  Protestant  to  the 
Catholic  understanding  of  the  Christian  religion.  But  it  seems 
far  from  being  equivalent  to  an  express  declaration  of  faith  in  the 
gospel  of  Christ,  and  a  serious,  habitual  purpose  to  be  governed 
by  its  principles  and  rules. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Difficulties  in  which  the  Town  was  Involved  at  the  Conclusion  of  the 
Revolutionary  War. — Its  Opposition  to  the  Return  of  the  Refugees. 
Its  Stand  in  Shay's  Rebellion.  —  Its  Embarrassments  by  Debt. — 
Measures  for  Payment  of  Debt.  —  Middlesex  Canal.  —  Schools  from 
1775  to  1866.  — New  Orders  for  School  Districts.  —  New  School- 
houses.  —  Warren  Academy.  —  Incorporation  of  Burlington.  —  Public 
Solemnities  at  the  Death  of  Washington. 

THOUGH  the  peace  agreed  upon,  1783,  between  Great  Britain 
and  the  United  States  had  put  a  stop  to  the  War  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, yet,  the  bitterness  and  animosity  which  that  war  had  given 
rise  to,  were  not  at  once  allayed.  In  particular,  the  hard 
thoughts  and  inimical  feelings,  which  the  refugees  (as  they  were 
termed)  had  excited  in  their  former  brethren  and  fellow-citizens, 
against  themselves,  by  fleeing  from  their  native  country,  and 
declining  to  take  part  with  its  defenders  in  their  contest  for 
liberty  and  independence,  still  rankled  in  the  breasts  of  multi- 
tudes. Such  feelings  were  manifested  in  Woburn,  especially  on 
the  following  occasion. 

At  a  general  town  meeting,  May  12,  1783,  "  Voted,  that  the 
Selectmen  draw  up  a  letter,  as  an  answer  to  a  letter  received 
from  the  town  of  Boston,  relative  to  the  return  of  Absentees  and 
Conspirators,  dated  April  the  10th.  1783,  and  send  it  to  said 
town." 

"  Unanimously  Voted  it  as  their  opinion,  that  the  Absentees 
and  Conspirators  or  Refugees  ought  never  to  be  suffered  to 
return,  but  be  excluded  from  having  lot  or  portion  among  us." 1 

At  the  samp  time,  a  committee,  consisting  of  Mr.  William 
Scott,  Col.  Loammi  Baldwin  and  Capt.  John  Wood,  was  appointed 
to  draft  instructions  to  their  representative  in  General  Court, 
upon  this  and  other  interesting  subjects,  and  to  submit  them  to 

1  Town  Record*,  Vol.  X.,  p.  293. 


404  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

the  town  for  its  acceptance,  on  the  day  that  meeting  should  be 
adjourned  to. 

Accordingly,  such  instructions  were  laid  before  the  town  by 
the  committee  at  their  adjourned  meeting,  May  26th;  and  were 
as  follows : 

"To  Capt.  Samuel  Belknap. 
"  Sir, 

"  The  inhabitants  of  this  town,  convinced  of  your  integrity,  up- 
rightness, and  warm  attachment  to  the  cause  of  liberty  and  interest 
of  your  country  ;  and  having  experienced  your  fidelity,  when  you 
last  filled  that  important  office,  have  now  elected  you  their  repre- 
sentative in  the  Great  and  General  Court. 

"  We  hope  you  will  still  persist  with  that  rectitude  of  conduct 
which  you  have  hitherto  pursued ;  and  that  you,  neither  being  persua- 
ded by  flattery,  intimidated  by  menace,  or  stimulated  by  sinister 
views  or  personal  emoluments,  will  not  deviate  from  that  path  of 
duty,  or  betray  that  confidence  reposed  in  you  by  your  constituents. 

"  The  town  you  represent,  have  voted  your  being  furnished  with 
Instruction  ;  and  has  unanimously  voted  against  the  resettlement 
in  this  State  of  all  such  men,  as  have,  in  our  glorious  contest  for 
liberty,  proved  inimical  to  their  country,  let  them  be  of  whatever 
denomination  ;  whether  stigmatized  by  the  name  of  Tory,  Refugee, 
Conspirator,  or  Absentee. 

"  Although  the  crimes  of  some  have  been  atrocious,  and  that 
[those]  of  others  attended  with  less  criminality  ;  yet  all,  by  their 
good  offices,  their  cash,  and  counsel  to  our  implacable  enemies ; 
[by]  the  bent  of  their  inclination  to  betray  their  country,  or  the 
denial  of  that  assistance  which  was  their  duty  to  perform  in  the 
time  of  danger,  have  forfeited  their  claim  to  our  protection, 
and  must  frustrate  their  overtures  to  become  citizens  of  the  State. 
They  chose  their  Party,  they  chose  their  King,  and  to  their  own 
Master  let  them  stand  or  fall. 

"  Tho'  we  are  (by  the  blessing  of  God)  in  the  peaceable  pos- 
session of  a  land  flowing  with  milk  and  honey,  yet  the  Land  of 
Canaan  will  enjoy  no  rest,  while  the  Philistines  *are  suffered  to 
dwell  amongst  us. 

"  When  the  British  King  (like  Rehoboam  of  old)  answered  our 
Petitions  with  threats  of  whipping  with  scorpions,  and  the  alarm 
was  sounded,  '  To  your  tents,  O  Israel :  what  portion  have  we  in 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  405 

David  ?    Neither  have  we  Inheritance  in  the  Son  of  Jesse  (or 
George)  : '   the  "Whigs  obey'd,  but  the  Tories  shrank  from  danger. 

"  Our  burned  towns,  and  the  wanton  destruction  of  property, 
the  loss  of  our  blood  and  treasure,  must  ever  prove  an  insuperable 
barrier  against  such  men  being  reinstated,  as  became  devotees  to 
the  shrine  of  royalty. 

"  After  delivering  this  compendium  of  our  sentiments,  we  In- 
struct 3rou  to  use  every  effort  to  prevent  the  return  of  men  thus 
characterized,  to  their  former  possessions,  whose  aims  will  be,  to 
sow  the  seeds  of  discord  among  us.  A  little  leaven  may  ferment 
the  whole  mass.  Principiis  obsta,  as  to  vice,  is  a  maxim  inculcated 
by  theologists,  and  amongst  physicians,  for  the  early  suppression 
of  morbific  qualities  :  the  same  maxim  is  applicable  in  politics  inju- 
rious to  the  Commonwealth." 

"  Yort'll  bear  in  mind,  that  Congress  are  obliged  only  to  recom- 
mend, but  they  neither  can  nor  will  offer  coercion. 

"  We  recommend  the  framing  of  such  Acts,  as  tend  to  encourage 
Learning,  Commerce  and  Agriculture.  Lest  enormous  grants,  sala- 
ries, pensions,  etc.,  should  exceed  our  finances,  comparative  views 
are  to  be  taken,  and  strict  economy  observed. 

"  An  Application  to  Congress  is  highly  expedient  to  recommend 
their  Consolidating  their  old  Emission,  and  rousing  it  from  its 
present  lethargic  state,  which  causes  so  much  discontent. 

"  The  shutting  the  Continental  Loan  Office  gives  fresh  alarm, 
and  National  Credit  suffers  reproach.  Reputation,  or  National 
Faith  once  lost,  is  hard  to  be  regain'd  ;  its  preservation  should  be 
guarded  with  caution. 

"  You  will  sacredly  observe  the  foregoing  Instructions,  provided 
they  do  not  militate  with  our  Definitive  Treaty  of  Peace. 
Signed  by  Order  of  the  Town, 

JAMES  FOWLE  Junr.  Town  Clerk. 

* 
"  The  Town  voted  to  accept  of  the  above  Instructions ;  and 

ordered  their  Town  Clerk  to  give  a  Copy  of  the  same  to  Capt. 
Samuel  Belknap,  Representative  for  said  Town,  and  attest  the 
same  in  behalf  of  said  Town."  2 

At  the  close  of  the  war,  the  inhabitants  of  Woburn  were 
in  a  depressed  and  straitened  condition.  The  boon  they  had 

*  Town  Record*,  Vol.  X.,  pp.  294,  295. 


406  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

fought  for  was  won ;  but  not  without  great  sacrifices  of  property 
and  life.  During  the  war,  heavy  losses  had  been  incurred; 
business  had  been  much  deranged;  many  hopes  of  worldly 
prosperity  had  been  disappointed;  numerous  efforts  for  acquir- 
ing, arid  plans  for  securing  worldly  wealth,  had  failed,  or  been 
defeated.  The  town,  likewise,  was  much  in  debt.  To  provide 
money  for  paying  the  bounties  demanded,  in  making  up  its 
quotas  of  men  that  were  at  various  times  called  for,  to  enlist  in 
the  public  service,  the  town  had  been  obliged  to  borrow  con- 
siderable sums  of  money  upon  note ; 3  of  which,  when  pay- 
ment was  demanded,  its  narrow  finances  rendered  it  unable  to 
refund:  so  that,  in  1786,  several  executions  were  issued  in  court 
against  it. 

In  view  of  the  unhappy  situation  the  people  of  Woburn  were 
then  in,  may  be  plausibly  conjectured  the  reasons  of  the  part 
which  they  took  in  Shay's  rebellion,  in  1786-7.  Oppressed  with 
their  own  pecuniary  burdens,  and  suffering  the  like  public 
grievances,  real  or  imaginary,  which  their  brethren  in  the  west- 
ern parts  of  the  State  were  complaining  of,  they  felt  more 
sympathy  with  them  than  was  meet,  when  they  rose  up  in  resist- 
ance to  the  government  that  was  set  over  them,  and  to  the  laws 
of  the  land.  Hence,  when  called  upon  to  assist  by  a  military 
force  to  suppress  the  rebellion,  the  town  voted,  January  29, 
1787, 

"  Not  to  act  upon  the  second  Article  in  the  Warrant,  which 
Article  was,  To  see  if  the  town  will  do  any  thing  concerning 
the  Training  Band  now  sent  for. 

"  Voted,  not  to  give  any  encouragement  to  the  men  called  for, 
to  go  into  the  present  Expedition. 

"  Voted,  not  to  aid  nor  assist  in  the  present  Expedition."  4 
And  though  a  protest  was  immediately  made,  and  entered  in  the 
town  book,  against  the  last  two  votes,  by  thirty-seven  prominent 
and  highly  respectable  citizens ;  and  though  at  an  adjournment 

•  The  principal   due   upon  the  notes  against  the  town  March  1,  1786,  amounted  to 
£1304  Os.  T±d.    For  interest  on  the  same,  £133  Us.  7d.a 
»  Town  Records,  Vol.  X.,  p.  484. 
«  Town  Records,  Vol.  XI.,  p.  67. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  407 

of  the  meeting  two  days  after,  these  same  votes  were  reconsid- 
ered by  the  town  itself;  yet,  at  a  town  meeting,  October  22d, 
following,  "  It  was  Voted  not  to  act  upon  the  Article  relative  to 
making  any  consideration  to  those  persons  that  were  draughted 
to  go  into  the  Government's  service  thirty  days  under  Capt. 
William  Blanchard  in  Jan7  last  past."  5  And  yet  again,  at  a 
meeting  of  the  town,  May  5,  1788,  it  was  "  Voted  Not  to  make 
any  allowance  to  those  persons  that  hired  or  went  in  the  Expe- 
dition from  this  Town  after  Daniel  Shays  in  January  One 
Thousand  Seven  Hundred  and  Eighty  Seven,  agreeable  to  a 
Petition  signed  by  William  Carter  and  others."  6 

Notwithstanding  the  appearance  of  hostility  to  the  govern- 
ment, and  of  favoring  the  rebel  cause,  which  these  votes  mani- 
fest, it  is  not  known  that  any  inhabitant  of  this  town  ever 
openly  joined  the  rebels  in  their  outrageous  attempts.  The 
people  of  Woburn  had  always  hitherto  approved  themselves  as 
loyal  to  the  government  set  over  them,  as  those  of  any  town  in 
the  State.  The  votes  above  referred  to  were  passed  in  a  moment 
of  excitement,  and  under  the  pressure  of  difficulties,  which  the 
majority  of  them  had  been  led,  like  the  rebels,  erroneously  to 
ascribe  to  the  government.  But  when  the  prudent  measures 
which  their  rulers  adopted  had  relieved  them  of  those  diffi- 
culties, and  time  had  opened  their  eyes  to  their  mistake,  in 
supposing  their  government  to  have  been  the  cause  of  them,  their 
former  sentiments  of  loyalty  revived ;  and  they  probably  would 
have  been  ashamed,  within  no  long  time  after,  to  repeat  the 
action  referred  to,  on  the  occurrence  of  any  similar  occasion. 

To  extricate  itself  from  its  pecuniary  embarrassments,  the  town 
had  recourse,  at  different  times,  between  1783  and  1789,  to  va- 
rious expedients. 

The  treasurer  was  authorized  to  put  off  all  the  paper  money 
of  the  new  emission  in  his  hands,  belonging  to  the  town,  to  the 
best  advantage ;  and  to  deliver  all  the  paper  money  of  the  old 
emission  belonging  to  the  town,  that  was  lying  in  his  hands,  to 
Mr.  Isaac  Johnson,  who  was  to  dispose  of  it  in  the  best  manner 

•  Town  Recorda,  Vol.  XI.,  p.  108.  «  Town  Records,  Vol.  XI.,  p.  164. 


408  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

he  could ;  taking  care  not  to  allow  more  than  one  hundred  and 
ffty  paper  dollars  for  one  hard  one:  and  both  persons  to  be 
accountable  to  the  town.7 

He  was  authorized  to  call  in  all  debts  due  to  the  town  upon 
note,  from  persons  he  judged  able  to  pay :  and  to  sell,  at  public 
auction,  certain  parcels  of  real  estate,  supposed  to  belong  to  the 
town,  as  the  Meeting-house  Hill,  and  the  School-house  Pond, 
(so  called)  with  land  adjoining,  and  to  give  a  title  or  deed  of 
the  same.8 

The  delinquent  collectors  were  required  to  gather  and  to  pay 
immediately  the  sums  in  which  they  were  deficient ;  and  were 
authorized  to  allow  a  liberal  premium  to  all  who  would  pay  in 
advance,  or  within  a  short  time,  their  taxes  about  to  be  assessed, 
in  order  "  to  satisfie  the  Executions  "  against  the  town.9 

Finally,  at  a  meeting,  March  19, 1787,  the  town  voted  to  raise 
a  tax  of  £300  lawful  money,  to  be  paid  in  hard  money  only,  to 
defray  the  town  debts  due  out  of  town,  and  them  only.10 

By  these  and  similar  prudent  means,  the  town  was  ere  long 
cleared  of  debt,  and  began  to  flourish  and  prosper.  The  people 
were  roused  from  their  state  of  depression ;  and  they  began  to 
pursue  their  wonted  avocations  with  cheerfulness  and  success. 

Among  the  effects  of  that  spirit  of  enterprise  and  improve- 
ment, public  and  private,  which  the  restoration  of  peace  to  the 
country,  the  clearing  of  the  town  from  its  embarrassments  by 
debt,  and  the  revival  of  business  and  mutual  confidence  had 
awakened  or  cherished,  may  be  reckoned  the  Middlesex  Canal. 
Its  construction  was  authorized  by  an  act  of  the  Legislature 
passed  June  22,  1793,  by  which  "James  Sullivan  Esqr.  of  Bos- 
ton, Oliver  Prescott  of  Groton,  James  Winthrop  of  Cambridge, 
Loammi  Baldwin  of  Woburn,  Benjamin  Hall,  Jonathan  Porter 
and  others  of  Medford  were  incorporated,  they  and  their  suc- 
cessors, as  a  Corporation  forever,  by  the  name  of  the  Proprie- 
tors of  the  Middlesex  Canal.11  It  was  at  first  contemplated  to 
carry  the  canal  only  from  the  waters  of  the  Merrimack  River  in 

i  Town  Records,  Vol.  X.,  p.  329.       •  Town  Records,  Vol.  X.,  p.  465 ;  Vol.  XI.,  p.  152. 

•  Town  Records,  Vol.  XI.,  p.  152 ;  Vol.  XI.,  pp.  6,7.     '«  Town  Records,  Vol.  XI.,  p.  77. 

Special  Laws  of  Massachusetts,  Vol.  I.,  p.  465;  Vol.  H.,  pp.  26,  241,  342;  Vol.  III.,  p.  131. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  409 

Chelmsford  to  those  of  the  Medford  River,  through  Billerica, 
Wilmington,  Woburn,  and  Medford.  But  subsequent  acts  al- 
lowed the  proprietors  to  continue  it  to  Charles  River,  and  there 
to  open  a  communication  with  Boston  by  boats ;  extended  the 
time  for  completing  it  to  three  years,  from  June  22,  1803 ;  and 
authorized  them  to  demand  forever  a  toll  of  one-sixteenth  of  a 
dollar  per  mile  for  every  ton  of  goods  conveyed  in  boats,  and 
for  every  ton  of  timber  floated  on  rafts.11  As  a  considerable 
part  of  the  canal  lay  within  the  bounds  of  Woburn,  much,  if  not 
the  chief  portion  of  the  care  and  responsibility  in  constructing  it, 
rested  upon  that  noted  citizen  of  Woburn,  and  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal proprietors  of  the  canal,  Col.  Loammi  Baldwin.  With 
him,  it  was  a  favorite  enterprise.  He  entered  with  a  warm  zeal 
upon  the  undertaking,  and  much  of  his  time  and  care  were 
spent  upon  the  work.  By  vote  of  the  directors,  he  attended  Mr. 
Weston,  a  skilful  English  surveyor,  whom  he  had  procured  from 
Philadelphia,  in  surveying  the  route  of  the  canal  from  Chelms- 
ford, in  1794.  He  was  constantly  with  the  numerous  workmen 
employed  upon  it,  overseeing  and  directing  them.  And  highly 
was  he  gratified,  doubtless,  in  seeing  it  become  navigable  from 
the  Merrimack  to  Charles  River,  in  1803.12  The  facilities  it 
afforded  for  the  transportation  of  timber  and  country  produce  to 
Boston,  and  of  merchandise  from  the  city  to  its  head  in  Chelms- 
ford, rendered  it  a  work  of  great  and  growing  public  utility,  and 
for  several  years  a  source  of  increasing  revenue  to  the  proprie- 
tors. But  railroads  and  steam-cars  at  length  superseded  it. 
The  year  the  Lowell  railroad  went  into  full  operation,  the 
receipts  of  the  canal  fell  off  one-third.  When  the  Lowell  and 
Nashua  road  went  into  operation,  the  receipts  of  the  canal 
were  reduced  another  third.  Shortly  after,  the  dividends  hardly 
sufficed  to  pay  for  current  expenses  and  repairs :  12  and  now 
(1867)  a  large  proportion  of  the  track  of  the  canal  through 
Woburn  has  been  filled  up  with  earth  again ;  and  over  spots 
where  rafts  were  once  wafted,  and  boats  were  seen  passing, 

11  Historical  Sketch,  etc.,  etc.,  by  Caleb  Eddy,  Esq.,  agent  of  the  corporation,  pp.  4-«. 


410  HISTORY   OP   WOBUBN. 

loaded  with  goods  and  persons,  houses  have  been  erected,  and 
are  inhabited,  as  on  the  solid  ground  by  the  way-side. 

The  history  of  the  schools  in  Woburn,  which  was  brought 
down  in  Chapter  VII.  to  the  year  1775,  will  now  be  resumed. 

During  the  first  seven  years  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  begun 
in  1775,  £4:0  lawful  money,  or  its  equivalent  in  the  depreciated 
paper  of  that  day,  was  annually  raised  in  Woburn  for  school- 
ing. In  1775  and  1776,  such  a  portion  of  that  amount  was  laid 
out  each  of  those  years,  as  was  sufficient  to  keep  a  grammar 
school  in  the  two  parishes  nine  months  in  the  whole ;  and  the 
remainder  was  appropriated  to  the  instruction  of  children  in  the 
extreme  parts  of  the  town.  But,  under  this  arrangement,  it  is 
obvious  that  the  advantages  for  schooling  in  the  remote  quarters 
of  the  two  parishes  must  have  been  very  small.  To  remedy 
this  defect,  the  town  speedily  adopted  a  new  method  of  appro- 
priating its  school  money.  For  the  fifteen  years  immediately 
succeeding  1776,  a  school  committee  to  manage  the  affairs  of  the 
schools  was  but  seldom  chosen,  and  no  provision  was  made  ex- 
pressly for  a  grammar  school,  except  in  1778  and  1787.  During 
that  whole  period,  there  was  a  gradual  increase  in  the  sum 
annually  raised  for  schooling,  from  £40,  to  .£60,  £80  and  £90, 
lawful  money,  a  year.  But  the  decision  of  the  important  ques- 
tions, How  shall  the  money  be  laid  out  ?  Who  shall  be  employed 
to  teach  ?  When,  and  where,  and  how  long,  shall  the  schools  be 
kept  ?  seems  to  have  been  left  to  a  committee  for  apportioning  the 
money,  or  to  the  majority  of  the  inhabitants  of  each  parish,  or  of 
the  several  districts.  This  committee  would  first  apportion  the 
school  money  to  each  parish,  "  according  to  their  pay,"  towards 
the  town  taxes,  and  then  leave  to  each  parish,  or  to  the  several  dis- 
tricts in  the  First  Parish,  to  determine  what  was  to  be  done  with 
the  portion  severally  allotted  them.  The  practice  of  the  town  on 
this  subject  seems,  during  all  this  time,  to  have  been  agreeable  to 
its  vote,  March  1,  1779  :  "That  the  Second  Parish  should  have 
their  proportionable  part  of  the  money  that  is  granted  by  the 
town  for  schooling  the  ensuing  year,  to  be  appropriated  to  that 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  411 

use,  and  no  other ;  and  that  each  parish  may  hire  whom  they 
please,  and  at  any  season  of  the  year  when  they  please."  13 

But  in  the  year  1792,  a  new  era  commenced  in  Woburn,  in 
regard  to  schools.  At  March  meeting,  of  that  year,  a  committee, 
consisting  of  the  two  clergymen  of  the  town,  Rev.  Messrs.  Sar- 
geant  and  Marrett,  and  of  five  other  prominent  citizens,  was 
chosen,  "  to  examine  into  the  government  of  the  Schools,  and  to 
recommend  some  uniform  system  of  instruction."14  The  report 
of  this  committee,  which  was  submitted  to  the  town  May  7th,  was 
as  follows : 

"  The  influence  of  Education  on  society,  the  advantages  arising 
from  it  in  advancing  Religion  and  Morality,  in  distinguishing 
between  the  unlettered  Savage  and  the  refinement  of  civilization, 
will  ever  excite  towns  and  other  bodies  corporate,  to  be  particularly 
attentive  to  the  System  of  Education  pursued  in  the  Instruction  of 
the  rising  Generation. 

"  "We  have  therefore,  as  a  Committee  of  the  Town  of  Woburn. 
chosen  for  the  express  purpose  of  forming  a  uniform  System  of 
Instruction  in  the  respective  Schools,  unanimously  agreed  to 
recommend  the  following :  Viz. 

"  1st.  We  recommend  an  exact  attention  to  the  Law  of  the 
Commonwealth,  as  to  the  choice,  recommendation,  and  literary 
acquirements  of  each  instructor,  as  first  impressions  are  usually 
lasting.  We  think  each  Master  ought  to  be  a  man  of  morality 
and  education  :  and  we  would  wish  that  the  Town  would  be  careful 
in  the  choice  of  their  School  Committee,  so  that  none  may  be 
appointed  to  procure  Masters,  except  such  as  are  capable  of  judg- 
ing of  the  abilities  of  the  Masters,  or  will  take  measures  to  be 
informed  of  their  characters  and  qualifications. 

"  2cl.  The  School  to  be  opened  and  closed  with  Prayers,  which 
we  think  decent,  and  becoming  creatures  dependent  on  a  Creator. 

"  3d.  We  also  recommend  that  the  Holy  Bible  should  be  read 
once  each  day  by  such  Class  as  is  capable  of  reading  the  same,  and 
such  parts  selected,  at  the  discretion  of  the  Master,  as  may  best 
suit  the  age  and  capacity  of  the  children. 

"  We  also  recommend  to  the  use  of  the  Schools  the  following 
Books,  Viz. —  Perry's  Spelling  Book  and  Grammar  ;  Webster's  In- 

"  Town  Records,  Vol.  EX.,  p.  498.  "  Town  Records,  Vol.  XII.,  pp.  66,  68. 


412  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

Btitutes,  Third  Part;  The  Children's  Friend,  Ladies'  Accidence, 
Art  of  Speaking,  Morse's  Geography  abridged,  last  edition :  one 
or  all  of  them,  as  can  be  made  convenient  to  the  Parents,  Masters 
and  Children :  the  mode  of  teaching  them  to  be  left  with  each 
Master. 

"  To  such  as  study  Latin  we  recommend  the  following  Books  : 
viz.  Cheever's  Accidence,  or  the  Philadelphia  Latin  Grammar ; 
Corderiu^  Colloquies  ;  JEsop's  Fables  ;  Eutropius,  Castalio's  Latin 
Testament,  Ward's  Latin  Grammar ;  Clark's  Introduction  to 
making  Latin  ;  Virgil,  and  Tully ;  Greek  Grammar  and  Greek  Tes- 
tament. We  also  recommend  Pike's,  Fenning's,  Fisher's,  or  Bonny- 
castle's  Arithmetic ;  and  to  the  upper  Class,  an  attention  to  Eng- 
lish Composition,  once  each  week  or  fortnight,  as  may  best  suit 
the  convenience  of  the  Master. 

"•4.  We  also  recommend  Jeuk's  [Jenkin's?]  Art  of  Writing,  to 
be  pursued  as  far  as  possible  by  each  Master  in  his  School,  as 
being  the  most  easy,  concise  and  plain  method  ever  published.  We 
wish  also  due  attention  may  be  paid  to  the  Paper,  Pens  and  Ink  of 
each  Scholar ;  as  'tis  of  more  consequence  that  they  should  be 
good  at  the  commencement  of  their  writing  than  when  further 
advanced. 

"  51y.  We  recommend  the  School  to  be  Classed  at  the  discretion 
of  the  Master.  We  also  wish  to  shew  our  disapprobation  of 
Corporal  punishments ;  and  recommend  as  a  substitute,  Public 
Admonition,  degradation  to  the  bottom  of  the  Class  ;  and  if  they 
continue  refractory  &  stubborn,  after  all  measures  are  used,  we 
recommend  a  dismission  of  such  Scholars  from  the  School  for  such 
time  as  the  Master  may  direct,  and  not  [to  be]  again  admitted, 
unless  by  a  written  confession  in  open  School,  and  a  promise  of 
amendment. 

"  61y.  We  recommend  that  the  Catechism  be  taught  in  School 
once  a  week,  especially  the  Commandments,  with  their  several 
explanations. 

"71y.  We  also  would  recommend,  that  the  Selectmen  provide 
[for]  the  poor  Scholars  in  each  School,  Paper,  Pens,  Ink  and 
Books,  at  the  charge  of  the  Town,  if  they  are  poor  Orphans,  or 
Children  of  such  Parents,  who  are  unable  to  provide  for  them ; 
so  that  each  Child  may  have  the  advantage  of  a  free  School,  and 
be  made  useful  to  himself  and  others. 

*'  81y.  We  recommend  a  visitation  of  the  respective  Schools  by 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  413 

the  Ministers  of  the  Town,  the  School  Committee,  and  the  Select- 
men, on  the  day  previous  to  each  Master's  finishing  his  respective 
School ;  notice  being  given  them  by  the  respective  Masters :  at 
which  time  [there  shall  be]  an  Examination  of  the  Scholars,  and 
specimens  exhibited  of  their  several  acquirements  in  knowledge, 
and  a  Journal  of  the  behaviour  of  each  Scholar  shall  be  shewn  by 
the  Master,  who  shall  keep  a  Book  for  that  purpose :  and  the 
Visiting  Committee  shall  give  such  marks  of  approbation  and  dis- 
approbation as  they  shall  think  proper.  .  .  We  think  a  measure  of 
this  kind  would  have  a  good  effect  on  Master  and  pupils. 

"  "We  earnestly  wish  the  interest,  welfare  and  happiness  of  the 
rising  Generation  :  and  submit  the  preceding  recommendations  to 
the  consideration  of  the  town. 

"  LOAMMI  BALDWIN     ~) 

JOSEPH  BARTLETT 

ZEB.  WYMAN 


REUBEN  KIMBALL 
JOHN  WALKER 
SAMUEL  S  A  RGB  ANT 


Committee.' 


"  The  Town  Voted  to  accept  the  above  Report :  and  that  the 
Town  Clerk  shall  Record  said  Report  in  the  Town  Book  of 
Records  of  Town  Meetings ;  and  that  the  Town  Clerk  furnish 
each  School  master  with  a  copy  of  said  Report  at  the  opening  of 
the  Schools,  and  that  each  Master  shall  return  said  copy  to  the 
Town  Clerk  at  the  close  of  his  School."  15 

On  the  same  day  that  the  above  report  was  read  and  accepted, 
viz:  May  7,  1792,  there  was  likewise  appointed  a  committee  to 
divide  the  town  into  school  districts.  This  committee  reported 
May  28th,  as  follows: 

REPORT,  ETC. 

"The  Committee  appointed  to  divide  the  Town  of  Woburn  into 
School  Districts,  have  attended  that  business,  and  Report  as  fol- 
lows :  viz. 

"  That  the  whole  of  the  Grammar  School  be  kept  in  the  School 
house  nigh  the  Meeting  house  in  each  Parish  in  said  Town,  and 
to  be  proportioned  according  to  the  sum  that  each  Parish  may  pay 
towards  the  town  taxes.  Also  that  there  be  a  School  District, 


w  Town  Records,  Vol.  XH.,  pp.  73,  75,  76. 
36* 


414  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

agreeable  to  a  Petition  of  Mr  Josiah  Walker  and  others,  to  consist 
of  the  following  persons  within  the  Lines  of  said  District,  here 
mentioned,  Viz.  James  Walker,  William  Abbot,  Isaac  Marion,  Dea. 
Timothy  Winn,  Ensign  Timothy  Winn,  John  Kendall,  Lt.  Joseph 
Winn,  Timothy  Winn  3d.  William  Young,  John  Bruce  junr.,  Bill 
Center,  Josiah  Walker,  Josiah  Walker  junr.$  Nathan  Pierce,  Jona- 
than Tjler,  John  Bruce,  Reuben  Johnson,  Nathan  Simonds,  Ebene- 
zer  Cununings,  Ezra  Wyman,  Thomas  Gleason  and  Jeremiah 
Winn."  16  Also  that  the  Districts  called  Richardson's  Row,  Button 
End,  and  New  Bridge,  extend  and  include  the  same  as  they  formerly 
have  done.  Also  the  West  District  extend  and  include  the  same 
as  formerly,  excepting  those  who  are  included  in  Josiah  Walker's 
District.  Also  that  the  Second  Parish  draw  out  of  the  Town  Treas- 
ury their  proportion  of  the  money  assessed  for  supporting  the 
Schools,  in  the  same  proportion  as  they  pay  towards  the  Town  Tax, 
and  to  be  divided  into  two  equal  parts  (all  excepting  that  part  which 
is  or  may  be  appropriated  to  keep  the  Grammar  School,  as  afore- 
said, and  those  who  belong  to  Walker's  District)  ;  said  money  to 
be  laid  out  in  the  two  School  Houses  proposed  to  be  erected,  one 
for  the  North  District,  near  the  South  end  of  the  lane  leading  to 
Wilmington  by  William  Carter's  ;  the  other  at  or  near  Joshua  Ken- 
dall's, at  a  place  called  the  Wood  Market.  Also  that  the  other 
Districts  draw  their  money  out  of  said  Town  Treasury,  according 
as  they  pay  towards  the  town  taxes,  and  la}'  said  money  out  for 
Schooling,  as  the  Law  directs,  and  agreeably  to  the  direction  of 
the  Town." 

"  ZEBEDIAH  WYMAN 

JOSEPH  BROWN 

JOHN  WALKER 


JOSIAH  PARKER 


x  Committee.17 


JAMES  REED 
JESSE  DEAN 
SAMUEL  THOMPSON 
Woburn  28th.  May,  1792." 

Finally,  to  perfect  its  arrangements  in  regard  to  Schools,  the 
town  built  in  1794  and  the  year  following,  nine  new  school- 

«  Town  Records,  Vol.  XH.,  p  74.  To  this  district  it  was  voted,  May  6,  1794,  to  add 
Mr.  Samuel  Walker,  Benjamin  Wyman,  John  Flagg,  Jesse  Russell,  Robert  Douglas,  and 
David  Cummings.  Town  Records,  Vol.  XII.,  p .  143. 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  XII.,  p.  74. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  415 

houses,  one  in  each  of  the  recently  formed  districts,  at  a  cost  of 
£580,  or  $1,933^  in  all.  At  its  meeting  in  March  1794,  a 
committee  of  nine,  or  one  for  each  district,  was  chosen  for  this 
purpose  among  others,  to  view  the  school-houses  which  then 
were,  and  to  estimate  the  expense  of  repairing  them,  or  of 
building  new  ones,  in  the  several  districts.18  This  committee, 
consisting  of  Capt.  Joseph  Bartlett,  Mr.  Josiah  Parker,  Lieut. 
Jeduthan  Richardson,  Mr.  Elijah  Leathe,  Jr.,  Mr.  Abijah  Thomp- 
son, Mr.  Timothy  Winn,  Jr.,  Capt.  James  Reed,  Ensign  Jesse 
Dean,  and  Col.  John  Walker,  reported  at  May  meeting  that 
year  as  follows :  "  We  recommend  to  the  Town  to  raise  the  sum 
of  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds,  in  addition  to  the  sum  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty  pounds  which  was  voted  [for  Schooling]  at 
March  meeting,  to  be  appropriated  to  build  School  houses  in 
the  several  Districts."  They  also  recommended  to  the  town, 
that  each  district  should  pay  for  its  schooling  that  year  by  sub- 
scription; and  that  this  sum  of  three  hundred  pounds,  when 
raised,  should  be  appropriated  in  the  following  manner,  viz  : 
«  The  first  Parish  middle  District  to  have  £55.  0.  0. 
The  second  Parish  middle  District  to  have  45.  0.  0 
The  West  Side  "  «  40.  5.  0 

Richardson's  Row  "     "        28 : 17 : 6 

New  Bridge  «     "        27:17:6 

Button  End  «     "        25:    0:0 

Lt.  Joseph  Winn's  [District]  "     "        25  :    0 : 0 

Capt.  James  Reed  "     "       26:10:0 

Lt.  Jesse  Dean  "     «        26:10:0 


£300:00:0"19 

In  compliance  with  this  recommendation,  the  town  voted  to 
raise  the  £300  for  the  purpose  designated  in  the  report.  It 
also  appointed  the  same  gentlemen  to  be  a  committee  to  super- 
intend the  erection  of  the  school-houses,  each  in  his  own  dis- 
trict ;  to  see  that  the  work  was  completed ;  and  that  a  deed  to 

"  Town  Records,  Vol.  XII.,  p.  137. 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  XII.,  pp.  143, 144.  Supposing  that  the  £300  raised  in  May  1795, 
to  complete  the  school-houses,  was  appropriated  in  the  several  districts  in  the  same  propor- 
tion as  the  above,  each  school-house  would  cost  just  double  what  was  first  estimated  it  would. 


416  HISTORY   OP   WOBTTRN. 

the  town  of  the  land  on  which  each  school-house  stood  should 
be  obtained.19 

But  the  people,  in  their  zeal  and  hurry  for  building  the  new 
school-houses,  overlooked  or  neglected  making  provision  by 
subscription,  as  the  committee  had  recommended,  for  the  support 
of  schooling  that  year.  In  consequence  of  this  neglect,  the 
town  was  presented  the  next  year  (1795)  by  the  Grand  Jury 
for  not  complying  with  the  requirements  of  the  law  on  this 
head.  To  avert  the  penalty  in  such  cases  imposed,  or  to  pro- 
cure the  remission  or  abatement  of  it,  Capt.  Joseph  Bartlett 
was  employed  as  agent  for  the  town,  to  attend  the  Court  at 
Concord,  and  there  to  plead  the  expense  the  town  had  incurred 
in  building  school-houses,  etc.,  etc.,  during  the  time  it  was  pre- 
sented, in  palliation  of  its  neglect  to  fulfil  the  requirements  of 
the  law ;  but  how  he  succeeded  in  his  agency  is  not  known.20 

In  the  mean  while,  the  building  of  the  new  school-houses  went 
on.  At  May  meeting,  1795,  the  building  committee  reported, 
that,  in  their  estimation,  it  would  cost  ,£280  more  than  had 
been  granted  for  the  purpose  in  May  1794,  to  complete  them. 
Whereupon,  the  town  voted  £300  "  for  the  purpose  of  finishing 
said  School  houses."  It  was  also  voted,  if  any  surplus  remained 
of  the  £300,  above  the  cost  of  finishing  the  school-houses,  it 
should  be  appropriated  to  support  schooling  in  them  the  present 
year  (in  addition  to  the  £100  raised  in  April  for  the  same  use) ; 
and  that  the  building  committee  should  also  be  "  the  committee 
to  provide  schooling  in  the  several  districts  the  present  year."20 

And  now  the  public  schools  in  Woburn,  being  provided  with 
every  needful  accommodation,  and  under  the  favorable  influence 
of  the  new  regulations,  began  to  flourish  as  they  never  had 
before.  And,  although  for  a  little  while  they  were  checked  in 
their  progress  by  the  incorporation  of  the  Second  Parish  as  a 
distinct  town,  in  1799,  yet  they  speedily  surmounted  that  obsta- 
cle in  their  onward  course.  Parents  have  since  showed  a 
livelier  interest  for  the  education  of  their  children  than  they 


»  Towu  Records,  Vol.  XII.,  p.  143.  *>  Town  Records,  Vol.  XII.,  p.  195. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  417 

formerly  exhibited,  and  have  made  more  liberal  grants  of  money 
for  the  promotion  of  this  excellent  end.  Hence  their  schools 
have  been  multiplied  in  number ;  the  terms  of  time  which  they 
were  wont  to  be  kept  have  been  prolonged ;  and  their  children 
have  enjoyed  far  superior  advantages,  and  more  enlarged  means 
and  opportunities  for  the  acquisition  of  knowledge  than  they 
heretofore  have  been  accustomed  to.  And  as  the  town  itself 
has  of  late  years  surprisingly  increased  both  in  population  and 
in  wealth,  so  there  has  been  a  marked  and  a  very  rapid  pro- 
gress in  its  schools,  both  in  the  number  of  their  pupils,  and  in 
the  privileges  of  instruction  which  they  have  afforded. 

In  this  connection,  while  treating  of  the  public  schools  of 
Woburn,  it  seems  an  appropriate  time  and  place  to  give  some 
account  of  Warren  Academy,  situate  in  the  midst  of  it. 

This*  important  institution  of  learning  derives  its  name  as 
well  as  being  from  its  munificent  founder,  Isaac  Warren,  Esq., 
of  Charlestown.  That  benevolent  gentleman,  after  much  delib- 
eration how  he  might  bestow  a  portion  of  the  wealth,  which  a 
kind  Providence  had  put  into  his  hands,  so  as  best  to  promote 
the  glory  of  the  Giver,  and  the  good  of  his  fellow-men,  came  at 
length  to  the  conclusion,  that  he  could  in  no  way  do  more  for 
the  advancement  of  these  ends,  than  by  making  a  donation  for 
the  establishment  of  an  institution  "  for  the  Literary,  Moral  and 
Religious  Instruction  of  Youth : "  and  Woburn  was  selected  by 
him  for  the  site  of  this  institution,  because  it  was  then  dis- 
tinguished by  a  remarkable  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit  of 
God,  and  an  extensive,  powerful  revival  of  evangelical  religion. 

Under  the  influence  of  this  conclusion,  Mr.  Warren  was  led 
to  procure  a  meeting,  February  21,  1827,  at  the  house  of  his 
pastor,  Rev.  Warren  Fay  of  Charlestown,  where,  in  his  own 
presence,  and  that  of  Rev.  Messrs.  Fay  and  Joseph  Bennett 
of  Woburn,  the  preliminaries  of  the  designed  institution  were 
drawn  up  and  agreed  upon.  After  prayer  to  God,  it  was  there 
determined  to  found  an  academy  at  Woburn,  on  the  principles 
of  the  gospel,  denominated  "  Orthodox  or  Calvinistic ; "  intend- 
ing that  it  should  always  be  under  the  instruction  of  pious  Gal- 


418  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

vinistic  teachers;  and  that  no  others  should  ever  be  em- 
ployed.21 

"  A  compact  was  then  drawn  up,  including  the  form  of  a  sub- 
scription paper,  and  stipulating  that  the  three  persons  above 
named,  Isaac  Warren  Esqr.,  Rev.  Warren  Fay,  and  Rev.  Joseph 
Bennett,  and  also  the  Hon  Samuel  Hubbard  [of  Boston] 
should  have  the  right  and  power  of  appointing  such  persons  to 
be  associated  with  them  as  Trustees,  and  forming  such  bye  laws 
and  regulations  for  the  benefit  of  the  Academy,  as  in  the  first 
instance  they  should  think  proper."  ^ 

Then,  at  the  time  and  place  above  named,  Isaac  Warren, 
Esq.,  subscribed  five  thousand  dollars,  on  condition  that  five 
thousand  dollars  more  should  be  obtained ;  and  this  required 
sum  was  secured  by  the  special  exertions  of  Rev.  Mr.  Bennett, 
chiefly  from  among  the  inhabitants  of  Woburn. 

The  Trustees  first  organized,  May  31,  1827,  when  they  chose 
Isaac  Warren,  Esq.,  chairman,  Rev.  Warren  Fay,  secretary,  efcd 
Rev.  Joseph  Bennett,  treasurer.  The  same  day,  the  Board  of 
Trustees  was  enlarged  by  the  choice  of  Benjamin  Wyman,  Esq., 
and  Capt.  Joseph  Gardner,  both  of  Woburn;  and  September  19, 
1829,  by  the  choice  of  Rev.  Aaron  Warner  of  Medford. 

In  pursuance  of  votes  passed  by  the  Trustees  at  several  suc- 
cessive meetings,  subsequently  to  the  above,  a  building  suitable 
for  an  Academy  was  erected  on  the  eminence,  since  known  as 
Academy  Hill,  and  finished  in  1827  or  1828;  a  preceptor  was 
appointed  for  one  year ;  the  terms  of  tuition  were  fixed  at  four 
dollars  per  quarter,  except  in  the  case  of  beneficiaries  of  the 
American  Education  Society,  who,  it  was  voted,  should  receive 
instruction  at  the  academy  gratis ;  a  system  of  by-laws,  pro- 

81  To  secure  the  fixture  compliance  with  this  vote  more  effectually,  it  was 
voted  at  the  annual  meeting,  August  21,  1835,  "  That  the  Trustees  intend 
to  sustain  the  principles  on  which  this  Seminary  was  founded,  and  to 
employ  none  but '  pious  Calvinistic  Instructors ; '  and  that  it  be  understood 
as  established  in  this  Board  for  all  future  time,  that  its  character  shall  be 
Evangelical  or  Calvinistic ;  and  none  but  those  of  the  above  mentioned 
religious  views  shall  be  eligible  to  membership  in  this  Board."  —  (Academy 
Records.) 

»  Academy  Records. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  419 

posed  by  Rev.  Mr.  Fay,  was  adopted,  and  ordered  to  be 
recorded;  and  the  Legislature  of  Massachusetts  was  petitioned 
for  an  act  of  incorporation,  which  was  granted,  March  10,  1830, 
and  accepted  by  the  Trustees,  April  24th,  of  the  same  year.22 

By  the  Act  of  Incorporation  it  was  ordered,  that  the  number 
of  the  trustees  should  never  exceed  eleven,  nor  be  less  than  five, 
at  any  one  time :  and  the  trustees  were  empowered  to  fill  their 
own  vacancies ;  to  choose  their  own  officers ;  to  hold  funds,  to  a 
certain  amount,  for  the  benefit  of  the  academy ;  and  to  make 
by-laws  and  regulations  for  their  own  government,  and  that  of 
the  institution  under  their  care. 

The  by-laws  and  rules  approved  and  adopted  previously  to  the 
Act  of  Incorporation,  or  subsequently  to  it,  provided 

1.  That  there  should  be  "  four  vacations  in  the  academy  annu- 
ally, commencing  on  the  Monday  next  preceding  the  last  Wednes- 
day of  May,  August,  November,  and  February.     The  vacations 
commencing  in  MajT,  August  and  November  shall  be  two  weeks 
each,  and  the  one  in  February  one  week." 

2.  That  there  should  be  a  stated  meeting  of  the  trustees  annually, 
to  be  held  in  the  town  of  Woburn  ;  beside  special  meetings,  that 
might  be  called  by  the  Committee  of  Arrangements.     The  stated 
meeting  was  originally  held  at  the  close  of  the  summer  term :    In 
1850,  ^it  was  ordered  to  be  held  at  the  close  of  the  fall  term ;  but  in 
1863,  the  old  arrangement  was  reverted  to. 

3.  That  the  officers  of  the  institution  should  be  elected  annually 
at  the  stated  meeting. 

4.  That  there  should  be,  at  the  stated  meeting  of  the  trustees, 
a  public  examination  of  the  students  of  the  academy,  on  which 
occasion,  prayer  was  to  be  offered,  and  an  address  delivered  by  one  of 
the  trustees  previously  appointed.    There  were  also  to  be  examina- 
tions of  the  students  by  the  examining  committee  before  the  vaca- 
tion in  May  and  November. 

5.  The  students  were  required  to  attend  the  devotional  exercises 
in  the  academy  on  week  days,  and  public  worship  on  the  Sabbath. 

6.  They  were  forbidden  to  go  out  of  town  in  term  time  without 
the  consent  of  parent  or  preceptor ;  to  enter  into  any  enclosure 
without  the  permission  of  the  owner ;  to  frequent  taverns,  to  use 
profane  language,  to  practice  games  of  chance,  etc.,  etc. 


420  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

7.  The  preceptor  was  directed  to  read  the  Holy  Scriptures  and 
to  offer  prayer  in  the  academy  morning  and  evening ;  to  appoint, 
with  the  advice  of  the  examining  committee,  the  exercises  of  the 
school,  and  the  books  to  be  studied ;  to  maintain  over  the  students 
a  constant  supervision,  in  school  and  out ;  to  give  them  kind  and 
faithful  advice  for  direction,  or  in  forming  their  habits,  manners, 
and  deportment ;  and  habitually  to  seek  their  highest  intellectual 
improvement,  their  increase  in  "  religious  knowledge,  and  the 
advancement  of  their  spiritual  and  immortal  interests."  22 

On  Wednesday,  June  27,  1838,  the  academy  building  was 
consumed  by  fire.  This  at  the  time,  was  reputed  to  be  the  work 
of  an  incendiary.  But  though  a  reward  of  a  hundred  dollars 
was  offered  for  the  detection  of  the  person  or  persons  who 
perpetrated  the  crime,  and  though  several  individuals  were  ex- 
amined in  regard  to  it,  yet  no  one  was  ever  proved  to  have 
been  concerned  in  the  commission  of  it. 

A  committee  was  speedily  appointed  to  examine  the  ruins, 
who  reported  it  expedient  to  rebuild  the  old  walls,  as  they 
stood,  beginning  a  few  feet  from  the  top.  This  report  was 
accepted;  a  building  committee  was  chosen;  and  so  rapidly, 
under  its  direction,  did  the  work  of  reconstruction  proceed,  that 
the  new  building  was  ready  for  occupation  by  December  follow- 
ing ;  and  the  academy,  in  the  course  of  that  month,  was  opened 
anew  with  appropriate  exercises,  especially  with  an  address,  by 
previous  appointment,  from  Rev.  Dr.  Fay.22 

In  the  mean  while,  Rev.  Mr.  Bennett,  who  had  been  appointed 
and  requested  to  solicit  donations  in  aid  of  the  institution, 
(especially  to  "replace  the  philosophical  apparatus,  destroyed 
by  the  fire,)  was  so  successful  in  his  efforts  to  this  end,  as 
to  raise  above  $1,400  by  subscription,  besides  books.  Of  the 
money  thus  generously  contributed,  it  was  voted  to  lay  out  five 
hundred  dollars  upon  the  purchase  of  a  suitable  philosophical 
apparatus;  and  a  committee  consisting  of  Rev.  Dr.  Fay,  Rev. 
Joseph  Bennett  and  George  W.  Warren,  Esq.,  of  Charlestown, 
was  chosen  for  the  purpose.  The  treasurer  also  was  directed 
to  procure  a  plain  clock  for  the  school-room.22 

By  the  sale  in  1857,  of  the  boarding  house,  and  of  land  at- 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  421 

tached  to  it,  "the  invested  funds  of  the  Institution  were  ma- 
terially increased,  and  the  means  of  its  usefulness  were  pro- 
portionably  enlarged."  And  hence  the  committee  on  lands, 
etc.,  chosen  in  1856,  and  consisting  of  Gen.  A.  Thompson,  Rev. 
E.  W.  Clark,  Rev.  J.  Edwards,  George  "W.  Warren,  Esq.,  and 
Deacon  Thos.  Richardson,  took  occasion  to  report  at  the  an- 
nual meeting  of  the  board,  November  20,  1857,  that  "while 
the  principal  of  the  fjmd  should  be  kept  good,  it  is  desirable 
that  the  income  of  the  fund  should  be  principally  employed  in 
putting  the  Academy  building  and  Grounds  around  in  complete 
order ;  in  providing  in  the  Building  a  Room  for  the  Meetings  of 
the  Trustees;  and  also  in  making  an  annual  addition  to  the 
Library  and  Philosophical  Apparatus." 

And  bearing  in  mind,  "  that  this  new  accession  to  the  Fund  of 
the  Trustees  has  been  almost  wholly  derived  from  the  sale  of 
the  Boarding  House  and  appurtenances,  which  was  the  donation 
of  Isaac  Warren  Esq.  the  founder  of  the  Institution,  and  in 
addition  to  his  original  subscription,  both  of  which  were  made 
in  his  lifetime :  It  seems  highly  proper,  that  the  Trustees  should 
provide  for  a  permanent  memorial  of  him,  to  be  placed  in  the 
proposed  Trustees'  room,  as  a  mark  of  respect  to  his  memory, 
and  in  token  of  his  beneficence  to  this  Institution. 

"  The  Committee  therefore  unanimously  propose  the  adoption 
of  the  votes  herewith  subjoined. 

"  For  the  Committee, 

G.  WASH".  WARREN." 

"  Voted,  That  this  Committee  be  authorized,  at  such  time  as 
they  may  deem  proper,  to  put  the  Academy  Building  in  complete 
repair ;  to  provide  a  cellar  and  furnace  for  the  same ;  to  provide 
and  furnish  a  room  for  the  use  of  the  Trustees ;  and  to  grade  and 
ornament  the  grounds  about  the  building  in  a  suitable  manner. 

"  Voted,  That  in  grateful  recognition  of  the  liberal  endowment 
made  by  Isaac  Warren,  Esq.,  the  founder  of  this  Institution,  the 
President  be  requested  and  authorized  to  procure  on  behalf  of 
the  Board,  a  Marble  Bust  of  him,  to  be  placed  in  the  Trustees, 
room. 

37 


422 


HISTORY    OP   WOBURN. 


"  On  motion  made,  it  was  voted  to  accept  and  adopt  the  above 
Report  and  the  accompanying  Votes."  ^ 

List  of  Preceptors  of  the  Academy. 
1828.    Mr.  Alfred  W.  Pike. 
1831.    Mr.  Jarvis  Gregg. 
1831,     Sept.  23.  Mr.  Cyrus  Holmes. 
1836,    Aug.  26.  Mr.  A.  K.  Hathaway. 
1842.    Eev.  A.  P.  Chute. 
1846.    Mr.  Abner  Eice. 

Mr.  Osgood  Johnson.   Had  resigned,  Nov.  16,  1853. 

1853.    Mr.  J.  J.  Ladd. 
1859.    Mr.  E.  W.  Stone. 
1861.    Mr.  D.  W.  Sanborn. 
1865.    Mr.  William  A.  Stone,  M.  A. 

At  the  Annual  Meeting,  August  4,  1865,  the  Board  of  Trustees  was  com- 
posed as  follows : 

Gen.  Abijah  Thompson,  Esq.,  admitted  1834. 


George  W.  Warren,  Esq., 

Eev.  Joseph  L.  Bennett, 

Dea.  Thomas  Eichardson, 

Hon.  Horace  Conn, 

Eev.  J.  B.  Miles, 

Eev.  E.  T.  Eobinson, 

Eev.  Joseph  C.  Bodwell,  D.  D., 

Ephraim  Cutter,  M.  D., 

Dea.  John  E.  Kimball, 

Eev.  Elihu  P.  Marvin, 

Eev.  Melancthon  G.  Wheeler, 


Treasurer. 

1835.  President. 

1852. 

1854. 

1856. 

1856. 

1856. 

1862. 

1863.  Secretary. 

1865. 

1865.. 

1865. 

Several  of  the  former  Members  of  the  Board  (as  Eev.  Aaron  Warner) 
have  resigned  in  consequence  of  a  change  of  residence ;  and  to  others  who 
have  deceased,  merited  tributes  of  respect  have  been  paid,  as  follows  :  To 
Eev.  Joseph  Bennett,  August  16,  1848.  To  Capt.  Joseph  Gardiner,  Novem- 
ber 19,  1858 ;  and  to  Dr.  Benjamin  Cutter  (for  thirty  years  Secretary)  June 
18,  1864. 

In  1799,  an  important  division  of  Woburn  was  effected,  viz: 
the  separation  of  the  Second  Parish  from  the  First,  and  its 
incorporation  by  the  General  Court  as  a  distinct  town,  by  the 
name  of  Burlington.  Attempts  for  this  end  had  been  repeatedly 
made  before,  viz :  in  January,  1733-4,  only  three  years  after  the 
incorporation  of  the  parish;  and,  again,  in  1774  and  in  1782 ; 23 
but  they  had  all  been  defeated  by  the  timely  and  decided  oppo- 


1  Parish  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  51 ;  Vol.  H.,  pp.  110, 170, 171. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  423 

sition  of  the  First  Parish.  But  the  measure  aimed  at  in  these 
successive  efforts  was  carried  at  last.  The  motion  for  this  pur- 
pose commenced  in  this,  as  in  all  the  preceding  instances,  in  the 
precinct.  At  a  parish  meeting,  May  29,  1797,  it  was 

"  1st.  Voted  unanimously,  to  take  measures  to  obtain  a  divi- 
sion of  the  town  of  Woburn,  so  that  the  Second  Parish  in  said 
town  might  be  incorporated  into  a  separate  town. 

"  21y.  Voted,  to  choose  a  Committee  of  seven  persons,  who  are 
directed  to  take  such  measures  as  shall  appear  to  them  reason- 
able and  proper  to  obtain  said  separation.  The  Committee 
chosen  were 

"  JOHN  WALKER,  ESQ.,  ENSIGN  TIMOTHY  WINN, 

CAPT.  REUBEN  KIMBALL,  MR.  EDWARD  WALKER, 

CAPT.  JOHN  WOOD,  MR.  JOHN  CALDWELL, 

MAJ.  JOHN  RADFORD. 

"  Sly.  Voted  that  the  above  persons  be  a  Committee,  and  are 
directed  to  collect  the  minds  of  all  the  qualified  voters  in  said 
Parish,  respecting  a  separation  of  said  town  of  Woburn." 

At  an  adjournment  of  the  meeting  to  June  1st,  P.  M.,  two 
more  persons  were  added  to  the  Committee  above  named,  viz : 
Capt.  James  Reed  and  Mr.  James  Walker. 

"  41y.  Voted  that  the  above  Committee  of  nine  persons  be 
directed  to  petition  the  General  Court  of  this  Commonwealth 
jointly,  or  by  any  one  or  more  of  them,  in  behalf  of  said  Parish, 
and  to  take  and  use  all  reasonable  and  lawful  measures  to  obtain 
the  object  above  mentioned.  Also  voted  that  the  above  men- 
tioned nine  persons  be  a  Committee  to  make  and  receive  in 
behalf  of  said  Parish  such  proposals  as  they  may  judge  proper 
and  expedient  respecting  said  separation. 

"  51y.  Voted  to  raise  the  sum  of  fifty  dollars,  to  defray  the 
expense  that  may  arise  in  prosecuting  the  above  object."  24 

The  committee  chosen  by  the  parish  to  obtain,  if  possible,  a 
division  of  the  town,  seem  now  to  have  drawn  up  a  memorial  on 
this  subject,  and  to  have  presented  it  to  the  General  Court  at  its 
next  session.  And  at  a  precinct  meeting,  February  7,  1798:  • 

»*  Parish  Records,  continuation  of,  pp.  4,  5. 


424  HISTORY   OP   WOBTTRN. 

"  After  having  the  proceedings  of  the  Committee  made  known, 

"  Voted  unanimously,  that  they  approve  thereof. 

"  Voted,  that  the  Memorial  presented  to  the  General  Court  by 
them  [the  Committee]  is  perfectly  agreeable  to  their  minds,  and 
that  they  are  anxious  to  have  the  prayer  thereof  granted. 

"  Voted  unanimously,  that  the  Committee  chosen  in  May  last 
to  petition  the  General  Court  for  a  division  of  the  Town  of 
Woburn,  are  empowered  generally  to  act  and  agree  in  behalf  of 
said  Parish  in  every  matter  or  thing  that  may  come  before  the 
Genera!  Court  respecting  the  division  aforesaid."  25 

And  at  a  still  subsequent  meeting,  March  12,  1798,  the 
parish  "  Voted,  that  the  Committee  already  chosen,  be  requested 
to  proceed  agreeably  to  their  Instructions,  and  to  use  all  possi- 
ble means  in  their  power  to  obtain  a  separation  of  the  town  of 
Woburn,  agreeably  to  their  Memorial,  or  in  any  other  way  they 
shall  think  proper :  and  that  all  the  powers  that  have  heretofore 
at  any  legal  meeting  been  granted  them,  are  still  continued  in 
force."26 

But  the  majority  of  the  town  was  decidedly  opposed  to  the 
contemplated  division ;  and  did  not  look  with  unconcern  upon 
the  zealous  efforts  of  the  people  of  the  Second  Parish  to  pro- 
cure it.  At  a  general  meeting  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town, 
at  the  meeting-house  of  the  First  Parish,  December  18,  1797,  in 
acting  upon  an  article  of  the  warrant,  relative  to  setting  off  the 
Second  Parish  as  a  town,  it  was  found  that  eighty-six  were 
against  such  a  separation,  and  thirty-nine  in  favor.  Five  agents 
were  then  chosen  to  attend  the  General  Court  at  their  next 
session,  to  oppose  a  division  of  the  town,  viz : 

COL.  LOAMMI  BALDWIN, 

SAMUEL  THOMPSON,  ESQ., 

MAJ.  JEREMIAH  CLAPP,     J»  Agents.27 

DANIEL  WYMAN, 

ABIJAH  THOMPSON, 

And  at  a  town  meeting,  April  2,  1798,  in  relation  to  a 
memorial  of  the  Second  Parish  in  Woburn,  respecting  a  division 

»  Parish  Records,  continuation  of,  p.  7.         K  Continuation  of  Parish  Records,  p.  14. 
»  Town  Records,  Vol.  XII.,  p.  280. 


HISTORY   OP  WOBURN.  425 

of  the  town,  "  Voted  a  Committee  of  nine  Persons  to  inquire 
into  the  grounds  of  uneasiness  of  the  Second  Parish,  which  has 
occasioned  their  application  to  the  Legislature  for  a  Division  of 
this  town,  and  report  at  the  next  meeting. 
"  COL.  LOAMMI  BALDWIN, 

SAMUEL  THOMPSON,  ESQ., 

MAJ.  JEREMIAH  CLAPP, 

CAPT.  BENJAMIN  WYMAN, 

MR.  BILL  RUSSELL,  ^Committee."28 

CAPT.  JOSEPH  BROWN, 

MR.  JAMES  WALKER, 

GEN.  JOHN  WALKER, 

CAPT.  JOHN  WOOD, 

Mem,  Fifty-eight  votes  for  choosing  a  committee,  thirty-five 
against. 

At  a  town  meeting,  May  7,  1798,  the  committee  reported  as 
follows  : 

"  The  Committee  appointed  by  the  town  of  Woburn  to  inquire 
into  the  grounds  of  uneasiness  of  the  Second  Parish  in  Woburn, 
which  has  occasioned  their  application  to  the  Legislature  for 
a  Division  of  this  Town,  have  attended  that  service;  and 
report,  that  your  Committee  held  a  meeting  at  the  house  of 
Capt.  John  Wood,  Jun.,  in  said  Second  Parish  on  23d  ultimo, 
and  have  previously  notified  the  Committee  who  had  been  ap- 
pointed by  the  2d  Parish  to  apply  to  the  General  Court  for  the 
division  of  the  town,  and  to  attend  with  such  others  as  might 
be  best  capable  of  giving  information  respecting  the  grounds 
of  uneasiness,  as  required  by  the  town.  And  after  diligent 
inquiry  was  made  of  the  Committee  of  the  Second  Parish,  and 
many  others  who  attended,  your  Committee  could  not  find  as 
there  were  any  real  grounds  of  uneasiness  existing,  neither  was 
there  one  word  of  complaint  made,  but  what  the  Second  Parish 
have  had  its  full  proportion  of  advantages  equal  and  in  common 
with  the  rest  of  the  town :  and  it  is  the  opinion  of  your  Com- 


»  Town  Records,  Vol.  XII.,  p.  307. 
37* 


426  HISTORY  OP   WOBURN. 

mittee,  that  there  does  not  actually  exist  any  real  grounds  for 
uneasiness  at  all;  but  we  have  great  reason  to  fear  that  the 
present  movements  and  attempts  for  a  division  of  the  town  orig- 
inated altegether  in  private  views. 

"  LOAMMI  BALDWIN. 

SAMUEL  THOMPSON, 

JEREMIAH  CLAPP, 

BENJAMIN  WYMAN,    f  Committee.29 

JOSEPH  BROWN, 

BILL  RUSSELL, 
"  ZEBADIAH  WYMAN,  Town  Clerk." 

The  committee's  report,  as  above,  was  accepted.  Three 
agents  were  then  chosen,  viz :  Maj.  Jeremiah  Clapp,  Mr.  Abijah 
Thompson  and  Capt.  Joseph  Brown,  who  should  attend  the 
General  Court,  at  its  next  session,  to  oppose  a  division,  and 
were  directed  to  remonstrate  in  writing  against  it. 

Voted,  also,  that  the  Representative  of  the  town,  Samuel 
Thompson,  Esq.,  be  instructed  to  use  his  influence  in  the  Court 
in  opposition  to  a  division  of  the  town.29 

But  at  this  stage  of  the  proceedings  in  reference  to  a  division 
of  the  town,  the  inhabitants  of  the  Second  Parish  seem  to  have 
stolen  a  march  upon  those  of  the  First.  A  general  town  meet- 
ing was  called,  to  be  held  October  1, 1798,  at  the  meeting-house 
of  the  Second  Parish.  One  article  of  the  warrant  for  this 
meeting  was,  "  To  see  if  the  Town  will  choose  a  Committee  to 
meet  the  Committee  which  is  appointed  by  the  General  Court, 
on  a  Petition  of  General  Walker  and  others  to  view  the  Town, 
in  order  to  ascertain  the  expediency  of  a  division  of  said  Town 
into  two  Towns,  or  into  a  Town  and  District.  Also  to  see  if 
the  Town  will  give  their  Committee,  when  chosen,  any  particu- 
lar instructions  respecting  the  matter,  or  do  any  thing  in  regard 
to  the  same,  that  they  may  think  best  when  met  together."  From 
some  cause  or  other,  a  large  portion  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
First  Parish  appear  to  have  been  absent  from  this  meeting: 

i'own  Records,  Vol.XII.,  p.  309. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBUEN.  427 

and  the  consequence  was,  that  votes  were  then  passed,  which 
directly  contravened  the  measures  taken  by  the  town  in  the  two 
meetings  next  preceding.  In  acting  upon  the  article  above 
cited,  a  committee  was  chosen  to  meet  the  Court's  committee, 
consisting  of  Lieut.. Joseph  Winn,  Gen.  John  Walker  and  Mr. 
John  Kendall  j  and  a  second  committee  was  appointed  to  draft 
instructions  for  the  first,  which  were  accepted  by  the  town,  and 
were  as  follows,  viz  : 

"  That  the  Committee  this  day  appointed  to  attend  the  Com- 
mittee from  the  General  Court  be  instructed  to  attend  said 
Committee,  and  use  their  endeavours,  in  behalf  of  the  Town  of 
Woburn,  to  have  the  town  divided,  agreeable  to  the  Prayers  of 
the  inhabitants  of  the  Second  Parish  in  said  town,  and  that  all 
just  and  equitable  measures  be  taken  by  them  to  have  the  same 
accomplished  as  soon  as  may  be ;  and  that  they  appear  in  behalf 
of  said  town,  at  the  next  session  of  the  General  Court,  and 
urge  the  necessity  and  utility  of  the  measure  in  the  most  press- 
ing manner  they  are  able,  or  in  any  other  way  they  may  think 
most  proper  to  accomplish  a  division  of  said  town."30 

But  at  a  general  town  meeting,  at  the  meeting-house  of  the 
First  Parish,  November  5,  1798,  the  action  of  the  meeting, 
October  1st,  in  regard  to  a  division  of  the  town,  was  entirely 
reversed. 

In  answer  to  the  petition  of  a  number  of  the  inhabitants  "  to 
see  if  the  Town  will  dismiss  the  Committee  which  was  chosen 
at  their  last  town  meeting  to  attend  the  Hon.  Committee  from  the 
General  Court  upon  a  Division  of  the  Town  " :  the  house  was 
polled,  and  eighty-three  were  for  acting  on  this  article,  and 
forty-three  against. 

"Voted,  that  the  Committee,  which  was  chosen  on  the  1st 
Oct.  1798,  viz,  Messrs.  Gen.  John  Walker,  Lieut.  Joseph  Winn 
and  Mr.  John  Kendall,  for  the  purpose  of  meeting  the  Hon. 
Committee  from  the  General  Court,  by  a  vote  of  the  town  this 
day  passed  is  dismissed  from  any  further  service  for  the  town 
as  a  Committee. 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  XII.,  p.  311. 


428  HISTORY  OP  WOBURN. 

"Voted,  to  choose  Agents  to  attend  the  General  Court,  or 
any  Committee  that  is  or  may  be  appointed  by  the  General 
Court,  upon  a  Division  of  the  Town." 

Chose  three  agents  by  hand  vote :  to  whom  two  more  were 
presently  added : 

COL.  LOAMMI  BALDWIN, 
MAJ.  JEREMIAH  CLAPP, 
MR.  ABIJAH  THOMPSON,    J>  Agents. 
MR.  NATHAN  SIMONDS, 
CAPT.  JOSEPH  BROWN, 
Voted,  that  the  instructions  which  Col.  Loammi  Baldwin  has 
this  day  drawn  up  be  the  instructions  for  the  above  agents : 
which  instructions  were  as  follows : 

Instructions : 

"  I.  Voted,  to  choose  a  standing  Committee  of  five  persons  to 
be  Agents  for  the  Town  to  oppose  a  Division  of  the  Town,  any 
three  of  which  Committee  shall  constitute  a  quorum  to  do  busi- 
ness, and  no  more  than  three  are  to  attend  at  any  one  time,  at 
the  expense  of  the  town.  And  the  said  Committee  are  re- 
quested and  authorized  to  attend  when  it  shall  be  necessary,  at 
the  General  Court,  or  before  any  Committee  that  has  been  or 
that  may  hereafter  be  appointed,  upon  the  Division  of  the  Town, 
and  in  the  name  and  in  behalf  of  this  town,  to  oppose  any 
division  thereof,  and  to  remonstrate  against  the  continuance  of 
those  expensive  measures  which  are  pursuing  against  it ;  and  if 
necessary,  to  petition  the  Legislature,  to  be  heard  on  the  sub- 
ject upon  the  floor  of  the  House;  and  generally  to  do  and 
transact  every  thing  which  they  may  think  necessary  for  the 
interest  of  the  town,  to  prevent  a  measure  which  appears 
pregnant  with  so  many  evils  as  tnat  of  the  division  of  the 
town. 

"  2d.  And  it  is  also  further  Voted,  that  the  numbers  of  Voters 
present  at  the  appointment  of  said  Committee  be  taken,  and  a 
Record  thereof  made ;  and  the  said  Committee  with  the  forego- 
ing Commission  shall  continue  and  exist  for  the  term  of  one  year 
next  ensuing  this  date,  if  the  cause  which  has  given  rise  for  their 


HISTORY   OP   WOBUBN.  429 

appointment  shall  continue  so  long,  unless  in  the  mean  time  they 
shall  be  dismissed,  or  their  commission  altered,  in  legal  Town 
Meeting,  when  there  shall  be  as  many  Voters  at  least  present 
as  there  are  now  at  the  appointment  of  said  Committee. 

"  3d.  Voted,  that  Samuel  Thompson,  Esq.,  who  is  appointed  to 
represent  this  town  in  the  General  Court,  the  present  year,  be 
instructed,  and  is  hereby  instructed,  to  use  his  influence  and 
utmost  endeavors  in  the  General  Court  to  prevent  a  division  of 
the  town,  and  if  possible,  to  put  a  speedy  stop  to  the  expensive 
measures  which  have  been  unreasonably  pursued  against  the 
rights,  the  interest  and  happiness  of  the  citizens  thereof. 

"Voted,  that  all  the  instructions  and  directions  given  to 
Messrs.  Gen.  John  Walker,  Lt.  Joseph  Winn  and  John  Kendall, 
the  Committee  chosen  at  the  last  meeting  to  attend  the  General 
Court's  Committee  upon  the  Division  of  the  Town  be  repealed, 
and  made  null  and  void."31 

But  all  the  strenuous  efforts  of  the  majority  of  the  town  to 
prevent  the  contemplated  division  of  it  did  not  avail.  Such 
were  the  representations  made  to  the  Court,  on  the  part  of  the 
Second  Parish,  or  such  the  adroitness  of  its  management  for 
securing  the  end  aimed  at,  that  the  Court  came  at  last  to  the 
conclusion,  that  a  division  of  the  town  was  expedient ;  and  on 
February  28,  1799,  incorporated  the  Second  Parish  of  Woburn 
as  a  distinct  town,  by  the  name  of  Burlington.32 

By  this  act  of  the  Legislature,  Woburn  lost  7,418  acres  of 
territory,  beside  the  Locke  Farm,  which  was  originally  included 
in  it,  but  which,  after  the  incorporation  of  Burlington,  was  set 
off  to  Lexington.33 

Of  three  hundred  and  fifty-three  persons  resident  in  Woburn, 
who  were  taxed  there  upon  the  town  tax  in  1798,  there  were 
ninety-six  who  belonged  to  the  precinct.34 

Of  a  town  tax  raised  in  Woburn,  1798,  and  amounting  to 
$2,703.10,  the  Second  Parish  paid  I795.20.34 

The  population  of  Woburn,  Winchester  and  Burlington  was 


M  Town  Records,  Vol.  XII.,  pp.  314,  315.  »»  Special  Laws  of  Mass.,  Vol.  II.,  p.  283. 

»  Plan  of  Burlington,  by  Bart.  Richardson,  1831.      »*  Town  Records,  Vol.  XII.,  pp.  317-343. 


430  HISTORY   OP  WOBURN. 

as  follows,  according  to  the  United  States  census,  in  the  years 
named : 

1790.   1800.   1810.   1820.   1830.   1840.   1850.   1860. 

Woburn,  1,727  1,228  1,219  1,519  1,977  2,993  3,956  6,287 35 
Winchester,  1,353  1,937 

Burlington,  534      471      508      446     510      545      606 

N.  B.  Winchester  was  incorporated  April  30,  1850,  from 
parts  of  Woburn,  Medford  and  West  Cambridge.36 

Burlington  incorporated  February  28,  1799,  originally  Wo- 
burn, Second  Parish :  part  of  it  annexed  to  Lexington,  January 
10,  1810.37 

The  death  of  General  Washington  (deservedly  called  the 
Father  of  his  Country)  in  December  1799,  excited  a  universal 
and  profound  sensation  of  grief  throughout  the  United  States. 
At  a  town  meeting  in  Woburn,  January  8,  1800,  called  as  soon 
as  could  be  after  the  event  was  announced,  it  was  voted: 

"1.  That  a  week  day  be  assigned,  on  which  the  Town  may 
pay  their  respects  to  the  memory  of  the  late  General  George 
Washington,  who  died  on  the  14th  of  December,  A.  D.  1799. 

"  2.  That  the  Selectmen  with  three  other  Gentlemen,  viz.  Col. 
Loammi  Baldwin,  Major  Jeremiah  Clapp,  and  Dea.  Josiah  Con- 
vers,  be  a  Committee  to  appoint  said  day,  and  concert  a  mode 
in  which  the  town  may  proceed  to  pay  their  respects  to  the 
memory  of  their  friend,  Gen .  George  Washington  deceased." 

The  Report  of  the  Committee,  rendered  within  an  hour  after, 
was : 

"  The  citizens  of  the  town  of  Woburn,  being  deeply  affected  at 
the  death  of  his  Excellency,  George  Washington  Esq.  late  Gen- 
eral of  the  Armies  of  the  United  States,  who  died  the  14th 
Dec.  last,  do  resolve  that  Thursday,  the  16th  instant,  be  set 
apart  to  testify  their  respect  to  the  memory  of  their  late  beloved 
friend  and  patron,  General  George  Washington. 

"  And  that  it  be  recommended  to  the  Inhabitants  of  this  Town 
to  suspend  the  ordinary  business  of  labour,  and  that  an  Eulo- 
gium  adapted  to  the  occasion  be  delivered  at  the  Meeting 
House  on  said  day. 

M  Public  Documents,  Annual  Statistics,  1861,  No.  1,  pp.  30,  31. 
»»  Public  Documents,  etc.,  1864,  No.  1,  p.  15. 
w  Public  Documents,  1864,  No.  1,  pp.  13, 14. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  431 

"  Voted  to  recommend  to  all  the  male  inhabitants  to  wear  a 
black  crape  or  ribbon  on  their  left  arm,  and  the  females, 
black  trimming  on  their  head  dresses,  for  the  term  of  thirty 


This  report  was  accepted  by  the  town,  which  then  chose  a 
committee  of  nine  persons,  to  make  and  carry  into  effect  the 
necessary  arrangements  for  said  day,  viz : 

COL.  LOAMMI  BALDWIN. 

SAMUEL  THOMPSON,  ESQ. 

DBA.  JOSIAH  CONVERS. 

MR.  ABIJAH  THOMPSON. 

CAPT.  JOSEPH  BOND. 

LIEUT.  JOSEPH  LAWRENCE. 

CAPT.  BENJAMIN  WYMAN. 

MR.  ELIJAH  LEATHE,  JR. 

MAJ.  JEREMIAH  CLAPP.38 

Finally,  "  Voted,  in  case  that  an  Orator  cannot  be  obtained  to 
pronounce  an  Eulogium  on  the  day  appointed,  the  above  Com- 
mittee are  authorized  to  appoint  another  time  for  said  Solemnity, 
and  to  give  seasonable  notice  to  the  Town  of  the  time  they  may 
appoint."  38 

The  services  in  commemoration  of  the  death  of  Washington 
were  held  January  16th,  (the  day  recommended  by  the  Com- 
mittee,) in  the  old  meeting-house  on  the  Common,  which  was  so 
densely  crowded  with  attendants,  that  it  was  found  necessary  to 
prop  it  up.  An  escort  was  formed  by  the  military  company 
under  the  command  of  Lieut.  Stephen  Richardson ;  and  by  the 
children  and  youth  of  the  public  schools.  Prayer  was  offered 
by  Rev.  Daniel  Oliver,  then  preaching  in  Woburn.  An  address, 
adapted  to  the  occasion,  was  delivered  by  Rev.  Dr.  Morse  of 
Charlestown,  founded  on  the  words  Deut.  xxxiv.  7.  "And 
Moses  was  an  hundred  and  twenty  years  old  when  he  died ;  his 
eye  was  not  dim,  nor  his  natural  force  abated."  Rev.  Elias 
Smith,  of  the  Baptist  society,  made  the  concluding  prayer.39 

M  Town  Records,  Vol.  XII.,  p.  358. 
»»  Communication  from  Col.  Leonard  Thompson,  by  Nathan  Wyman,  Esq.,  town  clerk. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

Ecclesiastical  History  from  1775.  —  First  Church :  Rev.  Messrs.  Sargeant, 
Chickering,  Bennett. 

To  resume  the  ecclesiastical  history  of  Woburn,  which  was 
brought  down  in  Chapter  XL,  to  1775  : 

At  the  commencement  of  the  present  century,  in  consequence 
of  the  incorporation  of  the  Second  Parish  as  the  town  of  Bur- 
lington in  1799,  the  old  first  congregational  parish  of  Woburn 
comprehended  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  town,  excepting  the  few 
connected  with  the  Baptist  Society,  which  had  been  then  but 
recently  formed.  To  preserve  harmony  with  that  society,  how- 
ever, the  town  entered  into  an  engagement  with  it,  September  28, 
1801,  to  omit  taxing  its  members  for  the  support  of  Congrega- 
tional preaching,  or  any  other  religious  purpose,  on  condition  of 
its  returning  every  year,  by  the  first  of  May,  to  the  town  asses- 
sors, a  list  of  those  who  belonged  to  it.1  And  moreover,  it 
forbore,  after  1802,  to  enter  in  the  town  records  (agreeably  to 
previous  custom)  its  proceedings  relative  to  raising  money  for 
preaching,  or  to  the  settlement  or  maintenance  of  its  ministers, 
but  transferred  them  to  a  new  volume,  termed  the  "  Parish 
Books"  or  otherwise  "the  Ministerial  Book  of  Records."  2  The 
last  tax  for  the  support  of  preaching  that  is  recorded  in  the 
town  book  was  raised  by  the  town  September  21,  1801,  and 
recorded  in  the  Town  Records,  Vol.  XIII.,  p.  62-66. 

After  the  dismission  of  Rev.  Mr.  Sherman,  in  1775,  the  First 
Parish  was  almost  ten  years  without  a  settled  minister.  The 
friends  of  the  dismissed  pastor  were  too  much  soured  and 
grieved  at  his  removal,  to  be  very  ready  to  agree  with  his  op- 
ponents in  the  choice  of  a  successor.  Upon  two  occasions, 
they  manifested  much  solicitude  to  have  Mr.  Sherman  invited 
back  and  resettled  over  them.  Particularly,  at  a  parish  meet- 

i  Town  Records,  Vol.  XIII.,  p.  47. 

*  Town  Records,  Vol.  XIII.,  pp.  70, 126, 186, 188,  217,  254,  348,  379. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  433 

ing,  December  8,  1778,  in  taking  steps  to  determine  how  many 
were  in  favor  of  giving  him  such  an  invitation,  the  people  were 
found  to  be  very  nearly  equally  divided.3 

At  a  meeting,  April  5,  1779,  it  was  voted  to  set  apart  April 
22d,  as  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer,  "  in  order  to  the  settlement 
of  a  Gospel  Minister  in  this  Parish ;"  and  to  apply  to  the  follow- 
ing ministers  in  the  vicinity,  viz : 

Rev.  Messrs.  MORRILL  of  Wilmington, 

"         "       CLARK  of  Lexington, 

"         "       THACHER  of  Maiden, 

"         "       PRENTISS  of  Reading, 

"         «       MARRETT  of  Woburn.  Second  Parish, 

"        "       OSGOOD  of  Medford, 
"  to  assist  the  Parish,  and  carry  on  the  work  of  the  day."  4 

During  the  long  period  which  elapsed  that  Woburn  First 
Parish  was  destitute  of  a  settled  ministry,  numerous  candidates 
were  employed,  with  a  view  to  settlement  over  them.  Among 
the  more  prominent  of  these  were  Messrs.  Caleb  Jewett,  in 
1779,  William  Greenough,  in  1780,  Jonathan  Homer,  in  1781, 
and  Phinehas  Wright,  in  1784.  Each  of  these  gentlemen  was 
successively  called  by  the  church  to  the  pastoral  office ;  and,  in 
respect  to  the  two  named  last,  the  parish  voted  concurrence 
with  the  church,  and  a  salary.  But  they  all  declined  continuing 
in  Woburn.  Mr.  Jewett  was  afterwards  settled,  it  is  believed, 
in  Maine;  Messrs.  Greenough  and  Homer  in  Newton;  and 
Mr.  Wright  in  Bolton. 

December  8, 1784,  the  church  made  choice  of  Mr.  Samuel  Sar- 
geant  for  their  pastor.  With  this  choice  the  parish  concurred, 
at  a  meeting  December  13th,  when  they  voted  to  give  him  annu- 
ally <£150  salary,  so  long  as  he  should  do  the  whole  work  of  the 
ministry  in  the  parish,  and  £150  settlement.  And  at  an  adjourn- 
ment of  this  meeting,  January  3,  1785,  it  was  voted  to  pay  Mr. 
Sargeant  his  settlement  one  half  in  one  year,  and  the  other  half 
in  two  years  from  that  time ;  and  to  give  him  £50  annually  for 
his  maintenance,  so  long  as  he  shall  be  the  minister  of  the  parish, 

»  Parish  Records,  Vol.  II.,  pp.  219,  220.    «  Prfrish  Records,  Vol.  II.    Page  not  noted  by  clerk. 


434  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

•  should  he  fail,  by  reason  of  age,  etc.,  to  do  the  whole  work  of 
the  ministry.5 

And  at  an  adjourned  meeting,  January  24th,  the  parish  voted, 
by  forty  votes  to  twenty,  their  continued  satisfaction  with  their 
previous  proceedings  on  this  head ;  and  appointed  a  committee 
"  to  complete  a  contract  with  Mr.  Samuel  Sargeant,"  who  that 
day  accepted  the  invitation  given  him  to  settle.5 

February  14th,  a  committee  of  the  parish  was  appointed  to 
meet  a  committee  of  the  church,  to  make  provision  for  the 
ordination;  and  also  with  Mr.  Sargeant  to  determine  what 
churches  to  apply  to,  for  their  assistance  on  the  occasion.  The 
day  appointed  for  the  ordination  is  not  named  either  in  the 
church  or  in  the  parish  records  j  but  from  the  Precinct  Church 
Records,  it  appears  to  have  taken  place  March  14,  1785,  Mr. 
Sargeant  having  been  received  into  the  fellowship  of  the  Church 
a  fortnight  before. 

At  this  time,  there  were,  on  the  Parish  tax  lists  for  1785,  one 
hundred  and  twenty-seven  resident  persons  on  the  west  list,  and 
one  hundred  and  four  resident  persons  on  the  east  list,  taxed 
for  the  minister's  salary.5 

But  scarcely  was  Mr.  Sargeant  regularly  inducted  into  the 
pastoral  office,  before  those  troubles  commenced  respecting  him, 
with  which  the  parish  was  agitated  for  nearly  fourteen  years. 
The  choice  of  him  by  the  parish,  as  their  minister,  was  far  from 
unanimous,  as  is  evident  from  their  proceedings  at  their  meeting 
January  24,  1785,  at  which  they  confirmed  their  previous 
doings  at  his  election;  and  subsequent  acquaintance  with  him, 
and  use  to  his  ministrations  did  not  allay  the  opposition  to 
him,  or  increase  the  number  of  his  friends.  At  a  meeting  of  the 
parish  May  1,  1786,  Mr.  Zachariah  Richardson,  a  stanch  friend 
of  Mr.  Sherman,  and  who  seemed  hardly  willing  to  sit  under 
the  preaching  of  any  other  minister,  brought  forward  a  petition 
that  every  one  might  be  allowed  to  pay  his  parish  tux  wherever 
he  attended  preaching:  and  though  the  parish  refused,  by  forty 
votes  to  twenty-three,  to  act  on  this  petition,  yet  another  petition, 

«  Parish  Records,  Vol.  II. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  435 

signed  by  the  same  individual  and  ten  others,  was  presented 
at  a  meeting  October  29th  of  the  next  year,  urging  that  a  com- 
mittee might  be  chosen,  to  see  if  they  can  agree  with  the  Rev. 
Samuel  Sargeant,  that  he  should  quit  the  desk.5 

Before  the  end  of  the  year  1786,  several  members  of  Woburn 
First  Parish  had  withdrawn  from  the  public  worship  of  their  own 
town,  and  frequently  attended  the  meetings  of  the  Baptist  society 
in  West  Cambridge :  and  though  the  assessors  in  Woburn  were 
directed  by  the  parish  to  assess  the  parish  taxes,  as  they  had 
been  wont  to,  yet  at  several  parish  meetings  in  Woburn,  in  1787 
and  1788,  it  was  a  matter  of  debate,  what  should  be  done  with 
the  parish  taxes  of  those  persons ;  whether  they  should  be  paid 
to  the  Baptists,  who  demanded  them  of  the  parish  treasurer, 
or  not. 

Alarmed  by  these  contentions,  and  tokens  of  alienation  from 
Rev.  Mr.  Sargeant  on  the  part  of  many,  several  prominent  citi- 
zens procured  a  parish  meeting,  to  be  called  January  4,  1790,  to 
see  if  the  parish  will  act  upon  the  following  articles,  agreeably 
to  the  petition  of  Bartholomew  Richardson  and  others : 

First,  "  To  see  if  the  Parish  will  take  any  measures  to  recon- 
cile and  heal  the  divisions  and  uneasiness  that  do  now  and  have 
for  some  time  past  subsisted  between  a  considerable  number  of 
the  Parish  and  the  Revd  Mr  Samuel  Sargeant. 

"  Second,  To  choose  a  large  committee  to  wait  on  the  Rev. 
Mr  Sargeant,  to  confer  with  him  on  the  subject  of  a  reconcilia- 
tion and  compromise  between  him  and  a  great  number  of  the 
Parish,  and  if  possible,  to  lay  a  plan  for  obtaining  peace  and 
unity  once  more  amongst  us."  6 

At  this  meeting,  January  4, 1790,  a  numerous  committee,  viz : 
Dr.  Samuel  Bloggett,  Messrs.  Jesse  Richardson,  Robert  Douglas, 
Elijah  Leathe,  Deacon  Zebadiah  Wyman,  Messrs.  Joseph  Winn, 
Josiah  Convers,  Lieut.  Jeduthan  Richardson,  Maj.  John  Hast- 
ings, Mr.  Paul  Wyman,  Capt.  Joseph  Bartlett,  Samuel  Thompson, 
Esq.,  and  Mr.  Daniel  Wyman,  thirteen  in  all,  was  chosen,  to 
take  part  in  the  efforts  proposed  above ;  and  also  upon  certain 

«  Parish  Records,  Vol.  II. 


436  HISTORY   OP   WOBUBN. 

papers  communicated  by  Mr.  Sargeant,  and  to  report  at  adjourn- 
ment, January  18th. 

At  the  adjournment,  the  committee  reported  that  they  did  not 
consider  the  proposals  of  Mr.  Sargeant,  contained  in  his  letters 
communicated  to  the  parish,  as  sufficient  to  calm  the  disaffection. 

44  That  they  had  waited  on  Mr  Sargeant,  and  had  informed  him, 
as  far  as  was  in  their  power,  with  regard  to  the  existing  uneasi- 
ness ;  that  he  expressed  great  grief  thereat ;  had  ever  sought  their 
welfare ;  was  sensible  of  the  burdens  of  his  people  ;  was  willing  to 
sustain  an  equal  share  with  any  of  his  brethren ;  and  (with  regard 
to  his  demands  on  the  Parish)  had  never  exacted  interest  on  his 
Orders ;  on  the  contrary,  had  often  settled  them,  after  they  had 
been  due  15  or  20  months,  without  any  compensation  for  delay, 
even  when  he  was  paying  interest  himself  for  money  he  had  bor- 
rowed ;  that  he  had  never  in  any  year  since  his  residence  among 
them,  received,  on  an  average,  more  than  £10  over  and  above  a 
sufficiency  to  pay  for  his  own  board  and  horse  keeping,  at  the  rate 
he  gave  while  a  Candidate ;  and  that  he  had  never  received  a 
farthing  of  his  settlement  money  since  the  day  it  was  voted : 
finally,  that  if  he  were  chargeable  with  rash  or  imprudent  speeches, 
had  injured  any  one,  or  done  any  thing  inconsistent  with  the 
character  of  a  Christian  minister  or  gentleman,  he  was  willing  to 
make  any  proper  satisfaction  ;  and  to  submit  all  matters  of  uneasi- 
ness to  a  Mutual  Council  of  Churches,  and  abide  its  decision." 

The  report,  of  which  the  above  is  an  abstract  of  the  princi- 
pal particulars,  is  signed  by  Joseph  Bartlett,  the  committee's 
clerk.  And  in  perusing  it,  one  cannot  but  perceive  reason  for 
Christian  sympathy  with  Rev.  Mr.  Sargeant,  in  some  of  its  state- 
ments, and  in  others  just  cause  of  complaint  on  his  part  against 
the  parish  for  delinquency  in  not  fulfilling  their  engagements 
with  him. 

But  the  report  did  not  satisfy  the  parish,  which  decided  not 
to  accept  it,  by  sixteen  votes  to  thirty-three,  and  then  referred 
the  matter  anew  to  the  same  committee,  with  some  enlargement 
of  their  commission,  to  report  further  at  an  adjourned  meeting, 
January  28th.6 

At  the  adjournment,  the  committee  added  to  their  former  report, 
that  having  inquired  into  and  considered  certain  speeches  reported 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  437 

to  have  been  made  by  Rev.  Mr.  Sargeant,  they  had  found  one  to 
be  without  foundation,  and  as  to  another,  they  had  not  been  able 
to  obtain  satisfaction. 

They  further  reported,  that  having  endeavored  impartially  to 
acquaint  themselves  with  the  sentiments  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
Parish,  with  regard  to  Mr.  Sargeant,  "  they  had  found  24  decidedly 
in  his  favor. 

"  48  inclined  to  have  the  connection  between  Mr.  Sargeant  and 
his  people  dissolved. 

"  50,  who  had  not  seen  fit  to  manifest  their  wishes. 

"  22  who  had  signed  off  to  the  Baptists. 

"  And  a  few  remained,  whom  they  had  not  seen,  and  whose 
sentiments,  in  regard  to  Mr.  Sargeant,  they  had  had  no  opportu- 
nity to  ascertain." 

This  report  was  read  and  accepted ;  and  then  the  meeting  was 
dissolved.6 

In  the  year  1790,  Mr.  Sargeant  sued  the  parish  at  law,  proba- 
bly for  his  settlement  money.  No  defence  was  attempted  by 
the  parish  in  this  suit ;  but  they  agreed  to  be  defaulted. 

About  the  same  time,  Rev.  Thomas  Green,  minister  of  the 
Baptist  society  in  West  Cambridge,  sued  the  parish  for  recovery 
of  the  taxes  of  those  inhabitants  of  Woburn,  who  attended  wor- 
ship in  his  society.  Committees  were  successively  appointed  to 
defend  the  parish  against  Mr.  Green.  But  eventually,  the  case 
was  decided  in  Mr.  Green's  favor,  who  obtained  an  execution 
against  the  parish ;  and  orders  were  given  to  the  parish  asses- 
sors, October  17,  1791,  "to  omit  taxing  those  persons  reputed 
to  belong  to  Mr.  Thomas  Green's  Society,  whose  names  are 
returned  to  the  [Parish]  Committee,  except  Benjamin  Fowle, 
Ephraim  Tottingham,  and  such  others,  as  the  assessors  may  think 
best  to  tax  or  not,  according  to  the  assessors'  discretion." 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Parish,  September  27,  1792,  an  address  to 
the  church,  drawn  up  by  a  committee  chosen  for  the  purpose,  was 
submitted  to  the  parish,  in  which  it  was  stated,  "  that  the  disaffection 
to  Mr.  Sargeant  had  existed  several  years,  was  continually  increas- 
ing, and  disturbing  not  only  their  religious  transactions,  but  the 
harmony  of  their  social  intercourse ;  and  threatening,  unless  a 
remedy  was  speedily  applied,  the  most  injurious  consequences : 


438  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

that '  a  new  Religion,  had  been  introduced  among  them,  and  the 
usual  place  of  worship  had  been  forsaken  by  a  considerable  number 
of  valuable  citizens  ;  and  that  many  who  continued  to  attend,  did  it 
more  from  a  sense  of  duty,  and  a  love  of  good  order,  than  from 
any  expectation  of  benefit :  that  they  did  not  now  complain,  on 
behalf  of  the  parish,  of  the  religious  or  moral  character  of  Mr  Sar- 
geant ;  but  that  so  unintelligible  were  his  instructions,  and  so 
mysterious  and  dark  his  mode  of  communication,  that  the  general 
complaint  was,  that  neither  profit  nor  advantage  could  be  expected  ; 
and  that  they  believed  the  general  wish  of  the  parish  was  for  an 
amicable  separation,  such  as  would  be  honorable  to  Mr.  Sargeant, 
and  not  injurious  to  them ;  and  that  unless  a  separation  did  take 
place,  they  had  good  reason  to  believe  that  a  number  of  others, 
Mr.  Sargeant's  hearers,  would  withdraw."  7 

This  address  was  accepted  by  the  parish,  and  the  committee 
which  drew  it  up,  soon  after,  at  the  request  of  the  parish,  presented 
it  to  the  church.  From  the  church  records,  it  appears  that  the 
church  met  October  24th,  to  hear  the  address  read  ;  and  appointed 
a  committee  of  three,  viz,  Samuel  Thompson,  Esq.,  Deacons  Obadiah 
Kendall  and  Zebadiah  Wyman,  to  prepare  an  answer. 

But  their  answer,  whatever  it  was,  did  not  satisfy  the  parish, 
or  divert  them  from  their  purpose,  which  was  to  get  rid  of  Mr. 
Sargeant.  At  their  adjourned  meeting,  October  29th,  they  chose 
a  committee  of  five,  viz :  Capt.  Joseph  Bartlett,  Mr.  Jeremiah 
Clapp,  Capt.  Joseph  Brown,  Ichabod  Parker  and  Josiah  Par- 
ker, to  meet  the  church,  and  to  request  that  a  committee  might 
be  chosen  from  their  body  to  join  with  the  parish  committee 
"  to  wait  upon  Mr.  Sargeant,  and  see  what  agreement  can  be 
made  with  him,  relative  to  his  relinquishing  his  connexion  over 
this  Parish  " ;  and  report  at  the  adjournment  of  this  meeting, 
November  12th. 

The  above  request  of  the  parish  was  communicated  to  the 
church,  November  2d,  when  it  was  voted  to  resolve  the  church 
into  a  committee  of  the  whole,  to  join  the  committee  from  the 
parish.  This  joint  committee  met  November  5th;  but  after 
calling  Deacon  Zebadiah  Wyman  to  the  chair,  they  came  to  no 
conclusion,  and  dissolved  the  meeting.  (See  Church  Records.) 


Parish  Records,  Vol.  H. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  439 

At  a  meeting  of  the  parish,  January  28,  1793,  it  was  put  to 
vote  — 

1.  "To  see  if  the  Parish  will  submit  the  present  difficulty  exist- 
ing between  the  Revd-  Samuel  Sargeant  and  a  number  of  the  Parish 
(agreeably  to  the  original  Contract  with  Mr  Sargeant  at  his  settle- 
ment) to  a  Mutual  Council  of  Churches. 

2.  "  Then  voted  to   choose  a  Committee  of  five  persons,  to 
Request  Mr  Samuel  Sargeant  to  call  a  Church  Meeting,  to  see  if 
the  Church  will  join  in  a  Council ;  and  Report  to  the  Parish  at  their 
adjournment. 

"  Then  made  choice  of  Mr  Abijah  Thompson,  Capt.  Joseph 
Brown,  Mr  Paul  Wyman,  Capt.  Joseph  Bartlett,  and  Mr  Jere- 
miah Clapp"  ;  and  voted  to  adjourn  to  the  18th  of  February  next, 
at  2  of  the  clock,  P.  M.8 

February  18,  1793,  the  parish  met  according  to  their  ad- 
journment, and  called  upon  their  committee  for  their  report, 
who  said  they  had  none,  although  the  church  had  met.  But  from 
the  Church  Records,  we  learn  the  proceedings  of  the  church  in 
regard  to  those  of  the  parish,  at  their  meeting  January  28th,  and 
upon  other  interesting  matters,  as  follows :  — 

The  church  met  February  18, 1793,  and  heard  read  the  pro- 
ceedings of  the  parish  at  their  meeting,  January  28th.  When 
it  was  voted,  after  mature  deliberation, 

1.  "  Not  to  act  at  present  on  the  request  of  the  Parish." 

2.  Informed  Mr.  Sargeant  that  a  number  of  persons  appeared 
disposed  to  withdraw  from  the  parish,  and  requested  him  to  say, 
whether  in  case  they  should  withdraw,  he    would  relinquish  the 
proportion  of  his  salary,  for  which  such  persons  would  be  liable  ? 
To  which  Mr.  Sargeant  replied  as  follows :  — 

"  Should  a  number  of  persons  relinquish  their  connexion  with  the 
Parish,  and  join  any  other  denomination  of  Christians,  the  loss 
shall  be  mine,  not  the  parish's.  Pay  me  from  year  to  year  the  same 
proportion  on  Polls,  real  and  personal  Estate,  as  you  paid  the  last 
year  in  the  sum  of  one  hundred  pounds  and  I  will  relinquish  the 
deficiency." 

These  doings  were  sent  to  the  parish,  and  the  parish  dissolved 
their  meeting.9 

In  this  unhappy  posture  of  affairs,  the  First  Church  and  Par- 
ish in  Woburn  continued,  in  relation  to  their  pastor,  Rev.  Mr. 

•  Parish  Records,  Vol.  III.,  p.  1.  >  Parish  Records,  Vol.  III.,  p.  2. 


440  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

Sargeant,  for  five  years  more.  A  large  number  of  the  parish 
were  earnestly  desirous  that  the  connection  between  them  and 
their  minister  should  be  dissolved.  But  a  majority  of  the  church 
appear  to  have  resolutely  adhered  to  him,  and  been  very  unwill- 
ing to  part  with  him.  But  in  1798,  the  church,  alarmed  at  the 
then  state  of  things,  and  apparently  fearing  that  to  retain  Mr. 
Sargeant  in  the  ministry  among  them  any  longer  might  be  fatal 
to  the  peace  of  the  parish,  and  to  the  interests  of  religion  in  it, 
came  to  the  conclusion  it  would  be  best  to  carry  into  effect  an 
agreement  entered  into  by  them  and  Mr.  Sargeant  just  before  his 
ordination.  That  agreement  was  as  follows  : 

In  the  warrant  for  a  parish  meeting,  March  19,  1798,  one 
article  was,  * 

"To  see  what  the  Parish  will  do,  respecting  the  uneasiness  of 
a  number  of  persons  belonging  to  said  Parish,  relative  to  sitting 
under  the  Rev.  Samuel  Sargeant's  preaching,"  etc.  In  acting 
at  the  meeting  upon  this  article,  "  Voted  to  poll  the  House  on 
the  Question  of  the  uneasiness  under  the  Rev.  Mr  Samuel  Sar- 
geant's preaching:  which  was  accordingly  done.  The  Return 
was,  that  thirty-five  were  uneasy,  and  nine  otherwise  minded."10 

The  parish  then  proceeded  to  choose  a  committee  of-  seven 
persons,  viz :  Maj.  Jeremiah  Clapp,  Mr.  Deacon  Wyman,  Capt. 
Joseph  Brown,  Mr.  Jacob  Peirce,  Capt.  Benjamin  Wyman,  Mr. 
Bill  Russell,  and  Capt.  Abijah  Thompson,  "  to  request  the  Rev. 
Samuel  Sargeant  and  the  Church  to  call  a  Church  meeting  for 
the  purpose  of  choosing  a  Committee  to  meet  the  Parish  Com- 
mittee, to  consult  together  respecting  the  uneasiness  of  a  number 
of  persons  belonging  to  said  Parish,  relative  to  their  sitting  under 
the  Revd.  Mr  Samuel  Sargeant's  Preaching."  10 

The  committee  of  seven,  chosen  as  above,  proceeded  to  com- 
municate the  request  of  the  parish  to  the  church,  who  voted 
compliance  with  it,  and  at  a  meeting,  April  9th,  having  heard  the 
doings  of  the  parish,  March  19th,  chose  from  their  own  body 
Samuel  Thompson  Esq.,  Deacon  Jeduthan  Richardson,  Deacon 
Obadiah  Kendall,  Abijah  Thompson  and  Joseph  Lawrence,  as  a 
committee,  to  join  with  the  committee  from  the  parish.  At  a  parish 
meeting,  July  2d,  this  joint  committee  reported  as  follows,  viz : 

w  Pariah  Records,  Vol.  m.,  pp.  40,  41. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  441 

"  We  the  Subscribers,  a  joint  Committee  chosen  from  the  Church 
and  Parish  to  consider  the  present  uneasiness  subsisting  between 
the  Rev.  Samuel  Sargeant  the  Church  and  Parish,  have  attended  that 
business  agreeably  to  their  instructions,  and  report  as  follows  :  viz. 
that  after  waiting  upon  Mr.  Sargeant  at  his  house,  and  consulting 
with  him,  find  he  will  not  come  to  any  agreement,  nor  make  any 
proposals  respecting  the  terms  of  a  Separation ;  but  does  not 
object  to  a  Council  agreed  upon  by  him  and  the  Church  :  and  we 
recommend  to  the  Parish  to  leave  it  with  Mr.  Sargeant  and  the 
Church  to  agree  upon  a  Council,  and  that  the  uneasiness  together 
with  all  matters  of  dispute  be  submitted  to  their  determination. 

"  JEDUTHDN  RICHARDSON    )         Q  ,     „  n 

"  July  2,  1798.  jEREMh.  CLAPP.  5  * 

The  parish  voted  to  accept  the  above  report;  and  also  to 
join  with  the  church  in  a  council;  and  that  their  committee 
should  unite  with  the  committee  from  the  church  in  making  the 
necessary  provision  for  receiving  the  council. 

Hitherto,  the  church  seems  to  have  entertained  a  lingering 
hope,  that  an  accommodation  on  some  terms  might  be  effected 
between  Rev.  Mr.  Sargeant  and  the  parish,  and  thus  save  the 
necessity  of  calling  a  council.  But  the  result  of  the  conference 
between  him  and  the  joint  committee,  related  in  the  report  just 
given,  convinced  them  it  was  useless  to  cherish  such  an  expecta- 
tion any  longer. 

Accordingly,  at  a  meeting  July  9th,  they  voted  with  Mr. 
Sargeant's  concurrence,  to  call  a  mutual  council  of  five  churches, 
viz  :  the  church  in  Chelsea,  the  church  in  Billerica,  two  churches  in 
Reading,  and  the  church  in  Salem,  of  which  Rev.  Messrs.  Payson, 
Cumings,  Stone,  Prentiss  and  Barnard,  D.  D.,  were  pastors. 

2.  Appointed  Tuesday,  25th  September  next,  10  o'clock, 
A.  M.,  for  the  Council  to  convene ;  and  the  pastor  and  deacons 
to  be  the  committee  to  send  the  letters  missive. 

The  following  is  the  form  of  a  letter  missive  agreed  upon  at 
a  church  meeting : 

»  To  the  Church  in  Billerica :  "  Woburn  23d'  Jul?  1798' 

"  Revd-  Honb-  and  Beloved. 

"  The  first  Church  of  Christ  in  Woburn,  sendeth  Greeting. 

"  Earnestly  requesting  your  Presence  with  us  on  Tuesday  25th  Septr- 
next,  at  10  o'clock  A.  M.  by  your  Pastor  and  Delegate, 
"  Parish  Records,  Vol.  III.,  p.  43. 


442 


HISTORF   OP  WOBURN. 


"To  consider  'The  uneasiness  of  those  Persons  belonging  to  this 
Parish  relative  to  their  sitting  under  the  Rev.  Samuel  Sargeant's  preach- 
ing'; and  to  judge  of  the  expediency  of  his  continuing  his  pastoral 
relation  to  this  Church.  And  if  it  be  expedient  to  dissolve  the  pastoral 
Relation,  to  judge  on  what  Terms  and  Conditions  it  shall  be  dissolved; 
according  to  the  mutual  agreement  between  Mr  Sargeant  and  the  Church 
dated  28th.  Febr.  1785. 

"  Wishing  Grace,  Mercy  and  Peace  to  be  multiplied  unto  you,  We  sub- 
scribe ourselves  Yours  in  the  Faith  and  Fellowship  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ : 

"  The  other  Churches  sent  unto  are 
"  The  Church  in  Chelsea,  Two  Chh"  in  Reading 
The  Church  in  Salem,  of  which 
Rev.  Mr  Payson,  Stone,  Prentiss  an^d  Barnard  D.D. 

are  Pastors." 

"  The  Rev.  Mr  Henry  Cummings. 
To  be  communicated." 

SAMUEL  SARGEANT,  Pastor.  \      Committee 

SAMUEL  THOMPSON,        ^  >         of  the 

JEDUTHUN  RICHARDSON,  $  Deacons-  )        Church. 

At  a  legal  parish  meeting,  September  17,  1798 : 
"  Voted  to  instruct  their  present  Committee  to  join  the  Commit- 
tee from  the  Church  and  Parish  ;  and  for  the  Joint  Committee  to 
proceed  to  lay  all  complaints,  difficulties  or  grievances  subsisting 
between  the  Rev.  Mr  Sargeant,  the  Church  and  Parish  that  they 
may  think  proper,  before  the  Council,  which  is  mutually  chosen  by 
Mr  Sargeant  and  the  Church,  to  be  assembled  at  Woburn  on  Tues- 
day the  25th.  instant,  and  that  they  furnish  the  Revd.  Samuel  Sar- 
geant with  a  Copy  of  the  same  as  soon  as  may  be. 
"  The  Names  of  the  Joint  Committee : 


"The  Joint 
Committee 

"  The  Parish  then 
Voted  to  add  two 
more  to  the  Com- 
mittee, viz : 


f  Dea.  SAMUEL  THOMPSON 
Dea.  OBADIAH  KENDALL 
Dea.  JEDUTHDN  RICHARDSON 
JOSEPH  LAWRENCE 
ABIJAH  THOMPSON 
JEREMIAH  CLAPP 
ICHABOD  PARKER 
JOSIAH  PARKER 
OBADIAH  KENDALL  Junr. 
JOSEPH  BROWN. 
DANIEL  WYMAN 
BENJAMIN  WYMAN 


"On  the  part  of 
the  Church." 


'On  the  part  of 
the  Parish." 


'Added  two 
more." 


Voted  to  dissolve  the  Meeting. 


SAMUEL  THOMPSON,  Parish  Clerk." 12 


Parish  Records,  Vol.  HI.,  p.  44. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  443 

Address  of  the  joint  Committee  of  the  Church  and  Parish  to  the 
Mutual  Council. 

Prepared  agreeably  to  instructions  of  the  Parish,  at  a  meeting,  September 
17,  1798. 

"  To  the  Venerable  Council,  to  be  assembled  at  Woburn  25th 
of  September  1798. 

"  A  statement  of  the  following  Grievances  and  Difficulties  sub- 
sisting between -the  Rev.  Samuel  Sargeant  and  the  First  Church 
and  Parish  in  Woburn,  [is]  submitted  to  them  for  their  considera- 
tion and  decision  by  the  Joint  Committee  chosen  by  the  Church 
and  Parish  for  that  purpose. 

"  It  appears  that  the  uneasiness  originated  at  or  about  the  time 
of  Mr.  Sargeant's  settlement  A.  D.  1785,  and  notwithstanding  the 
opposition  that  was  then  made  against  him  by  a  large  number  of 
the  inhabitants,  it  was  thought  best  by  the  Council  to  ordain  him. 

"  We  further  state  that  ever  since  Mr.  Sargeant  was  ordained, 
the  opposition  has  increased.  Several  attempts  at  different  times 
have  been  made  to  dissolve  the  connexion,  as  may  appear  by  the 
Parish  Records. 

"  A  Baptist  Society  has  been  formed,  principally  consisting  of 
Inhabitants  that  have  left  the  first  Parish,  in  consequence  (as  we 
apprehend)  of  their  being  dissatisfied  with  Mr  Sargeant.  And  we 
sensibly  feel  the  loss  of  so  large  a  number  who  have  already  with- 
drawn from  us  ;  and  have  great  reason  to  fear,  that  a  very  consid- 
erable number  more  will  soon  leave  us,  unless  some  measures  be 
speedily  taken  to  prevent  it. 

"  We  further  say,  that  the  mysterious  and  unintelligible  manner 
of  Mr.  Sargeant's  communicating  his  ideas  is  the  general  complaint 
of  his  hearers :  and  it  is  further  alleged  that  he  has  neglected 
Catechising  the  children ;  nor  has  kept  up  Lectures,  according  to 
the  practice  of  other  churches  ;  and  that  his  Visits  have  been  few 
and  partial.  For  these  and  other  reasons  there  is  such  a  general 
uneasiness  in  the  Parish,  that  we  do  believe  his  usefulness  is  near 
at  an  end  in  this  place ;  and  that  a  dissolution  of  his  Ministerial 
Relation  will  be  most  for  the  peace,  happiness  and  interest  of  both 
him  and  the  Parish. 

"  As  it  will  be  too  tedious  (if  not  impossible)  to  exhibit  on  paper 
all  that  may  be  necessary  to  lay  before  the  Council,  we  wish  to 
reserve  the  liberty  to  offer  all  such  other  matters  as  may  be  expe- 
dient for  them  to  hear  relating  to  the  premises ;  and  that  Mr 
Sargeant  have  liberty  to  do  the  same. 


444  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

"  As  there  is  provision  in  the  Contract  made  between  Mr.  Sar- 
geant  and  the  Church,  that  either  party  being  dissatisGed  with  the 
Result  of  a  mutual  Council,  may  have  a  right  to  appeal  to  the 
Association,  and  should  there  be  an  Appeal,  we  expect  the  Church 
and  Parish  will  have  the  liberty  to  offer  any  new  matters  to  the 
Association  that  they  may  think  proper,  provided  they  furnish  Mr. 
Sargeant  seasonably  with  a  Copy  of  the  same."  13 
"  Result  of  Council. 

"  WOBURN,  27th.  Sept.  1798. 

"  An  ecclesiastical  Council,  consisting  of  the  following  Churches, 
viz.  The  Church  in  Chelsea,  the  Church  in  Billerica,  the  North 
Church  in  Salem,  the  first  and  second  Church  in  Reading,  being 
convened  agreeable  to  Letters  Missive  from  the  Rev.  [Samuel] 
Sargeant  and  the  church  of  Christ  in  the  first  Parish  in  Woburn, 
to  consider  their  circumstances,  and  the  expediency  of  dissolving 
his  pastoral  Relation,  as  stated  in  said  Letters  Missive :  Having 
addressed  the  Throne  of  Grace  for  Light  and  Direction,  and  hav- 
ing attended  to  the  discussions  and  state  [statements?]  of  the 
parties  in  said  Parish,  particularly  to  the  uneasiness  of  a  large 
number  of  the  Church  and  people  under  the  pastoral  care  of  the 
Rev.  Mr  Sargeant,  who  wish  to  have  his  ministerial  connexion 
with  them  dissolved. 

"And  having  viewed  and  compared  the  probable  consequences, 
both  of  his  continuing  in  the  ministry  among  them,  and  of  a  disso- 
lution of  his  pastoral  relation,  are  clearly  of  opinion,  that  circum- 
stances are  such,  as  make  it  expedient  that  his  said  relation  should 
be  dissolved,  provided  they  shall  be  willing  to  make  him  any  rea- 
sonable compensation.  And,  accordingly,  the  Council  do  unani- 
mously advise  him  the  said  Mr  Sargeant  to  ask  a  dismission  from 
the  church  and  people  of  his  charge,  on  condition  that  they  shall 
pay  him  nine  hundred  dollars,  that  sum  being  judged  no  more  than 
a  reasonable  compensation  for  his  relinquishing  his  contract. 

"  "We  do  not  advise  to  this  measure  on  account  of  any  culpability 
which  we  have  found  in  Mr  Sargeant.  For  justice  and  charity  to 
him  oblige  us  to  say  that  his  moral  character  as  a  Man,  as  a 
Christian,  and  as  a  Minister,  stands  fair  and  unimpeached  ;  no 
charges  having  been  offered  of  any  immoral  Conduct,  false  Doctrine 
or  criminal  delinquency  in  office. 

»  Parish  Records,  Vol.  III.,  p.  45. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBUBN.  445 

"  We  find  ourselves  therefore  constrained  to  observe,  that  it 
cannot  but  be  a  painful  consideration  to  all  sincere  Christians, 
and  particularly  discouraging  to  the  ministers  of  the  Gospel  to 
reflect,  that  any  of  the  sacred  order,  after  having  spent  the  best 
part  of  their  days  in  the  service  of  the  Sanctuary  with  a  fair 
character,  maintained  through  the  whole  of  their  ministry,  should 
in  consequence  of  divisions  and  uneasinesses,  which  do  not  impli- 
cate them  in  criminality,  be  reduced  to  the  disagreeable  alternative 
of  taking  a  dismission,  or  living  in  a  most  uncomfortable  and  per- 
plexing controversy  with  a  great  part  of  their  parishioners. 

"  Mr  Sargeant,  so  far  as  we  are  able  to  get  acquainted  with  the 
circumstances  of  his  case,  falls  under  the  above  predicament. 

"  And  being  ourselves  persuaded  of  his  integrity  and  upright- 
ness, and  the  goodness  of  his  heart  and  character,  "We  can,  and  do 
with  the  greatest  sincerity,  recommend  him  to  any  people  who  may 
see  fit  to  employ  him  as  a  minister. 

*•  Though  unfeignedly  grieved  at  the  separation  which  may  now 
take  place  between  their  Pastor  and  this  Church  and  People,  yet 
we  have  been  highly  pleased  with  the  honorable  manner  in  which 
they  have  conducted  the  whole  hearing  before  us. 

"We  have  earnestly  wished  this  temper  might  have  issued  in  your 
Order  and  happiness,  still  united  together.  But  our  wishes  in  this 
respect  are  not  gratified.  The  Relation  between  you  being*  dis- 
solved, according  to  our  advice,  cherish  that  humility  and  peni- 
tence, which  become  you  upon  an  event  so  serious  and  affecting. 

"  We  humbly  trust,  as  a  Council,  we  have  heard  you  with 
patience  and  impartiality  ;  and  have  decided  in  the  integrity  of  our 
hearts. 

"  All  that  remains  for  us  to  do  is  to  commend  you  to  the  bless- 
ing of  Almighty  God,  which  is  more  valuable  than  any  thing  else. 

"Wherever  the  Pastor  of  this  Church  goes,  may  he  prosper,  and 
finally  receive  a  Crown  of  Life  which  shall  never  fade  away ! 

"  May  the  Church  and  People  have  peace  and  be  edified,  and  be 
continually  under  His  guidance,  who  is  able  to  preserve  them  from 
falling,  and  to  present  them  faultless  before  the  presence  of  his 
glory  with  exceeding  joy. 

"  Phillips  Payson,  Moderator. 

"  Caleb  Prentiss,  Scribe." 

"  The  above  is  the  Result  of  a  mutual  Council  of  Churches, 


446  HISTORY   OP   WOBTTRN. 

chosen  by  Mr  Sargeant  and  the  Church  in  the  first  Parish  in 
Woburn  9th.  July  1798,  and  convened  25th.  Septr.  1798. 

"  True  Copy :  Attest.  SAMUEL  SARGEANT,  Pastor." 
But  the  difficulties  with  Rev.  Mr.  Sargeant  were  not  yet  ended. 
The  compensation  awarded  him  by  the  council  for  relinquishing 
his  contract  seems  to  have  been  considered  by  the  parish  as 
excessive.  At  a  parish  meeting,  October  10,  1798,  the  Result 
of  Council  having  been  read,  a  committee  of  seven  was  chosen, 
which  was  empowered  "tov  make  such  agreement  with  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Samuel  Sargeant  on  such  terms  of  separation  as  they  may 
think  expedient."  At  an  adjournment  of  this  meeting,  November 
7th,  the  committee  reported  verbally  to  the  parish,  "  that  they  had 
applied  to  Mr.  Sargeant,  but  could  not  come  to  any  agreement 
with  him,  which  they  thought  would  be  satisfactory  to  the  Par- 
ish." Whereupon  it  was  voted,  after  some  consultation,  "  That 
the  Parish  do  not  comply  with  the  Result  of  the  Council."14 

At  a  meeting,  April  8,  1799,  in  compliance  with  an  article  in 
the  warrant,  "  to  see  if  the  Parish  will  take  any  measure  by  a 
committee  or  otherwise  to  make  a  final  settlement  with  the  Rev. 
Samuel  Sargeant,"  the  parish  chose  a  committee  of  five  for  this 
purpose,  viz :  Mr.  Abijah  Thompson,  Mr.  Daniel  Reed,  Lieut. 
Joseph  Lawrence,  Maj.  Jeremiah  Clapp,  and  Mr.  Bartholomew 
Richardson,  Jr.,  which  reported  at  an  adjournment  of  that 
meeting,  April  29,  1799,  that  they  "had  agreed  with  the  Rev. 
Samuel  Sargeant  to  quit  his  Ministerial  connection,  together  with 
all  contracts  heretofore  entered  into  by  him  with  the  Church  and 
Parish,  and  to  receive  from  the  Parish  the  sum  of  four  hun- 
dred dollars  together  with  his  salary  up  to  the  twenty-eighth  day 
of  May  next,  as  specified  in  the  Memorandum  of  Agreement 
made  between  Mr  Sargeant  and  the  Committee  authorized  for 
the  above  purpose,  Woburn  April  9th.  1799. 

"ABIJAH  THOMPSON 
DANIEL  REED. 
JOSEPH  LAWRENCE 
JEREMIAH  CLAPP 
BARTHW.  RICHARDSON." 

"  Parish  Records,  Vol.  HI.,  pp.  48,  49. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  447 

The  report  was  accepted :  and  the  committee  was  directed, 
with  the  treasurer,  to  complete  the  settlement  with  Mr.  Sargeant, 
in  the  way  and  manner  above  reported,  as  soon  as  possible,  and 
then  report  to  the  parish.15  And  when  this  arrangement  was 
carried  into  effect,  the  connection  between  Rev.  Mr.  Sargeant 
and  the  people  of  Woburn  doubtless  ceased. 

Rev.  Samuel  Sargeant  was  born  at  Worcester,  November  6, 
1755  ;  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College,  1783,  where  he  studied 
divinity  under  the  direction  of  Rev.  Professor  Ripley.  Dismissed 
from  Woburn,  he  removed  to  Chester,  Vt.,  and  was  never  reset- 
tled in  the  ministry.  At  different  times,  however,  he  made  sev- 
eral missionary  tours  in  the  employment  of  the  Connecticut  and 
Massachusetts  Missionary  Societies ;  particularly  in  the  northern 
parts  of  Vermont,  in  Wayne  and  Luzerne  counties,  Pennsylvania, 
and  in  Oneida  county,  New  York.  He  also  had  the  charge  of 
the  church  in  Chester,  and  at  times  preached  in  the  town  by 
contract  for  a  longer  or  a  shorter  period,  as  occasion  offered ; 
but  without  settlement.  He  died  at  Chester,  June  2, 181 8,  aged 
sixty-three.16 

During  his  ministry  at  Woburn,  there  were  sixty-two  admis- 
sions to  the  church ;  one  hundred  and  eighty  infants  and  one 
adult  were  baptized ;  and  one  hundred  and  twelve  marriages  on 
record  were  solemnized,  inclusively  of  his  own.17 

After  the  withdrawal  of  Rev.  Mr.  Sargeant,  May  27,  1799, 
agreeably  to  the  advice  of  a  Mutual  Council  convened  at  Woburn 
in  September  of  the  year  before,  the  Church  remained  destitute 
of  a  settled  pastor  several  years. 

July  14,  1801,  the  church  gave  a  call  to  the  pastoral  office  to 
Mr.  Joshua  Lane,  a  graduate  of  Harvard  College,  in  1799.  In 
this  choice,  the  town  concurred  in  September.  It  also  voted  to 
give  him  six  hundred  dollars  as  a  settlement,  and  an  annual 
salary  of  four  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  so  long  as  he  should 
continue  their  Gospel  minister.18  And  at  a  subsequent  town 

i«  Parish  Records,  Vol.  III.,  pp.  66,  67. 

»«  Phineas  O.  Sargeant,  Esq.,  his  son;  Am.  Quarterly  Register,  Vol.  XI.,  pp.  176, 188.    - 

"  Church  Records. 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  XIII.,  pp.  46,  60,  61.     Church  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  81. 


448  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

meeting,  December  21st,  it  was  stipulated,  that  if  Mr.  Lane 
should  be  taken  off  from  preaching  by  infirmity  or  old  age,  he 
should  "relinquish  one  half  of  his  salary";  thus  virtually  prom- 
ising to  pay  him,  through  life,  under  the  circumstances  supposed, 
the  other  half  if  he  continued  in  his  pastoral  relation. 

Upon  these  terms,  Mr.  Lane  accepted  the  invitation  given  him 
to  settle  in  VVoburn.  December  28th,  committees  of  the  church 
and  town  met  withvMr.  Lane  to  make  some  necessary  arrange- 
ments preliminary  to  his  ordination.  But  not  being  able  to  finish 
them  then  for  want  of  time,  they  adjourned  the  completion  of  them 
for  a  few  days.  But  before  the  day  of  adjournment  arrived,  Mr. 
Lane  altered  his  mind,  and  requested  the  town  in  writing,  with- 
out assigning  his  reasons,  to  release  him  from  his  engagement  to 
settle  with  them  as  their  minister.18 

At  a  meeting,  May  17,  1802,  the  church  gave  a  call  to  Mr. 
Humphrey  Moore,  another  son  of  Harvard,  of  the  class  of  1799, 
to  become  their  pastor.  With  this  call,  the  town  concurred,  by 
a  very  full  vote.  But  Mr.  Moore's  answer  was  in  the  negative. 
He  was  subsequently  settled  in  the  ministry  at  Milford,  N.  H. 
where  (August  19,  1867)  he  still  continues. 

At  a  meeting,  December  5,  1803,  the  church,  by  an  unanimous 
vote  of  all  the  brethren  present,  made  choice  of  Mr.  Joseph 
Chickering  for  their  pastor.  In  this  choice  the  town  concurred 
unanimously,  December,  22,  1803;  and  voted,  December  29th,  to 
give  him  an  annual  salary  of  six  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  and 
fitteen  cords  of  good  hard  wood;  and  eight  hundred  dollars 
within  a  year  from  his  ordination,  as  a  settlement :  and  further- 
more the  town  voted,  January  26,  1804,  "  That  when  by  reason 
old  age,  or  other  infirmity,  Mr  Joseph  Chickering  shall  be  unable 
to  perform  the  work  of  the  Gospel  Ministry,  he  shall  then 
receive  one  half  of  the  aforesaid  Annual  Salary,  to  be  equally 
apportioned  on  the  Money  and  Wood,  during  the  time  he  shall 
stand  in  the  connection  of  a  Gospel  Minister  in  the  Town  of 
Woburn.19 

This  invitation  Mr.  Chickering  accepted,  February  12,  1804. 

»•  Parish  Records,  Vol.  III.,  pp.  96,  98. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  449 

The  ordination  was  appointed  to  be  on  Wednesday,  March  28th ; 
and  the  following  churches  with  their  respective  pastors  were 
requested  to  assist  in  the  solemnity  :  viz. 
Lexington,  under  the  pastoral  care  of  Rev.  JONAS  CLARK. 
Reading,  North  Church,        "         "      Rev.  ELIAB  STONE. 
Medfield,  "         "      Rev.  THOMAS  PRENTISS, 

Andover,  South  Church,        "        "      Rev.  JONATHAN  FRENCH. 
Medford,  "         "      Rev.  DAVID  OSGOOD. 

Billerica,  "         u      Rev.  HENRY  CUMINGS. 

Burlington,  "         a      Rev.  JOHN  MARRETT. 

Dedham,  First  Church,          «         «      Rev.  JOSHUA  BATES. 
Dedhaui,  South  Church,        "         '      Rev.  JABEZ  CHICKERING. 
Dedham,  West  Church,         "        "      Rev.  THOMAS  THACHER. 
Cambridge,  West  Church,     "         "      Rev.  THADDEUS  FISKE. 
Brookline,  "        "      Rev.  JOHN  PIERCE. 

Bedford,  "        "      Rev.  SAMUEL  STEARNS. 

Medway,  "         «      Rev.  LUTHER  WRIGHT. 

Milford,  N.  H.  «         "      Rev.  HUMPHREY  MOORE. 

On  the  day  set  for  the  ordination,  delegates  from  all  the  afore- 
named churches,  and  all  the  pastors  except  Rev.  Messrs.  Prentiss 
and  French,  appeared  at  the  place  appointed,  and  formed  in 
council  choosing  Rev.  Jonas  Clark  for  Moderator,  and  Rev. 
Thaddeus  Fiske  for  Scribe.  Having  gone  through  with  the 
usual  preliminary  inquiries  and  examination,  the  council  ex- 
pressed unanimously  their  satisfaction,  and  voted  they  were 
ready  to  proceed  to  ordination. 

To  Rev.  Mr.  CLARKE  the  Council  assigned  The  Charge. 
To  Rev.  Mr.  STONE         "  "     The  Ordaining  Prayer. 

To  Rev.  Mr.  MARRETT    "  «     The  Right  Hand  of  Fel- 

lowship. 

To  Rev.  Dr.  CUMINGS,    "  «     The  Introductory  Prayer. 

To  Rev.  Mr.  THACHER  "  «     The  Concluding  Prayer. 

At  the  meeting-house,  all  the  parts  were  performed  agreeably 
to  the  above  appointments  of  the  Council.  Rev.  Jabez  Chicker- 
ing,  father  of  the  pastor  elect,  by  previous  request,  preached  the 
sermon.  "  The  exercises  were  performed  and  attended  to  with 

39* 


450    .  HISTORY    OP    WOBTJRN. 

becoming  solemnity ;  and  perfect  order  and  regularity  marked 
the  proceedings  of  the  whole  day."  20 

In  1808,  the  third  meeting-house  in  Woburn,  erected  on  the 
southeast  side  of  the  common,  finished  in  1752,  and  in  which 
Rev.  Mr.  Chickering  was  ordained  in  1804,  was  burnt  down. 
This  catastrophe  is  noticed  as  follows,  in  a  note  to  his  dedication 
sermon.  "On  the  night  of  the  17th  of  June,  1808,  at  about 
half  past  eleven  o'clock,  the  meeting  house  was  discovered  to  be 
on  fire,  and  in  less  than  an  hour  was  reduced  to  ashes.  Several 
circumstances  evinced  design,  and  caution  to  prevent  other  dam- 
age. There  is  only  one  considerable  opening  from  the  common 
where  the  house  stood,  which  is  to  the  southwest ;  and  a  night  was 
chosen,  when  the  wind  blew  from  the  northeast.  Had  it  blown 
from  any  other  quarter,  other  buildings  must  inevitably  have 
been  consumed.  Most  of  the  powder  in  the  tower  of  the  house, 
amounting  to  near  200  pounds,  must  also  have  been  removed,  as 
the  explosion  was  so  inconsiderable,  that  many  persons  who 
were  awake,  and  within  a  mile  of  the  spot,  did  not  notice  it. 
The  west  door  was  also  observed  to  be  open,  when  the  fire  was 
first  discovered.  Notwithstanding  design  was  so  evident,  no 
circumstance  has  transpired  to  justify  a  suspicion  of  any  indivi- 
dual."21 A  reward  of  five  hundred  dollars  was  offered  by  the 
town,  and  advertised  in  two  of  the  public  newspapers,  to  any 
who  would  detect  the  person  or  persons  who  perpetrated  the 
crime22;  but  no  discovery  was  ever  made  public,  and  the  in- 
cendiary or  incendiaries  escaped  with  impunity. 

At  several  town  meetings  previous  to  the  fire,  it  had  been  a 
question  for  consideration,  whether  to  repair  the  old  meeting- 
house or  build  a  new  one  ? 23  At  an  adjourned  meeting,  June 
5th,  especially,  it  was  at  one  time  decided  by  thirty-four  votes  to 
thirty-three,  to  repair.  But  this  decision  was  presently  recon- 
sidered ;  and  a  committee  was  appointed  to  examine  the  meeting 
house,  to  see  what  partial  repairs  might  be  made  to  save  the 
timbers  from  their  present  decaying  condition,  and  to  report  at 
an  adjournment  of  the  meeting  for  one  fortnight,  viz :  011  June 

*>  Church  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  82-85.         »  Dedication  Sermon,  note  (a),  p.  24. 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  XIII.,  p.  274.  »  Town  Records,  Vol.  XIII.,  pp.  269,  271. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  451 

19th.  Hence,  there  was  obviously  cause  for  suspecting  that  the 
author  of  the  conflagration  was  some  one  who  was  opposed  to 
repairing  the  meeting-house,  and  who  hence  took  this  effectual 
method  to  prevent  it. 

The  town  met  June  19th,  at  the  Centre  school-house,  and 
decided  by  sixty-seven  votes  to  three  to  build  a  new  meeting- 
house ;  and  chose  a  committee  to  draught  a  plan  for  the  same, 
and  to  estimate  the  quantity  of  materials  requisite  to  build  it, 
either  of  wood  or  brick.24  This  committee  made  report  to  the 
town  at  its  next  meeting,  June  27th,  when  their  plan  for  the 
new  house  was  accepted;  and  then,  and  at  a  subsequent  ad- 
journment, it  was  determined  to  build  it  of  wood,  and  to  erect 
it  on  the  spot  where  the  centre  school-house  then  stood ;  a  com- 
mittee was  chosen,  consisting  of  Maj.  Benjamin  Franklin  Bald- 
win, Lieut.  Willard  Jones  and  Lieut.  Bartholomew  Richardson, 
Jr.,  as  agents  for  contracting  for  the  materials  and  workman- 
ship ;  the  sum  of  $6,000  was  raised  for  the  purpose  of  building, 
to  be  assessed  according  to  the  direction  of  the  Treasurer ;  and 
the  Treasurer  himself  was  authorized  to  hire  that  sum,  as  it 
might  be  demanded  for  use.25  Such  was  the  abundant  prepara- 
tion made  by  the  town  for  the  erection  of  its  fourth  meeting- 
house, to  supply  the  place  of  the  third,  which  had  been  burnt. 
And  such  was  the  zeal  and  expedition  with  which  the  above- 
named  agents,  as  a  building  committee,  discharged  their  trust, 
that  within  one  year  from  the  time  the  old  one  was  destroyed 
by  fire,  the  new  one  was  ready  for  occupation.  It  stood  on  the 
site  afterwards  occupied  by  its  successor,  the  fifth  congrega. 
tional  meeting-house,  now  owned,  enlarged  and  adorned  by  the 
Unitarian  Society;  "was  a  building  fifty-five  feet  wide,  and 
sixty  long,  exclusive  of  a  projection,  six  feet  by  thirty  in  front, 
and  ornamented  with  a  handsome  steeple.  The  entry  on  the 
gallery  floor  afforded  a  convenient  hall  for  public  meetings  on 
business,  and  was  finished  with  accommodations  for  that ,  pur- 
pose."26 It  was  solemnly  dedicated,  June  28,  1809,  when  an 
appropriate  and  interesting  discourse  was  delivered  to  the  large 

*  Town  Record*,  Vol.  XIIT.,  p.  272.  *>  Town  Records,  Vol.  XIII.,  p.  275. 

*•  Dedication  Sermon,  note  (h),  p.  28. 


452  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

audience  assembled  on  the  occasion,  by  Rev.  Joseph  Chickering, 
the  pastor,  from  Acts  vn.  48.  "  The  Most  High  dwelleth  not  in 
temples  made  with  hands."  This  discourse,  with  very  valuable 
historical  notes  appended  to  it,  was  afterwards  published  by 
request. 

Previously  to  the  dedication,  it  had  been  decided  in  town 
meeting,  May  25,  1809,  and  subsequently,  not  to  pay  the  ex- 
pense of  building  the  new  meeting-house  by  a  tax  on  the  town, 
but  by  the  sale  of  the  pews  at  public  auction.27  In  pursuance  of 
this  plan,  the  building  committee  was  directed  to  number  and 
appraise  the  pews ;  and  according  to  the  report  of  this  commit- 
tee (enlarged  by  the  addition  of  four  other  persons)  made  June 
8th,  and  accepted,  each  pew  was  to  be  appraised  in  proportion 
to  its  value  and  situation  in  the  house;  the  sum  total  was  to 
amount  to  $8,000  j  no  pew  was  to  be  sold  for  a  sum  less  than 
the  appraisement ;  the  town  clerk  was  to  make  a  record  of  all 
the  pews  sold,  together  with  the  purchasers'  names  and  prices 
paid;  and  pew  No.  51  was  to  be  reserved  for  the  use  of  the 
town.26  The  auction  was  held  in, the  meeting-house  on  Monday, 
June  19th;  and  the  proceeds  of  the  sale,  including  the  choice 
money,  amounted  to  $10,911,  which  exceeded  the  cost  of  the 
building  by  $3,000.24 

In  regard  to  this  surplus,  arising  from  the  sale  of  pews  in  the 
meeting-house,  a  committee  chosen  by  the  town  to  devise  the  best 
method  of  appropriating  it,  recommended  in  their  report,  to 
make  of  it,  and  of  all  other  moneys  that  might  be  given  for  the 
same  end,  "  a  perpetual  fund,  towards  the  support  of  the  Regular 
Ordained  Minister  of  the  Congregational  Society  "  in  Woburn ; 
and  that  when  the  interest  of  the  whole  fund  should  amount  to  two 
hundred  dollars  per  annum,  "  to  apply  the  interest  of  the  whole 
Fund,  annually,  towards  the  support  of  the  said  Congregational 
Minister."28  This  report  was  accepted:  and  agreeably  to  its 
recommendation,  the  town  voted  October  16, 1809,  "to  choose  a 
Board  of  Trustees,  to  be  incorporated  into  a  body  politic  for  the 

*>  Town  Records,  Vol.  XIII.,  p.  317. 

*»  Town  Records,  Vol.  XIII.,  p.  320.  For  the  clerk's  record  of  the  pewa  sold,  names  of 
purchasers,  etc,  see  Town  Records,  Vol.  XIII.,  pp.  433-437. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  453 

purpose  of  superintending  and  taking  care  of  any  Money,  Moneys, 
Lands  or  Donations,  appropriated  or  established  as  a  Fund 
for  the  purpose  of  supporting  the  Gospel  Ministry  in  the  Con- 
gregational Society  in  the  Town  of  Woburn."  The  gentlemen 
chosen  as  trustees  of  this  fund  on  this  occasion  were : 

Maj.  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  BALDWIN, 

Lieut.  BARTHOLOMEW  RICHARDSON,  Jr. 

Lieut.  WILLARD  JONES, 
^  Mr.  JACOB  PEIRCE, 

Mr.  DANIEL  WYMAN.29 

The  Legislature  was  petitioned  to  incorporate  these  trustees 
and  their  successors  for  the  end  mentioned,  by  a  committee  of 
the  town's  appointment :  and  the  desired  act  of  incorporation 
was  granted,  February  24,  1810.30  But  by  an  act  of  Court, 
passed  April  1,  1861,  the  trustees  were  authorized  to  apply  the 
fund  in  their  hands,  which  had  been  designed  for  the  support  of 
the  Congregational  minister  in  Woburn,  to  the  payment  of  the 
debts  of  the  First  Congregational  Society.  See  Acts  and  Re- 
solves, 1861 :  p.  444. 

At  the  commencement  of  Rev.  Mr.  Chickering's  ministry  in 
Woburn,  circumstances  bade  fair  that  it  would  be  long  and  suc- 
cessful, and  very  acceptable  to  the  people.  Attendance  upon  his 
public  services  on  the  Sabbath  was  unusually  full  and  constant. 
The  young  manifested,  it  is  understood,  an  unwonted  concern  in 
spiritual  and  divine  things.  Through  the  exertions  of  the  pas- 
tor, a  warm  interest  had  been  excited  in  the  breasts  of  the  people 
in  several  of  the  benevolent  and  religious  societies  got  up  at 
that  day ;  as  the  Middlesex  County  Bible  Society,  and  the  Mid- 
dlesex Evangelical  Society.  And  as  his  ministry  progressed, 
there  were,  previously  to  1811,  large  accessions  to  his  church, 
of  members  both  male  and  female,  young  and  old. 

But  at  the  expiration  of  about  seven  years  from  his  settle- 
ment, a  cloud  arose,  which  darkened  the  fair  prospect  which  had 
hitherto  presented  itself.  About  that  time,  an  unhappy  variance 
took  place  between  Rev.  Mr.  Chickering  and  a  prominent  pa- 

»  Town  Records,  Vol  XIII.,  pp.  324,  326.    »  Special  Statutes  of  Mass.,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  255. 


454  HISTORY  OF   WOBURN. 

rishioner,  a  gentleman  of  high  standing  and  extensive  influence. 
It  respected  (as  it  is  understood)  a  piece  of  land  belonging  to 
Mr.  Chickering,  which  the  gentleman  referred  to  wished  to  pur- 
chase, that  he  might  avail  himself  of  a  brook  running  through  it 
for  manufacturing  purposes.  Mr.  Chickering  was  willing  to  sell 
it;  but  requested  some  security  to  be  given,  that  seemed  to  him 
necessary,  that  the  use  to  be  made  of  it  might  not  damage  his 
other  property  in  the  vicinity.  The  security  demanded,  that 
gentleman  was  unwilling  to  give.  Mr.  Chickering  still  insisted 
upon  it,  as  an  indispensable  condition  of  selling  his  land.  '  But 
the  other  persisted  in  declining  to  give  it.  Hence  the  negotia- 
tion between  them  was  broken  off;  and  an  alienation  ensued 
which  was  never  healed.  Mutual  friends  to  them  both  looked 
on  with  sad  concern,  and  made  repeated  attempts  to  effect  a 
reconciliation ;  but  in  vain.31  Neither  party  would  yield  what 
the  other  insisted  on,  to  make  up  the  breach  between  them.  And 
though  the  church  continued  to  increase,  especially  during  a  sea- 
son of  revival  in  the  year  1817,  yet,  through  the  influence  of 
some  opponents  doubtless,  the  minds  of  many  of  the  people  were 
soured,  and  they  no  longer  appreciated  Mr.  Chickering's  services 
as  they  once  did.  At  length,  at  a  meeting  of  the  parish,  held 
January  8,  1821,  such  votes  were  passed,  as  induced  Mr.  Chick- 
ering to  make  the  following  communication,  first  to  the  society, 
and  then  to  the  church. 

"A.  D.  1821,  Jan.  28.     The  church  was  requested  to  stop 
after  public  worship,  and  the  following  communication  was  made 
by  the  pastor. 
"  Dear  brethren, 

"  You  all  know,  that  the  following  communication  has  been 
made  to  the  parish,  and  accepted  by  them  in  a  regular  parish 
meeting." 

31  One  such  effort  is  referred  to  in  Article  16th,  of  Warrant  for  Town 
Meeting,  March  4,  1811,  as  follows :  "To  see  if  the  Town  will  by  a  Com- 
mittee or  otherwise  take  any  measures  to  settle  the  unhappy  difficulty 
existing  between  the  Rev.  Joseph  Chickering  and  Major  Benj.  F.  Baldwin ; 
or  do  any  thing  whereby  the  peace,  unity  and  happiness  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Society  in  said  Town  maybe  restored  and  preserved." —(Town 
Records,  Vol.  XIII.,  p.  378.) 


HISTORY   OP   WOBTJRN.  455 

"  To  the  Congregational  Parish  in  Woburn. 

"  Brethren  &  Friends  : 

"  It  was  long  my  expectation  and  the  wish  of  my  heart  to 
spend  my  days  in'  your  service.  I  would  still  cherish  this  wish, 
were  there  such  a  degree  of  union  among  you,  as  might  encourage 
a  reasonable  hope,  that  my  labors  might  be  useful.  But  the  result 
of  your  last  parish  meeting  is  in  my  view,  and  in  view  of  most  of 
those  I  have  consulted,  a  decisive  indication  that  my  removal  has 
become  expedient,  and  that  any  further  effort  to  prevent  it  would 
be  injurious  to  your  peace  and  to  the  interests  of  religion.  I  hope 
therefore,  that  those  who  have  been  most  attached  to  my  minis- 
try, will  acquiesce,  with  Christian  condescension,  in  an  event  pain- 
ful alike  to  themselves  and  to  me.  To  avoid  unnecessary  delay  and 
discussion,  I  propose  that  my  pastoral  and  ministerial  relation  to 
this  church  and  people  be  dissolved  on  the  following  conditions : 

"1.  That  the  church  shall  consent  to  my  removal. 

"  2,  That  an  ecclesiastical  council  be  called  to  look  into  our  pro- 
ceedings, dissolve  the  relation,  and  give  me  such  a  recommendation 
as  they  may  think  proper. 

"  3.  That  the  relation  be  dissolved  in  six  months,  from  the  time 
when  these  proposals  shall  be  accepted  and  recorded  by  the  parish  ; 
during  which  time  I  shall  supply  the  pulpit,  and  perform  such  pas- 
toral duties,  as  under  existing  circumstances  may  be  convenient. 

"  4.  That  my  salary  for  the  present  year  be  paid  with  the  usual 
punctuality ;  and  the  proportion  of  it  which  may  be  due  for  the 
next  year,  ten  days  before  my  removal ;  the  wood  being  com- 
muted to  money,  as  for  several  years  past. 

"5.  I  am  willing  that  these  proposals,  when  accepted  by  the 
parish  and  church,  should  be  laid  before  a  council  for  their  sanc- 
tion, as  soon  as  the  parish  may  choose. 

"6.  If  any  of  them  be  thought  objectionable,  they  shall  be  sub- 
mitted to  the  council  for  their  decision. 

"  When  it  is  considered,  that  I  have  voluntarily  relinquished  all 
claim  of  indemnification  for  the  pecuniary  loss  which  I  must  inevi- 
tably sustain  in  disposing  of  my  property,  I  trust  that  none  will 
think  these  proposals  unreasonable.  And,  Brethren  and  Friends, 
let  me  intreat  that  neither  unchristian  irritation  or  resentment  may 
be  indulged  on  the  one  hand,  or  unbecoming  exultation  on  the 
other.  The  event  is  solemn.  It  must  be  reviewed  at  the  judg- 
ment day ;  and  so  must  the  feelings  with  which  it  is  effected. 


456  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

God  grant,  that  you  may  now,  and  at  all  future  times,  follow  after 
the  things  which  make  for  peace,  and  things  wherewith  one  may 
edify  another ;  that  your  self  command,  mutual  forbearance,  har- 
mony and  Christian  feelings,  on  this  trying  occasion,  may  be  a 
presage  of  the  manner,  in  which  you  will  seek,  and  settle  another 
minister :  And  may  the  great  Shepherd  give  you  a  pastor,  who 
shall  be  more  prudent,  more  useful,  and  more  happy  in  retaining 
your  affection,  than 

"  Your  humble,  afflicted,  but  affectionate  Servant  in  the  Lord, 
"  Woburn  Jan.  22,  1821.  "  JOSEPH  CHICKERING." 

"  As  one  condition  of  my  being  dismissed  is  the  consent  of 
the  church,  I  now  ask  your  consent,  dearly  beloved  brethren,  to 
this  measure.  None  will  doubt,  that  such  a  request  must  be 
painful  to  me,  as  the  granting  of  it  will  be  to  most  of  you.  But 
I  am  fully  satisfied,  after  the  most  mature  and  prayerful  delib- 
eration, that  such  an  event  has  become  expedient ;  and  therefore 
hope,  that  you  will  unitedly  acquiesce  in  it,  and  seek  the  con- 
tinuance of  Christian  ordinances,  after  the  period  above  speci- 
fied, by  such  instruments  as  God  in  his  good  Providence  may 
provide." 

"  Whereupon  voted, 

"  1.  That  a  meeting  to  consider  and  act  on  this  communica- 
tion be  holden  on  Saturday  next,  one  o'clock,  P.  M. 

"  2.     That  the  meeting  be  at  the  centre  school-house. 

"  3.  At  the  request  of  the  Pastor,  that  the  Rev.  Mr  Emerson 
of  South  Reading,  be  invited  to  attend  and  moderate  the  meet- 
ing."32 

"  Feb.  3,  1821,  the  church  met  according  to  appointment. 

"  The  Rev.  Reuben  Emerson  being  present,  agreeably  to  the 
request  of  the  church,  moderated  the  meeting. 

"  The  record  of  the  last  meeting  was  read  ;  after  which  the  Mode- 
rator led  in  prayer. 

"  After  free  conversation, 

"  Voted,  that  a  committee  of  three  persons  be  chosen  to  prepare, 
and  lay  before  the  church,  votes  on  the  subject  now  under  con- 
sideration. 

»  Church  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  176-179. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  457 

"  Voted,  that  the  committee  consist  of  three  persons. 

"  Chose  Deacon  Wyman,  Brother  Calvin  Richardson  and  Jona- 
than Tidd. 

"  The  committee  reported  the  following  resolutions  : 

"  1.  Resolved,  as  the  expression  of  the  feelings  of  the  members 
of  the  church,  that  it  is  not  their  wish  and  desire  that  the  Rev. 
Joseph  Chickering  should  be  dismissed  from  his  pastoral  relation 
to  them,  could  he  continue  in  that  relation  with  a  prospect  of 
future  usefulness. 

"  2.  Resolved,  as  the  sense  of  this  church,  that  under  the  exist- 
ing circumstances  of  the  parish,  and  in  consequence  of  the  pro- 
posals made  by  the  Rev.  Mr  Chickering  to  said  parish,  and 
accepted  by  them  at  their  last  meeting,  the  members  of  the  church 
view  it  to  be  their  duty  (though  with  the  deepest  feelings  of  regret) 
to  yield  their  consent,  that  the  pastoral  relation  between  them  and 
their  pastor  should  be  dissolved,  agreeably  to  the  proposals  made 
by  him. 

"  The  first  Resolution  was  passed  unanimously. 

"  The  second  Resolution  was  passed,  nemine  contradicente. 

"  Voted  thanks  to  the  Rev.  Moderator  for  his  kind  services. 

"  Voted,  that  after  prayers  this  meeting  be  dissolved. 

"  The  meeting  was  concluded  with  prayer  by  the  Moderator 
"  REUBEN  EMERSON,  Moderator. 

"  JOSEPH  CHICKERING,  Scribe."  33 

"Feb.  11,  1821.  The  church  being  requested  to  tarry  after 
the  close  of  public  exercises  : 

"  Voted,  To  choose  a  committee  of  four,  to  join  with  the  Pas- 
tor and  a  committee  already  chosen  by  the  parish,  in  agreeing 
on  and  assembling  a  council  for  the  purposes  specified  in  the 
communication  acted  on  at  our  last  meeting :  also  to  appear  be- 
fore the  Council  in  behalf  of  the  church,  to  give  any  information, 
and  make  any  communications  that  may  be  requested. 

"  Chose  Deacon  Benj.  Wyman,  and  Bros.  Calvin  Richardson, 
Uriah  Manning  and  Josiah  Walker. 

"Feb.  15,  1821.  The  above  named  Committee  met,  on 
the  15th  of  February,  with  the  parish  committee  and  the  pastor, 

»  Church  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  179-181. 
40 


458  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

and  agreed  on  the  churches  and  time  named  in  the   following 
letter  missive,  which  was  sent  to  each  pastor  to  be  communicated : 

"The  Congregational  Church  and  Parish  in  Woburn 
to  the  Church  in under  the  pastoral  care  of  Rev. 

"Reverend  and  beloved: 

"  It  has  pleased  God  to  permit  such  opposition  to  arise  against  the  Rev. 
Joseph  Chickering  our  Pastor,  that  he  has  judged  it  expedient  to  propose 
to  us  the  dissolution  of  his  ministerial  relation.  His  proposal,  with  the 
terms  annexed  to  it,  have  been  accepted  by  the  parish.  The  Church  has 
also  deemed  it  '  their  duty,  though  with  the  deepest  feelings  of  regret,  to 
yield  their  consent.'  The  parties  have  mutually  agreed  to  request  an 
ecclesiastical  Council,  to  consist  of  the  following  pastors  and  churches. 
Rev.  Dr.  Ripley,  Concord;  Rev.  Dr.  Holmes,  Cambridge ;  Rev.  Freegrace 
Raynolds,  Wilmington ;  Rev.  Samuel  Stearns,  Bedford ;  Rev.  Reuben  Emer- 
son, S.  Reading ;  Rev.  Samuel  Sewall,  Burlington ;  and  Rev.  Justin 
Edwards,  Audover;  to  meet,  according  to  our  Pastor's  request,  '  look  into 
our  proceedings,  dissolve  the  relation,  and  give  him  such  a  recommenda- 
tion as  they  may  think  proper."  This  is  therefore  to  request  your  assist- 
ance, by  your  Rev.  Pastor  and  a  delegate,  on  Wednesday,  the  llth  day 
of  April  next,  for  the  purposes  above  specified. 

"  Wishing  you  grace,  mercy  and  peace,  and  requesting  your  prayers  to 
God  for  his  blessing,  direction  and  support  under  our  trials,  we  subscribe 
ourselves  very  respectfully. 

"Yours  in  the  Lord. 

"Signed  by  the  Pastor,  Benj.  Wyman  for  the  church,  and  Bill  Russell 
for  the  Parish."  34 

"  Result  of  Council. 

"  A  Council,  convoked  by  the  Congregational  Church  and  Parish 
in  Woburn,  in  concurrence  with  their  Pastor,  to  look  into  their 
proceedings,  with  a  view  to  the  dissolution  of  the  pastoral  relation, 
met  at  Woburn  on  the  llth  day  of  April,  1821. 
"  Present : 

"  The  Church  in  Concord,  Rev.  EZRA  RIPLEY,  D.  D.,  Pastor. 

"  The  first  Church  in  Cambridge :  Rev.  ABIEL  HOLMES,  D.  D., 
Pastor ;  Bro.  ABEL  WHITNEY,  Delegate. 

"  The  Church  in  Wilmington :  Rev.  FREEGRACE  RAYNOLDS,  Pas- 
tor ;  Dea.  BENJ.  FOSTER,  Delegate. 

"  The  Church  in  Bedford :  Rev.  SAMUEL  STEARNS,  Pastor  ;  Bro. 
AMARIAH  PRESTON,  Delegate. 

"  The  Church  in  So.  Reading :  Rev.  REUBEN  EMERSON,  Pastor. 

"  The  Church  in  Burlington :  Rev.  SAMUEL  SEWALL,  Pastor ; 
Bro.  EBENEZER  CUMMINGS,  Delegate. 

"  The  South  Church  in  Andover :  Rev.  JUSTIN  EDWARDS,  Pastor ; 
Bro.  SOLOMON  HOLT,  Delegate. 

«  Church  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  181, 182. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  459 

"  Rev.  Dr.  Ripley  was  chosen  Moderator,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Edwards, 
Scribe. 

"  The  Council,  having  attended  to  the  subject  before  them  with 
that  serious  deliberation  which  its  importance  required,  and  with 
prayer  to  the  Father  of  lights  for  direction,  came  unanimously  to 
the  following  Result : 

"  That  the  pastoral  relation  between  the  Reverend  Joseph  Chick- 
ering  and  the  Congregational  Church  and  Society  in  Woburn  be, 
and  hereby  is  dissolved,  on  the  conditions  to  which  they  have 
mutually  agreed. 

"  In  arriving  at  this  result,  the  Council  have  been  highly  grati- 
fied to  find  nothing  alleged,  or  insinuated  against  the  moral,  or 
Christian,  or  ministerial  character  of  the  Pastor :  yet  this  fact  could 
not  but  render  the  measures  for  his  dismission  the  more  mysterious, 
and  this  act  of  the  Council  the  more  difficult  and  reluctant.  Tak- 
ing into  view  however  past  occurrences  and  the  prospect  of  the 
future,  the  Council  are  united  in  approving  the  measure  proposed 
by  the  Pastor  and  People ;  a  measure,  which,  although  "  deeply 
regretted"  by  the  Church  and  many  others,  appears  to  be  best 
adapted  to  the  interests  and  happiness  of  the  whole. 

"  The  spirit  which  has  marked  the  proceedings  of  the  Church 
and  Society  during  the  sitting  of  the  Council  has  been  honorable 
to  both ;  and  is  considered  as  a  favorable  indication  of  future 
union  and  peace.  For  that  peace  and  union  the  Council  devoutly 
pray  ;  and  unitedly  commend  the  Church  and  Society  to  the  care 
and  benediction  of  the  Divine  Head  of  the  Church. 

"  With  the  knowledge  of  the  respectable  talents,  the  moral  and 
Christian  character,  and  the  ministerial  qualifications  of  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Chickering,  and  in  the  belief  that  his  past  success  in  the  min- 
istry is  a  good  pledge  of  his  future  usefulness,  the  Council  very 
cordially  recommend  him  to  the  Christian  community,  as  a  pious, 
able  and  faithful  minister  of  Jesus  Christ,  wherever  the  Providence 
of  God  may  call  him. 

"Attest.     JUSTIN  EDWARDS,  Scribe,     EZRA  RIPLEY,  Moderator, 
';  ABIEL  HOLMES.  ABEL  WHITNEY. 

FREEGRACE  RAYNOLDS.  BENJAMIN  FOSTER. 

SAMUEL  STEARNS.  AMARIAH  PRESTON. 

REUBEN  EMERSON.  EBENEZER  CUMMINGS,  Jun. 

SAMUEL  SEWALL.  SOLOMON  HOLT."  35 

M  Church  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  18S-185. 


460  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

1821,  July  17,  the  church  met,  agreeably  to  appointment  on 
the  previous  Sabbath,  and  voted  to  choose  a  Moderator,  and  a 
clerk,  to  serve  during  the  pleasure  of  the  church,  after  the  pas- 
toral relation  of  Rev.  Mr.  Chickering  shall  cease. 

Chose  for  Moderator,  Deacon  Benjamin  Wyman. 
"         Clerk,  Deacon  Benjamin  Wyman. 

"Voted,  That  a  Committee  of  five  persons  be  chosen  to  form 
a  vote  expressive  of  the  affection  of  this  church  towards  their 
Pastor,  the  Rev.  Joseph  Chickering;  containing  such  a  recom- 
mendation as  may  be  proper  in  such  a  case ;  and  to  lay  the  same 
before  the  church.  Chose  Deacons  Josiah  Wright,  Ebenezer 
Lawrence  and  Benjamin  Wyman ;  and  Brothers  Jonas  Hale  and 
Uriah  Manning." 

September  9th,  (Sabbath)  the  church  being  stopped  after  the 
exercises  of  the  day,  the  above  committee  submitted  to  them  the 
following  vote  for  their  acceptance,  viz  : 

"  That  the  Rev.  Joseph  Chickering  has  been  the  pastor  of  this 
church  more  than  seventeen  years  last  past ;  during  which  time  he 
has  conducted  himself  as  a  diligent,  faithful  and  affectionate  pas- 
tor, and  one  whose  labors  (we  believe)  have  been  blest  to  the  good 
of  many  souls  in  this  place ;  and  they  do  hereby  express  their 
united  and  most  cordial  affection  for  him,  as  their  late  pastor ;  and 
do  most  deeply  lament  the  occasion  of  his  pastoral  relation  to 
them  being  dissolved. 

"  With  the  knowledge  they  have  of  his  respectable  talents,  his 
moral  and  Christian  character,  and  his  ministerial  qualifications, 
and  in  the  full  belief  that  his  past  success  is  a  good  pledge  of  his 
future  usefulness,  [they]  do  most  cordially  recommend  him  to  the 
Christian  community  as  a  pious,  able  and  faithful  minister  of  Jesus 
Christ,  wheresoever  the  providence  of  God  may  call  him. 
"  Woburn,  Sept.  4th,  1821. 

"  JOSIAH  WRIGHT, 

EBENEZER  LAWRENCE, 

BENJAMIN  WYMAN,          }>    Committee. 

JONAS  HALE, 

URIAH  MANNING. 

"  Voted  unanimously  by  the  Church."  3G 

*>  Church  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  186, 187. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBTTRN.  461 

During  the  ministry  of  Rev.  Mr.  Chickering,  one  hundred 
and  sixty-four  were  admitted  to  the  church,  viz:  Fifty-five 
males,  and  one  hundred  and  nine  females ;  and  two  hundred 
and  seventy  were  baptized,  viz :  Two  hundred  and  thirty 
children,  and  forty  adults. 

Of  the  one  hundred  and  sixty-four  admissions,  sixty-six  were 
during  a  season  of  revival,  in  1817;  and  of  these,  twenty-four 
were  in  one  day,  viz :  June  1st. 

One  hundred  and  eighty-seven  couples  were  united  by  him  in 
marriage. 

Rev.  Mr.  Chickering  was  son  of  Rev.  Jabez  Chickering, 
pastor  of  the  church  in  the  South  Parish  of  Dedham.  He  was 
born  in  that  parish,  April  30,  1780;  graduated  at  Harvard  Uni- 
versity, 1799;  studied  theology  at  Cambridge  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Rev.  Professor  Tappan;  ordained  at  Woburn,  March 
28,  1804;  dismissed  at  his  own  request,  with  the  sanction  of 
a  Council,  April  11,  1821 ;  and  after  retiring  from  Woburn,  was 
installed  over  the  church  in  Phillipston,  Worcester  County, 
Mass.,  July  10,  1822;  dismissed  at  his  own  request,  in  conse- 
quence of  bodily  infirmity,  July  16,  1835;  but  continued  to 
reside  at  Phillipston  till  his  decease,  January  27,  1844,  where 
also  his  widow  died  shortly  after  him. 

Mr.  Chickering  married  twice:  first,  Miss  Betsey,  daughter 
of  the  venerable  Deacon  John  White  of  Concord ;  and  she 
dying,  November  3,  1815,  he  married,  secondly,  Miss  Sarah 
Abbot  Holt,  of  Albany,  Me.  By  his  first  wife,  he  had  five 
children,  of  whom  the  three  youngest  (one  an  infant)  died  with- 
in about  a  fortnight  of  their  mother's  decease,  before  or  after. 
By  his  second  wife,  he  had  a  daughter  and  two  sons,  Betsey, 
Henry  and  Abbot,  born  at  Woburn ;  and  one  or  more  children, 
it  is  believed,  born  at  Phillipston.  Of  his  two  surviving  chil- 
dren by  his  first  wife,  the  elder  is  Rev.  John  White  Chickering, 
D.  D.,  recently  pastor  of  a  church  in  Portland,  Me. ;  now  an 
agent  in  the  temperance  cause,  a  resident  in  Boston :  the  younger 
is  Mr.  Joseph  Chickering,  a  very  successful  and  highly  respected 
mechanic  at  the  west. 

After  the  dismission  of  Rev.  Mr.  Chickering,  in  1821,  the 
40* 


462  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

church  took  some  steps,  in  September  following,  towards  settling 
in  the  ministry  Mr.  Hutchins  Taylor,  with  whose  preaching,  they 
expressed  themselves  satisfied.37  But  not  succeeding  in  this 
attempt,  they  gave  an  unanimous  call,  November  19,  1821,  to 
Mr.  Joseph  Bennett,  to  become  their  pastor.  In  this  choice, 
the  parish  unanimously  concurred;  and  offered  him  a  salary  of 
seven  hundred  dollars  per  annum.38  Mr.  Bennett  communicated 
to  the  people  his  acceptance  of  the  invitation  given  him,  on 
Thanksgiving  day,  December  6th ;  and,  subsequently,  committees 
of  the  church  and  parish  agreed  with  him  on  the  day  for  the 
ordination,  and  the  churches  to  be  invited  to  assist  in  Council 
on  the  solemn  occasion.  The  result  of  the  Council  was  as  fol- 
lows: 

"At   an   Ecclesiastical  Council   holden    at  Woburn,   January 
1st,  1822. 

"  Present : 

"  Andover,  Theological  Seminary :  Rev.  Dr.  JAMES  MURDOCH, 
Pastor  ;  LEWIS  DWIGHT,  Delegate. 

"Andover  South  Parish:  Rev.  JUSTIN  EDWARDS,  Pastor;  NA- 
THANIEL SWIFT,  Delegate. 

"  Tewksbury :    Rev.   JACOB   COGGIN,   Pastor ;    OLIVER   CLARK, 
Delegate. 

"  Wilmington  :  Rev.  FREEGRACE  RATNOLDS,  Pastor ;  Dea.  BENJ. 
FOSTER,  Delegate. 

"  Reading,  West  Parish :  Rev.  SAMUEL  GREEN,  Pastor ;  TIMO- 
THY WAKEFIELD,  BENJ.  PRATT  ;  Delegates. 

"  South    Reading :     Rev.    REUBEN    EMERSON,    Pastor ;    JAMES 
GOULD,  Delegate. 

"  Burlington  :   Rev.  SAMUEL   SEW  ALL,  Pastor ;  Dea.  JONATHAN 
SIMONDS,  Dea.  NATHL.  CUTTER,  Delegates. 

"  Stoneham :    Rev.   JOHN    H.    STEVENS,    Pastor ;    Dea.   JABEZ 
LYNDE,  BRO.  THADDEUS  RICHARDSON,  Delegates. 

"  Bedford :    Rev.   SAMUEL   STEARNS,    Pastor ;    BENJ.  SIMONDS, 
JUN.,  MATTHEW  HAYWARD,  Delegates. 

"  Charlestown :  Rev.  WARREN  FAY,  Pastor ;  Dea.  ISAAC  WAR- 
REN, MATTHEW  SKELTON,  Delegates. 

«  Church  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  188.  »  Pariah  Records,  Vol.  III.,  pp.  366,  367. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  463 

"  Dorchester :  Rev.  JOHN  CODMAN,  Pastor ;  BRO.  NATHANIEL 
SWIFT,  Delegate. 

"  Framingham :  Rev.  DAVID  KELLOGG,  Pastor ;  Dea.  LUTHER 
HAVEN,  Delegate. 

"  West  Cambridge  :  Rev.  THADDEUS  FISKE,  D.D.,  Pastor ;  Dea. 
EPHRAIM  FROST,  EPHRAIM  CUTTER,  Delegates. 

"  Tyngsborough :  Rev.  NATHL.  LAWRENCE,  Pastor ;  Dea.  JOHN 
FARWELL,  JEREMIAH  HOWARD,  Delegates. 

"Chose  Rev.  Mr.  David  Kellogg,  Moderator:  Chose  Rev. 
Samuel  Sewall,  Scribe. 

"  The  Council  opened  with  prayer  by  the  Rev.  Moderator. 
"  The  proceedings  of  the  Church  and  Parish  in  regard  to  the 
choice  of  Mr.  Joseph  Bennett  as  their  Gospel  Minister  were  then 
read  by  the  Scribe,  and  were  voted  by  the  Council  to  be  regular 
and  satisfactory. 

"  Certificates  of  Mr.  Bennett's  church  membership,  and  of  his 
Approbation  and  License  to  preach  by  the  Marlborough  Associa- 
tion, were  then  produced  and  read,  as  likewise  his  answer  to  the 
call  of  the  Church  and  Society;  acceptance  of  all  which  docu- 
ments was  voted  by  the  Council. 

« The  Candidate  then  read  his  Confession  of  Faith.  The 
members  having  put  such  questions  as  they  pleased  to  the  Candi- 
date, -voted  themselves  satisfied,  and  that  they  were  ready  to 
proceed  to  the  Ordination. 

"  Voted  that  the  Rev.  Mr.  CODMAN  make  the  Introductory  Prayer. 
"  "      Rev.  Mr.  FAY  preach  the  Sermon. 

"  "      Rev.  Dr.  MURDOCK  make  the  Ordaining  Prayer. 

"  "      Rev.  Mr.  KELLOGG  give  the  Charge. 

"  "      Rev.  Mr.  GREEN  give  the  Right  Hand  of  Fellowship. 

"  "      Rev.  Mr.  COGGIN  address  the  Church  and  People. 

"  "      Rev.  Mr.  LAWRENCE  make  the  Concluding  Prayer. 

"  The  Council  then  adjourned  to  the  Meeting  House. 

"  DAVID  KELLOGG,  Moderator. 
"Attest.     SAMUEL  SEWALL,  Scribe."39 

«•  Church  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  200,  201. 


464  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

"  Previous  to  the  Ordination,  the  Church  were  requested  to 
assemble  for  a  few  moments ;  when,  they  having  received  Mr 
Bennett's  Dismission  and  Recommendation  from  the  Church  in 
Framingham,  voted  unanimously  to  receive  him  as  a  member  in 
full  communion  with  this  church. 

"  Moved  by  Dea.  Wright,  that  the  thanks  of  this  Church  be 
presented  to  Benjamin  Wyman  for  his  faithful  service  as  Mode- 
rator &  Clerk  of  the  Church.  Voted  unanimously. 

"  Attest,    BENJAMIN  WYMAN,  Clerk.40 

The  ministry  of  Rev.  Mr.  Bennett  was  distinguished  by  large 
accessions  to  the  church,  especially  in  the  year  1827,  (a  year  of 
revival,)  when  two  hundred  and  twenty-six  were  added  to  its 
numbers,  two  hundred  and  twelve  by  profession,  and  fourteen 
by  letter.  During  the  same  period,  too,  the  discipline  of  the 
church  was  enforced  with  more  than  usual  strenuousness ; 4l 
the  Sabbath  school  was  diligently  promoted  and  numerously 
attended  j  and  various  societies,  both  of  the  town  and  State,  for 
the  advancement  of  Christian  knowledge  and  charity,  were  lib- 
erally encouraged.  For  all  these  tokens  of  spiritual  and  moral 
growth  and  prosperity,  the  town  and  the  public  were  largely 
indebted  to  the  zealous  labors  and  kind  efforts  of  Rev.  Mr.  Ben- 
nett. 

But  in  1840,  the  increase  and  prosperity  of  the  church  sus- 
tained a  temporary  check  by  the  dismission  of  the  members  of 
the  South  Village.  It  was  in  this  quarter,  probably,  that  the 
first  dwelling-house  in  the  town  was  erected,  viz :  at  the  Con- 
vers'  mill.  And  yet,  for  a  long  succession  of  years,  the  settle- 
ments there  had  been  so  slow,  and  the  inhabitants  so  few  and 
scattering,  that  no  school-house  appears  to  have  been  built  in 
the  place  till  1790;  and  though  a  public  school  was  some  years 
appointed  to  be  kept  there,  it  could  be  accommodated  only  in 
some  private  house,  and  that  only  for  a  few  weeks  in  the  course 
of  the  season.  Other  years,  the  children  who  attended  school 
must  be  provided  with  a  private  one  at  the  cost  of  their  parents, 

«  Church  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  201. 

41  Between  1823  and  1841,  thirty-two  cases  of  discipline  are  recorded  in  Church  Records, 
Vol.  I.,  of  which  twenty  resulted  in  excommunication. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  465 

or  travel  to  the  centre  of  the  town,  which  is  from  one  to  two 
miles  distant. 

But,  from  the  operation  of  various  causes,  especially  the  loca- 
tion of  the  Lowell  Railroad  through  the  centre  of  the  village,  it 
began,  about  1830,  rapidly  to  increase  both  in  business  and  in 
population ;  and  at  length,  feeling  themselves  competent  to  sus- 
tain public  worship  among  themselves,  the  inhabitants  com- 
menced a  series  of  measures  to  obtain  for  themselves  the 
privilege.  The  first  step  taken  to  this  end  was  the  following 
resolution,  submitted  to  the  church  by  Deacon  Benjamin  F. 
Thompson,  at  a  meeting,  March  21,  1839:  "Resolved  as  the 
sense  of  this  church,  that  there  ought  to  be  another  orthodox 
church  and  society  established  in  this  town,  when,  in  the  opinion 
of  this  church,  the  necessary  funds  shall  be  obtained  to  carry  the 
same  properly  into  effect."  ^  But  the  discussion  to  which  this 
resolution,  and  another  offered  in  its  stead,  gave  rise,  occasion- 
ing delay,  they  were  both  withdrawn  by  the  mover;  and  the 
following  letter  was  read  to  the  church  after  Communion, 
November  2,  1840. 

"  To  the  Congregational  Church,  Woburn,  Mass. 
"  Dear  Brethren  and  Friends : 

"  We,  the  subscribers,  deeming  it  our  duty,  as  well  as  our  con- 
venience, to  colonize  and  congregate  in  the  South  Village  of  this 
town  for  the  purpose  of  worshipping  the  God  of  our  fathers  in  the 
way  we  have  been  taught,  request  that  }rou  would  give  us  a  dismis- 
sion from  the  body  with  which  we  are  still  happily  united,  to  the 
end  that  we  may  be  constituted  the  South  Congregational  Church 
in  Woburn.  And  we  ask  it,  not  from  any  dissatisfaction  as  it 
respects  Pastor,  Church,  or  Congregation ;  for  no  dissatisfaction 
exists,  as  we  hope  there  never  may,  but  love,  concord,  and  recip- 
rocal kindness.  But  we  make  the  request,  because  we  are  per- 
suaded that  the  advancement  of  truth  and  righteousness  will  be 
promoted  by  the  means,  as  more  will  be  induced  to  attend  the 
public  worship  of  God,  and  can  attend  it  more  conveniently :  Be- 
cause the  church  is  so  large  and  efficient,  that  we  can  well  be 
spared,  and  a  large  and  flourishing  church  still  remain :  Because 

«  Church  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  246. 


466  HISTORY    OP   WOBURN. 

the  growing  population  of  the  town  demands  another  place  of  wor- 
ship, and  the  place  we  have  chosen  is  suited  to  accommodate  such 
increasing  population  :  Because  we  think  we  can  sustain  the  reg- 
ular administration  of  the  word  and  ordinances,  and  have  ample 
means  to  sustain  the  same  here :  and  Because  we  think  that  both 
you  and  we  can  to  better  advantage  enjoy  the  stated  means  of 
grace. 

"  On  these  principles,  we  present  the  preceding  request :  hoping 
and  expecting,  that  it  will  not  only  be  kindly  and  cheerfully  granted, 
but  that  Christian  love,  brotherly  kindness,  fellowship  and  good- 
will, which  we  trust  we  now  feel,  will  henceforth  be  reciprocated. 
[Subscribed  by] 

"  N.  B.  JOHNSON. 

B.  F.  THOMPSON. 

MARSHALL  WYMAN. 

STEPHEN  CUTTER. 

OLIVER  R.  CLARK. 
[and  by  ninety-seven  others,  male  and  female.] 

The  request  presented  in  the  foregoing  letter  was  immediately 
granted.  The  result  was,  the  dedication  in  South  Woburn, 
December  30,  1840,  of  a  new  house  of  worship,  which  had  been 
some  time,  apparently,  in  process  of  erection ;  the  speedy  gather- 
ing of  the  brethren  and  sisters  dismissed  as  above  from  First 
Church  of  Woburn,  into  a  distinct  Congregational  Church;  the 
ordination  of  Rev.  George  P.  Smith  as  its  pastor,  June  17, 
1841;  and  the  incorporation  by  the  Legislature  of  the  village 
of  South  Woburn,  together  with  portions  of  Medford  and  West 
Cambridge,  as  the  town  of  Winchester,  April  30,  I860.43 

The  day  next  after  the  dedication  in  South  Woburn,  viz: 
December  31,  1840,  the  fifth  meeting-house  of  the  First  Congre- 
gational Society  in  Woburn  was  dedicated.  Its  fourth  house  of 
public  worship  had  stood  only  thirty-one  years.  But  upon  exami- 
nation, in  order  to  some  repairs,  it  was  ascertained  that  the  timber 
used  in  its  construction  had  become  so  far  decayed  and  rotten, 
in  consequence  probably  of  having  been  cut  at  a  wrong  season 
of  the  year,  that  it  was  judged  safest  and  best  to  take  it  down 

«  Massachusetts  Special  Laws,  Vol.  IX.,  pp.  234,  235. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBTTRN.  467 

entirely,  and  to  build  anew.  Accordingly,  a  handsome  and  con- 
venient edifice,  seventy  feet  by  sixty,  was  erected  on  the  site  of 
the  former  meeting-house,  with  a  vestry  in  the  basement,  which 
had  for  some  time  been  finished  and  occupied  as  the  place  of 
worship,  before  the  main  building  was  completed.  The  dedi- 
cation services,  December  31,  1840,  were,  1st.  Invocation,  and 
reading  of  portions  of  the  Scriptures  by  Rev.  Mr.  Sewall,  of  Bur- 
lington; 2d.  Introductory  prayer  by  Rev.  Mr.  Baker,  of  Med- 
ford ;  3d.  Sermon,  by  the  pastor,  Rev.  Mr.  Bennett,  from  Haggai 
ii.  9.  "  The  glory  of  this  latter  house  shall  be  greater,"  etc., 
etc. ;  4th.  Consecrating  prayer,  by  Rev.  Mr.  Coggin,  of  Tewks- 
bury ;  5th.  Address  to  the  people,  by  Rev.  Mr.  Albro,  of  Cam- 
bridge; and  6th.  Concluding  prayer,  by  Rev.  Mr.  Norwood,  of 
Wilmington. 

For  many  years,  Rev.  Mr.  Bennett  continued  to  be  very  pop- 
ular and  successful  in  his  ministry.  His  pulpit  services  were 
highly  acceptable  both  to  his  own  people,  and  to  all  the  churches 
in  the  vicinity.  But  he  was  naturally  of  a  very  nervous  tempera- 
ment, and  easily  excited ;  and  hence  at  times  he  would  be  very 
elevated  in  his  spirits,  and  at  others  deeply  depressed.  Over  this, 
his  natural  predisposition,  his  excellent  lady  exerted  a  powerful 
influence ;  and  so  long  as  her  life  was  spared  to  him,  she  gener- 
ally managed  so  as  to  keep  it  from  running  into  either  extreme. 
But  after  her  decease,  February  11, 1846,  there  was  nothing  left 
to  check  and  regulate  it.  Causes  comparatively  trifling  would 
often  raise  his  spirits  so  far,  as  that  he  would  unawares  become 
quite  eccentric  both  in  speech  and  in  action ;  and  then  again  his 
spirits  would  flag  and  sink  so  low,  that  he  would  apparently 
begin  to  think  that  his  usefulness  was  gone,  and  that  his  life  was 
no  longer  desirable  to  himself  or  others.  And  hence,  in  one  of 
these  deplorable  turns  of  melancholy  depression,  he  was  left  to 
take  his  own  life,  November  19,  1847.  His  funeral  was  very 
largely  attended  at  the  meeting-house  by  his  brethren  in  the  min- 
istry, and  by  the  inhabitants  of  Woburn  and  the  neighboring 
towns.  A  sermon  was  preached  on  the  solemn  occasion  by  Rev. 
Dr.  John  W.  Chickering,  of  Portland,  who  happened  to  be  on 
a  visit  to  Rev.  Mr.  Bennett  at  the  time  of  his  decease.  This 


468  HISTORY   OF   WOBTJRN. 

sermon  was  published  at  the  expense  of  the  church ;  and  at  a 
parish  meeting,  December  6th  following,  it  was  voted  to  pay  a 
full  year's  salary  to  the  heirs  of  Rev.  Mr.  Bennett.44 

Rev.  Joseph  Bennett  was  born  at  Framingham,  May  13, 1798 ; 
was  graduated  at  Harvard  University,  1818:  studied  theology 
at  the  institution  in  Andover ;  was  ordained  at  Woburn,  January 
1,  1822,  and  was  married  in  February  following  to  Miss  Mary 
Lamson,  "  his  ever-discreet  counsellor,  as  well  as  affectionate  and 
beloved  friend."  By  her  he  had  two  children,  viz:  1.  Rev. 
Joseph  Lamson  Bennett,  minister  first  at  East  Cambridge,  now 
at  Lockport,  N.  Y. ;  and  2.  Mary  Lamson  Bennett,  married  to 
Rev.  Thomas  Morong,  of  Gloucester,  Mass. 

During  his  ministry  in  Woburn,  seven  hundred  and  sixty 
persons,  (including  himself,)  were  admitted  into  the  church, 
viz :  five  hundred  and  ninety-six  by  profession,  and  one  hundred 
and  sixty-four  by  letter ;  and  six  hundred  and  nine  were  bap- 
tized, viz :  three  hundred  and  seventy-one  infants  and  children 
and  two  hundred  and  thirty-eight  adults.  Also,  two  hundred 
and  forty-two  marriages  are  recorded,  as  solemnized  by  him  to 
January  1,  1843,  inclusively.  Marriages  solemnized  by  him 
subsequently  to  that  date,  were  not  recorded  by  him  on  the 
church  book. 

«  Parish  Records,  Vol.  III.,  p.  523. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

First  Church  :  Rev.  Messrs.  Edwards,  March,  and  Bodwell.  —  Congrega- 
tional Church,  North  Woburn.  —  Baptist  Church.  —  Independent  Baptist 
Church.  —  Universalist  Church.  —  Unitarian  Church.  —  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church.  —  Roman  Catholic  Church.  —  Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 

AFTER  the  decease  of  Rev.  Mr.  Bennett,  the  church  took  speedy 
action  for  the  settlement  of  another  pastor.  It  gave,  March  1  7, 
1848,  an  unanimous  invitation  to  Mr.  Jonathan  Edwards,  of 
Andover,  to  become  their  pastor.  In  this  measure  of  the  church, 
the  parish  concurred,  March  20th,  and  voted  a  salary  to  Mr. 
Edwards  of  a  thousand  dollars  per  annum,  payable  semi-annually, 
with  this  proviso,  "  That  either  party  might  dissolve  the  connec- 
tion by  a  mutual  Council,  after  giving  six  months'  notice  of  its 
intention."  l  And  at  a  meeting,  May  22d,  in  compliance  with  a 
wish  expressed  by  Mr.  Edwards,  the  parish  voted  to  allow  him 
the  privilege  of  an  annual  vacation  of  four  Sabbaths  ;  and  added, 
to  his  salary  before  stipulated,  fifty  dollars,  to  enable  him  to 
supply  the  pulpit  during  his  vacation.2  The  invitation  given 
him  thus  qualified,  Mr.  Edwards  accepted  May  26th.  In  the 
interval  which  elapsed  before  his  ordination,  the  church  voted  as 
follows:  "Resolved  that  we  do  not  consider  the  relation  of 
Pastor  and  Church  to  be  complete,  without  the  pastor  becoming 
a  member  of  the  particular  church  of  which  he  is  the  overseer."  3 
Agreeably  to  this  vote,  Mr.  Edwards  was  admitted  into  the 
First  Church  of  Woburn,  September  3d,  and  ordained  its  pas- 
tor, September  7,  1848. 

The  ordaining  council  consisted  of  pastors  and  delegates  from 
eleven  churches,  and  of  Rev.  Justin  Edwards,  D.  D.,  father  of 
the  candidate.  The  public  services  on  the  interesting  occasion 
were  as  follows,  viz  : 


Parish  Records,  Vol.  HI.,  pp  528,  529.  »  Parish  Records,  Vol.  III.,  pp.  530-532. 

3  Church  Record*,  Vol.  III.,  p.  213. 
41 


470  HISTORY   OF   WOBT7RN. 

.     Reading  of  the   minutes,  by  the  scribe,  Rev.  William  Ives 
Burdington  of  Charlestown. 

Introductory  Prayer,  by  Rev.  J.  L.  TAYLOR,  Andover. 

Reading  the  Scriptures,  by  Rev.  ALEXANDER  J.  SESSIONS, 
Salem. 

Sermon,  by  Rev.  E.  N.  KIRK,  Boston. 

Ordaining  Prayer,  by  Rev.  REUBEN  EMERSON,  South  Reading. 

Charge,  by  Rev.  JUSTIN  EDWARDS,  Andover. 

Right  Hand,  by  Rev.  GEORGE  RICHARDS,  Central  Church, 
Boston. 

Address  to  the  People,  by  Rev.  JOHN  W.  CHICKERING, 
Portland. 

Concluding  Prayer,  by  Rev.  JACOB  COGGIN,  Tewksbury. 

Rev.  BROWN  EMERSON,  D.  D.,  Salem,  Moderator.4 

During  the  eight  years  of  Rev.  Mr.  Edwards'  continuance  in 
Woburn,  entire  harmony  and  mutual  confidence  prevailed  be- 
tween him  and  his  people.  In  discharging  the  duties  of  his 
sacred  office,  his  heart  was  often  gladdened  and  encouraged  in 
perceiving  that  his  labors  were  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord  j  and 
the  people  on  their  part  repeatedly  manifested  their  satisfaction 
with  him,  and  respect  for  him,  by  various  tokens  of  kindness  and 
affection ;  and  especially  by  complying,  virtually,  with  the  follow- 
ing vote  of  the  church,  passed  February  20,  1854.  "Voted 
unanimously,  that  we  recommend  to  the  Parish,  to  raise  the 
salary  of  Rev.  Jona.  Edwards  to  a  sum  not  "less  that  fifteen  hun- 
dred dollars."  5 

But  suddenly  this  fair  prospect  of  a  long,  as  well  as  success- 
ful ministry  by  Rev.  Mr.  Edwards,  was  broken  up.  January  2, 
1856,  he  requested  the  church  to  unite  with  him  in  calling  a 
mutual  council  for  his  dismission,  he  having  received,  as  he 
stated  to  them,  a  pressing  call  to  go  elsewhere  "  to  engage  in  a 
new  and  highly  important  church  enterprise  in  an  unoccupied 
field ; "  expressing  at  the  same  time  the  pleasure  he  had  derived 
from  his  present  connection;  his  regret  at  leaving,  his  best 
wishes  and  prayers  for  the  church,  etc.,  etc.  The  church,  with 


«  Church  Records,  Vol.  III.,  pp.  216,  217.  «  Church  Record.,  Vol.  HI.,  p.  227. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  471 

expressions  of  regret,  acceded  to  his  request  for  calling  a 
council ;  and  voted  to  unite  with  the  parish  committee,  if  they 
saw  fit,  to  carry  this  measure  into  effect.6  Accordingly,  a 
council  was  called;  and  agreeably  to  its  decision,  Rev.  Mr. 
Edwards  was  dismissed  from  Woburn,  January  21,  1856.6 

Rev.  Jonathan  Edwards  was  son  of  Rev.  Justin  Edwards, 
D.  D.,  of  Andover,  and  Mrs.  Lydia  (Bigelow)  Edwards ;  was 
born  at  Andover,  July  17,  1820;  graduated  at  Yale  College, 
1840;  studied  theology  at  New  Haven  and  at  Andover;  was 
graduated  at  Andover  Theological  Seminary,  1847,  but  contin- 
ued there  a  year  longer  as  "  Abbott  Resident."  Upon  his  leav- 
ing Woburn,  he  took  charge  of  Plymouth  congregational  church 
in  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  as  its  first  pastor,  February  14,  1856; 
removed  from  Rochester  on  account  of  health,  November  1862, 
came  to  Dedham,  Mass.,  and  was  there  installed,  as  successor  to 
Rev.  Ebenezer  Burgess,  D.  D.,  January  1,  1863,  over  the  First 
Congregational  Church  in  that  ancient  town,  which  was  gathered 
in  1638.  Upon  February  26,  1865,  he  sailed  on  a  voyage  for 
health  ;  and  after  visiting  England,  Scotland,  France,  and  other 
countries  on  the  continent  of  Europe,  he  returned  to  his  charge 
in  Dedham,  August  1865.7 

During  his  ministry  in  Woburn,  fifty-nine  were  received  into 
his  church  by  profession,  and  ninety-nine  by  letter :  total,  one 
hundred  and  fifty-eight. 

There  were  seveflty-eight  baptisms  of  infants,  and  thirty-one 
of  adults :  total,  one  hundred  and  nine.8 

Marriages  solemized  by  him,  during  his  ministry,  were  fifty- 
two.8 

1856,  August  18,  the  church  voted  unanimously  to  extend  a 
call  to  Rev.  Daniel  March,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  to  become  their 
pastor.9  The  parish  concurred  with  the  church  in  this  choice, 
and  offered  Rev.  Mr.  March  a  salary  of  $1,600  annually,  in  case 
he  should  accept  the  call  given  him  to  become  their  gospel 
minister.  Mr.  March  accepted  the  call  given  him,  and  October 
1st  was  appointed  as  the  day  for  his  installation.  On  that  day,  a 

•  Church  Records,  Vol.  IH.,  pp.  229-231.       1  Letter  of  Rev.  Mr.  Edwards,  June  8, 186«. 

•  Church  Record*.  •  Church  Records,  Vol.  III.,  p.  235. 


472  HISTORY   OP   WOBUBN. 

council  of  fourteen  churches  assembled  in  the  vestry  of  the 
church,  and  after  the  usual  examination  and  inquiries  were  gone 
through  with  to  their  satisfaction,  the  council  voted  they  were 
ready  to  proceed  to  installation.  The  public  services  on  this 
occasion  were: 

1.  Introductory  Prayer  by  Rev.  DANIEL  R.  CADY,  West  Cam- 
bridge. 

2.  Reading  of  the  Scriptures,  by  Rev.  J.  I.  M.  MANNING,  of 
Mystic  Church,  Medford. 

3.  Sermon,  by  Rev.  A.  L.  STONE,  Park  Street  Church,  Boston. 

4.  Installing  Prayer,  by  Rev.  L.  Thompson,  West  Amcsbury. 

5.  Charge,  by  Rev.  J.  W.  CHICKERING,  D.  D.,  Portland. 

6.  Right  Hand,  by  Rev.  R.  T.  ROBINSON,  Winchester. 

7.  Address  to  the  people,  by  Rev.  E.  B.  FOSTER,  John  Street 
Church,  Lowell. 

8.  Concluding  Prayer,  by  Rev.  J.  L.  BENNETT,  East  Cambridge. 

Rev.  David  T.  KIMBALL,  (Ipswich,)  Moderator. 
Rev.  E.  P.  MARVIN,  Medford  2d  Church,  Scribe.10 

The  connection  of  the  First  Church  and  Society  in  Woburn 
with  Rev.  Mr.  March,  as  their  pastor  and  minister,  was  prosper- 
ous and  happy;  but  not  destined  to  be  of  long  duration.  1862, 
February  7,  the  church  met  to  consider  the  request  of  the  pastor, 
communicated  the  preceding  Sabbath,  to  accept  his  resignation 
of  the  pastoral  office.  Voted,  to  accept  his  resignation. 

Voted,  to  choose  a  committee  of  the  church  to  unite  with  a 
committee  of  the  parish,  and  with  the  pastor,  in  calling  an 
ecclesiastical  council  to  effect  his  dismission.11 

1857,  February  17,  a  council  at  the  joint  invitation  of  the 
First  Church,  society  and  pastor,  met  in  Woburn,  in  which  six 
churches  by  pastors  and  delegates  were  represented ;  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Barrows,  Moderator,  and  Rev.  R.  T.  Robinson,  Scribe. 

Papers  were  presented  to  the  council,  containing  Rev.  Mr. 
March's  letter  of  resignation,  a  certified  copy  of  the  action  of 
the  church,  and  the  record  of  the  doings  of  the  parish. 

w  Church  Records,  Vol.  III.,  pp.  236,  237.  "  Church  Records,  Vol.  III.,  p.  247. 


HISTORY    OF   WOBURN.  473 

Verbal  statements  also  were  made  by  Rev.  Mr.  March,  and 
by  the  respective  committees ;  after  which,  the  council  voted  to 
be  by  themselves,  and  came  to  the  following  result,  which  was 
unanimously  adopted. 

Result. 

"  The  Rev.  Mr.  March  having  resigned  his  office  of  Pastor  of  the 
First  Congregational  Church  and  Society  in  Woburn,  and  the 
Church  and  Society  having  voted  unanimously  to  accept  his  resig- 
nation, the  Council  convened  see  no  other  course  for  them  to  pursue, 
than  to  complete  the  dissolution  of  the  Pastoral  Relation  ;  and  the 
same  is  declared  to  be,  and  it  hereby  is  dissolved. 

"  In  coming  to  this  Result,  the  Council  cannot  but  regret,  while 
they  feel  and  would  bear  testimony  to  the  fact,  that  Rev.  Mr.  March 
has  acted  conscientiously  in  this  thing,  and  with  a  sincere  desire  to 
know  and  do  the  will  of  God,  that  a  pastoral  connection  so 
recently  and  happily  formed,  one  too  which  has  proved  so  harmo- 
nious and  productive  of  good,  should  be  broken  up.  They  deeply 
sympathize  with  the  Church  and  Society  in  their  severe  disappoint- 
ment in  the  loss  of  their  chosen  and  much  loved  Pastor :  and  ex- 
press the  hope,  that  blessed  of  God  as  they  have  been  in  thejr 
history  hitherto,  and  united  as  they  still  are,  —  having  always  shown 
a  high  appreciation  of  the  Pastoral  relation  and  office,  —  the  Great 
Head  of  the  Church  will  speedily  guide  them  to  the  selection  and 
settlement  of  another  Pastor,  under  whose  ministry  they  shall  con- 
tinue to  prosper  in  the  future,  as  in  the  past. 

•'  The  Council  also  would  give  expression  to  their  high  estimation 
of,  and  undiminished  confidence  in,  the  Rev.  Mr  March,  both  as  a 
sincere  and  devoted  Christain«man,  and  an  able  and  faithful  minis- 
ter of  the  Gospel.  It  is  their  united  and  fervent  prayer,  that  in 
whatever  station  he  may  be  placed,  he  may  still  show  himself  ap- 
proved unto  God,  a  workman  that  need  not  be  ashamed,  and  may 
ever  receive  largely  of  that  grace,  which  is  alone  sufficient  for  the 
great  and  responsible  work  committed  unto  his  hand. 

"  W.  BARROWS,  Moderator. 

"  Woburn,  Feb.  17,  1862.  R.  T.  ROBINSON,  Scribe."  12 

Rev.  Mr.  March  was  born  at  Millbury,  Mass.,  July  21,  1806; 
graduated  at  Yale  College,  1840;  studied  theology  at  the  sem- 

11  Church  Records,  Vol.  III.,  pp.  247-249. 
41* 


474  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

inary  in  Yale  College  two  years  (having  previously  studied  pri- 
vately) and  received  license  to  preach;  was  ordained  over  the 
church  in  Cheshire,  Conn.,  April  29,  1845;  installed  over  First 
Church  in  Nashua,  N.  H.,  January  3,  1849;  installed  over  the 
South  Congregational  Church  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  January  16, 
1855 ;  at  Woburn,  October  1, 1856 ;  and  over  the  Clinton  Street 
Presbyterian  Church  in  Philadelphia,  February  23,  1862.13 

During  Rev.  Mr.  March's  ministry  in  Woburn,  two  hundred 
and  fourteen  were  admitted  to  the  church,  viz :  one  hundred  and 
thirty-seven  by  profession,  and  seventy-seven  by  letter;  one 
hundred  and  twenty-four  were  baptized,  viz :  sixty -three  infants, 
and  sixty-one  adults,  and  forty-three  marriages  were  solemnized 
by  him. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  church,  October  6,  1862,  it  was  voted 
unanimously,  (seventy-five  votes  in  the  affirmative,  and  none  in 
the  negative,)  "  That  the  First  Congregational  Church  in  Wo- 
burn extend  an  invitation  to  Rev.  J.  C.  Bodwell  of  Framingham, 
Mass.,  to  become  its  Pastor."  In  this  measure  the  parish  con- 
curred ;  and  also  voted  to  give  Mr.  Bodwell  an  annual  salary  of 
$1,600,  (which  was  afterwards  increased  to  $2,000,)  if  he  should 
settle  over  them.  The  invitation  thus  given  him  was  accepted 
by  Rev.  Mr.  Bodwell;  and  a  council  of  ten  churches  (including 
Saxonville,  Rev.  B.  G.  Northrop)  convened  for  his  installation 
at  the  vestry  of  First  Church,  Woburn,  November  11,  1862; 
of  which  Rev.  E.  P.  Marvin  was  chosen  Moderator,  and  Rev. 
Charles  R.  Bliss,  Scribe.  ...„ 

The  council  listened  to  communications  stating  proceedings 
of  the  church  and  parish  in  extending  a  call  to  Rev.  J.  C.  Bod- 
well to  settle  over  them ;  to  the  letter  containing  their  call ;  to 
the  reply  of  Mr.  Bodwell,  in  evidence  of  his  church  member- 
ship ;  and  to  a  report  of  the  council,  dismissing  him  from  his 
former  charge :  all  which  being  satisfactory,  they  proceeded  to 
examination. 

After  attending  to  a  very  full  and  clear  written  statement  of 
the  theological  views  of  the  candidate,  —  a  statement  of  his  reli- 

»  Letter  from  Rev.  Mr.  March. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  475 

gious  experience,  and  motives  in  entering  the  ministry,  —  council 
being  by  themselves,  voted  they  were  satisfied,  and  ready  to  pro- 
ceed to  installation.  Services  on  this  occasion,  were  as  follows : 

Invocation,  Rev.  CHARLES  R.  BLISS. 

Reading  of  the  Scriptures,  Rev.  B.  G.  NORTHROP. 

Introductory  Prayer,  Rev.  J.  S.  KENNARD,  Baptist. 

Sermon,  Rev.  J.  G.  TUCKER,  Holliston. 

Prayer  of  Installation,  Rev.  DANIEL  R.  CADY. 

Charge,  Rev.  W.  BARROWS. 

Right  Hand,  Rev.  R.  T.  ROBINSON. 

Address  to  the  People,  Rev.  E.  P.  MARVIN. 

Benediction,  the  PASTOR. 

E.  P.  MARVIN,  Moderator. 
C.  R.  BLISS,  Scribe. 

Rev.  Mr.  Bodwell  commenced  his  ministry  in  Woburn  under 
very  favorable  auspices.  His  people  were  attentive  at  his  public 
services ;  a  very  large  majority  became  warmly  attached  to  him ; 
and  in  evidence  of  this  attachment,  they  not  only  paid  him  punc- 
tually his  stipulated  salary  from  year  to  year,  but  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  year  1866,  they  presented  him  with  $1,400  as  a  free 
gift. 

But  in  view  of  an  invitation  given  him  to  become  the  principal 
of  the  Theological  Institute  at  Hartford,  Conn.,  he  thought  pro- 
per to  request  a  dismission  from  his  pastoral  charge  in  Woburn. 
This  request  was  granted  by  his  church  and  people ;  and  his 
dismission  was  sanctioned  by  an  Ecclesiastical  Council  assem- 
bled in  Woburn,  August  3,  1866,  as  appears  by  the  annexed 
authentic  record  of  its  proceedings : 

Result  of  Council. 

"  Pursuant  to  letters  missive,  an  Ecclesiastical  Council  convened 
on  Frida}r,  August  3d,  1866,  in  the  lecture  room  of  the  First  Congre- 
gational Church  in  Woburn,  to  consider  and  act  upon  the  request 
of  their  pastor,  Rev.  Jos.  C.  Bodwell,  D.  D.,  for  a  dismission  from 
bis  pastoral  relation  to  them.  The  following  churches  were  repre- 
sented : 

"  North  Congregational  church,  Woburn  :  Rev.  M.  G.  WHEELER, 
pastor,  Dea  C.  R.  THOMPSON,  delegate. 


476  HISTORY   OF   WOBTTRN. 

"  1st  Trinitarian  Congregational  church,  Medford:  Rev.  JAMES 
T.  McCoLLUM,  pastor,  Dea.  HENRY  L.  BARNES,  delegate. 

"1st  Congregational  church,  Winchester;  Dea.  O.  R.  CLARK, 
delegate. 

"  Congregational  church,  Stoneham ;  Dea.  SILAS  DEAN,  delegate. 

"  1st  Congregational  church,  Middletown,  Ct.,  Rev.  J.  TAYLOR, 
D.  D.,  pastor. 

"  Old  South  church,  Reading ;  Rev.  WILLIAM  BARROWS,  pastor, 
D.  T.  H.  SWEETSER,  Dea.  H.  WHEELER,  delegates. 

"Congregational  church,  Billerica,  Rev.  J.  G.  D.  STEARNS, 
pastor. 

"Congregational  church,  West  Killingly,  Ct.,  Rev.  W.  W. 
DAVENPORT,  pastor.  . 

"  Rev.  E.  P.  MARVIN,  D.  D.,  of  Medford. 

"  The  Council  was  organized  by  the  choice  of  Rev.  William 
Barrows,  Moderator,  and  Rev.  W.  W.  Davenport,  Scribe. 

"  The  Moderator  opened  the  Council  with  prayer.  The  letter  of 
Rev.  Dr.  Bodwell,  asking  a  dismission  in  order  that  he  may  accept 
a  professorship  in  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Hartford,  Ct.  was 
read  to  the  Council,  together  with  the  action  of  the  church  and 
society  thereon,  uniting  with  him  in  calling  the  Council.  Remarks 
were  made  by  Dr.  Taylor,  Dr.  Marvin,  Mr.  Davenport,  Mr.  W.  A. 
Stone  of  the  committee  of  the  Church,  and  by  Dr.  Bodwell. 

"  The  Council  being  by  itself,  Dr.  Marvin  offered  the  following 
resolution :  '  Resolved,  That  in  the  opinion  of  this  Council,  it  is 
expedient  that  the  request  of  Dr.  Bodwell  for  a  dismission,  should  be 
granted,  in  order  that  he  may  accept  the  professorship  to  which  he 
has  been  elected  in  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Hartford  :  and  his 
pastoral  relation  to  the  First  Church  in  Woburn  is  hereby  dissolved, 
the  dissolution  to  take  effect  on  the  first  day  of  September  next.'  " 

The  Resolution  was  unanimously  adopted. 

The  scribe,  the  moderator,  and  Dr.  Marvin  were  appointed  a 
committee  to  prepare  a  result  of  council.  The  committee  reported 
the  following,  which  was  unanimously  adopted. 

"  The  Council  have  come  to  this  result  with  much  sorrow,  both 
on  account  of  the  great  personal  loss  which  we  feel  in  the  removal 
of  so  able  a  preacher,  so  cultivated  and  genial  a  man,  and  so  true  a 
Christian  friend  ;  and  also  on  account  of  the  heavy  sacrifice  which 
this  church  and  people  are  called  to  make.  The  deep  affection 
cherished  by  the  society  for  their  minister  ;  his  superior  abilities  as 
a  preacher  and  pastor ;  the  marked  success  which  has  crowned  his 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  477 

labors  in  this  broad  and  difficult  field ;  the  steady  accessions  by 
profession  to  the  church ;  the  removal  of  a  burdensome  debt  of 
$40,000  from  the  society  ;  the  constant  growth  of  the  congregation  ; 
the  unusual  influence  of  the  pastor  upon  the  schools  of  the  town, 
and  upon  the  community  in  general,  all  convince  us  that  it  is  no 
ordinary  loss  which  this  church  and  society  must  now  sustain. 

"  Nevertheless,  the  call  which  comes  from  another  field  of  the 
highest  importance  to  the  cause  of  Christ,  as  presented  so  forcibly 
to  this  Council,  constrains  us,  as  it  has  the  church  and  parish,  to 
feel  that  it  is  the  clear  and  imperative  voice  of  the  Head  of  the 
church,  which  calls  Dr.  Bodwell  away  from  his  successful  labors 
here.  The  peculiar  interest  which  he  has  excited  in  the  young  men 
of  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Hartford,  and  the  unanimity  and 
earnestness  of  the  call  from  the  Board  of  Trustees  and  the  generous 
benefactors  of  the  institution,  are  unmistakable  indications  that 
God  has,  in  his  providence,  even  a  more  important  field  for  him  to 
occupy. 

"  The  Council  also  desire  to  express  their  unqualified  confidence 
in  Rev.  Dr.  Bodwell,  as  an  able  and  faithful  minister  of  the  Gospel, 
sound  in  the  faith,  apt  to  teach,  and  wise  to  win  souls.  They 
tender  to  him  their  sympathy  in  this  rupturing  of  the  ties  of  affec- 
tion that  bind  him  to  his  people. 

"  They  also  tender  to  the  church  and  society  their  sincere  and 
affectionate  sympathy  in  the  trial  to  which  they  are  subjected  in 
the  providence  of  God,  which  takes  from  them  a  pastor  to  whom 
they  cling  with  the  warmest  attachment  and  unwavering  confidence  ; 
and  our  trust  is,  that  the  Great  Head  of  the  church  will  care  for 
them  in  their  bereavement,  and  will  soon  send  them  a  faithful  and 
acceptable  pastor,  to  feed  them  with  knowledge  and  understanding. 
We  trust  that  they  may  be  comforted  by  the  consideration,  that  he 
whom  they  surrender  at  the  Master's  call,  is  to  be  useful  to  them 
and  to  many  other  churches,  in  the  new  form  of  service  in  which 
he  is  now  to  be  engaged. 

"  The  minutes  were  read  and  approved  ;  and,  after  prayer  by  the 
Moderator,  the  Council  was  dissolved. 

"  Attest.     W.  Barrows,  Moderator. 

"  William  W.  Davenport,  Scribe."  14 

"  Rev.  Joseph  Connor  Bodwell,  D.  D.,  was  born  at  Sanbornton, 
N.  H.,  June  11,  1812,  a  son  of  Rev.  Abraham  Bodwell,  a  gradu- 

J»  Church  Records ;  Minutes  of  Council. 


478  HISTORY  OP   WOBURN. 

ate  of  Harvard  College,  1805,  and  pastor  of  the  Congregational 
church  in  Sanbornton,  from  1806  to  1852. 

"  Joseph  C.  Bodwell,  his  son,  was  fitted  for  college,  at  the 
academy  in  his  native  place ;  was  graduated  at  Dartmouth  Col- 
lege, 1833;  was  a  teacher  of  youth  three  years  in  Haverhill, 
N.  H.,  and  in  Sanbornton.  In  1836,  he  went  to  London,  and 
pursued  his  theological  studies  at  Highbury  College,  under  the 
venerable  Dr.  Henderson.  On  the  3d  of  April,  1839,  Mr.  Bod- 
well  was  ordained  as  pastor  of  the  Independent  Church,  wor- 
shipping in  St.  Nicholas  Street,  Weymouth,  a  beautiful  watering 
place  in  the  South  of  England,  and  a  favorite  resort  of  King 
George  IH.  and  the  lamented  princess  Charlotte.  On  the  15th 
of  May,  1839,  he  was  married  to  Catharine,  only  daughter  of 
John  Sykes,  Esq.,  of  Highbury  Park,  London.  On  the  22d  of 
June,  1847,  he  was  installed  pastor  of  the  Independent  Church 
in  Northgate  Street,  Bury  St.  Edmund's,  famous  in  former  ages 
for  its  magnificent  Norman  tower,  and  for  its  large  and  wealthy 
abbey.  In  the  autumn  of  1850,  Mr.  Bodwell  returned  to  the 
United  States  with  his  wife,  two  sons  and  two  daughters,  having 
buried  a  son  and  a  daughter  in  England.  On  the  30th  of  June, 
1852,  he  was  installed  at  Framingham;  whence  he  was  dismissed 
November  5,  1862,  that  he  might  accept  a  call  to  the  pastoral 
office  in  Woburn.  In  1864,  the  degree  of  Doctor  in  Divinity 
was  conferred  on  him  by  Dartmouth  College." 15 

During  the  ministry  of  Rev.  Dr.  Bodwell  in  Woburn,  there 
were  one  hundred  and  three  admissions  to  the .  church,  viz :  fifty- 
five  by  profession,  and  forty-eight  by  letter;  sixty-three  bap- 
tisms, viz  :  thirty-six  of  infants,  and  twenty-seven  of  adults,16  and 
forty-two  couples  were  united  by  him  in  marriage. 

During  the  same  period,  too,  there  was  erected,  and  in  October 
1863  dedicated  by  his  society,  a  new  church,  an  elegant  and 
stately  edifice,  said  to  be  one  of  the  largest,  if  not  the  largest 
Congregational  church  in  the  State,  being,  in  its  extreme  length; 
one  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  its  extreme  width,  eighty  feet,  its 
steeple  one  hundred  and  ninety-six  feet  in  height,  and  capable 

w  Letter  from  Rev.  Dr.  Bodwell.  "  Certificate  of  Dr.  Ephraim  Cutter,  clerk. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  479 

of  seating  fifteen  hundred  persons.  The  cost  of  the  organ  was 
$4,000,  the  cost  of  the  building,  in  round  numbers,  was  $62,000 ; 
all  which  has  now  been  paid  for.17 

This  ancient  church,  left  destitute  of  a  pastor  by  the  dismis- 
sion of  Dr.  Bodwell,  contains  now  (October  1,  1866)  five  hun- 
dred and  thirty-four  members,  viz :  one  hundred  and  eighty-one 
males,  and  three  hundred  and  fifty-three  females.17 

CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH  m  NORTH  WOBURN. 
Previously  to  1846,  the  inhabitants  of  North  Woburn  had 
been  attached  to  one  or  other  of  the  religious  societies  in  the 
centre  of  the  town,  and  there  resorted  on  the  Sabbath  for  public 
worship.  But  that  year,  a  number  of  gentlemen,  inhabitants  of 
that  village,  formed  the  plan  of  setting  up  a  meeting  on  the  Sab- 
bath among  themselves ;  by  which  they  would  not  only  procure 
to  themselves  and  families  the  privileges  of  public  worship 
nearer  home,  but  might  also  encourage  such  of  their  neighbors 
to  attend,  as  had  become  negligent  of  the  duty,  on  account  of 
their  distance  from  the  centre.  In  pursuance  of  this  plan,  they, 
in  September  of  that  year,  fitted  up  the  chamber  of  the  village 
school-house,  as  a  place  of  assembly  on  the  Sabbath  for  public 
worship  j  and  then  invited  Rev.  Samuel  Sewall  of  Burlington,  at 
that  time  without  pastoral  charge,  to  preach  on  Sabbath  days  in 
the  room  they  had  provided,  for  a  year.  Mr.  Sewall  accepted 
the  invitation ;  and  preached  for  the  first  time  in  North  Woburn 
school-house,  October  11,  1846.  The  experiment  proved  a  suc- 
cessful one,  and  very  gratifying  to  those  who  initiated  it.  Meet- 
ings on  Lord's  days  were  well  attended;  one  or  two  miles' 
travel  was  saved  each  day  to  those  who  had  hitherto  been  ac- 
customed to  worship  in  the  centre ;  and  many  were  induced  to 
attend  with  them  divine  service,  who  from  one  cause  or  another 
had  become  careless  or  indifferent  about  attending  elsewhere. 
Hence,  Mr.  Sewall's  first  engagement  with  them  was  prolonged 
from  year  to  year.  In  March  1849,  a  regular  religious  society, 
upon  evangelical  principles,  was  formed  in  the  village.  In 

i'  Communication  of  Dr.  Ephraim  Cutter,  clerk. 


480  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

June  1849,  the  foundations  were  laid  for  a  new  meeting-bouse, 
which  was  completed  and  dedicated,  October  1 1th,  of  that  year. 
On  November  22d,  of  the  same  year,  an  orthodox  church  was 
gathered  in  the  place,  consisting  of  twelve  males  and  twenty- 
eight  females,  of  whom  thirty-three  had  been  dismissed  and 
recommended  by  First  Church,  Woburn,  and  seven  by  several 
other  churches.  This  solemn  transaction  was  performed  in  the 
presence  and  with  the  advice  and  sanction  of  the  following 
churches  by  their  pastors  and  delegates,  viz :  First  Church, 
Woburn,  Eev.  Jonathan  Edwards,  pastor,  and  Deacon  Stephen 
Richardson,  delegate;  Wilmington,  Rev.  Barnabas  M.  Fay,  pas- 
tor, and  Deacon  Benjamin  Foster,  delegate ;  Burlington,  Rev. 
Harrison  G.  Park,  pastor,  and  Deacon  John  Marion,  delegate ; 
and  South  Woburn  (Winchester)  Church,  Mr.  Sumner  Richard- 
son, delegate.  The  public  services  of  the  occasion  were  held 
in  the  meeting-house,  P.  M.,  when  Rev.  Mr.  Fay  offered  the  intro- 
ductory prayer;  Rev.  Mr.  Park  propounded  the  articles  of 
faith  and  church  covenant  agreed  upon,  to  the  persons  to  be 
embodied,  for  their  public  assent;  and  then  offered  the  conse- 
crating prayer ;  and  finally,  Rev.  Mr.  Edwards,  in  the  name  of 
his  own  church,  and  of  the  other  churches  here  represented, 
gave  the  right  hand  of  fellowship  to  Deacon  Thompson  on 
behalf  of  the  church  gathered  and  now  solemnly  recognized. 
A  handsome  set  of  communion  and  other  church  furniture,  con- 
sisting of  five  plated  cups,  two  tankards  and  a  baptismal  basin, 
was  now  presented  this  new  church  by  Rev.  Mr.  Edwards,  on 
behalf  of  individual  members  of  his  own  church  and  society,  in 
an  address  to  Rev.  Mr.  Sewall ;  to  which,  at  the  request  of  the 
church,  he  made  a  brief  response,  expressing  thanks  in  their 
name.  Here,  also,  the  church  voted  unanimously,  that  as  the 
society  in  this  place  had  given  Rev.  Mr.  Sewall  an  invitation*  to 
preach  to  them  another  year,  they  approved  that  choice,  and 
requested  him  to  officiate  at  the  communion,  and  to  perform  all 
other  pastoral  acts  that  might  be  called  for  during  that  time. 
The  exercises  of  the  solemnity  were  closed  with  the  administra- 
tion of  the  communion  to  the  newly  organized  church,  and  to  all 
other  professing  Christians  assembled  on  the  interesting  occa- 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  481 

sion,  by  Rev.  Mr.  Sewall,  assisted  by  Rev.  Mr.  Fay ;  Deacons 
Charles  Thompson  and  Richardson,  Foster  and  Marion,  distri- 
buting the  elements. 

Rev.  Mr.  Sewall  continued  to  minister  to  the  society  in  North 
Woburn,  as  their  stated  supply,  and  as  the  acting  pastor  of  the 
church,  till  January  1852;  when,  in  view  of  his  advanced  age, 
and  of  the  distance  between  the  village  and  his  home,  he  an- 
nounced his  intentions  of  declining  any  further  engagement  to 
preach  there,  when  his  present  engagement  expired. 

In  June  1852,  Rev.  George  T.  Dole,  who  had  previously  been 
settled  as  a  minister  in  Beverly,  but  was  then  residing  in  Lowell, 
commenced  preaching  as  a  candidate  for  settlement  in  North 
Woburn.  In  August  following,  a  call  was  given  Mm  to  the  pas- 
toral office  and  to  the  gospel  ministry  in  this  place.  This  call 
was  accepted,  and  he  was  installed  October  1 2th.  The  churches 
convened  in  council  on  the  occasion  were,  church  in  North  Dan- 
vers,  Rev.  Milton  P.  Braman ;  First  Church,  Charlestown,  Rev. 
William  I.  Budington  j  South  Reading,  Rev.  Messrs.  Reuben  and 
Alfred  Emerson ;  Lowell,  Rev.  Amos  Blanchard,  D.  D. ;  Reading, 
South  Parish,  Rev.  Lyman  Whiting ;  Wilmington,  Rev.  Joseph  E. 
Swallow ;  Woburn,  First  Church,  Rev.  Jonathan  Edwards ;  Bur- 
lington, Rev.  Samuel  Sewall,  delegate.  Also  Rev.  Leander  Thomp- 
son, returned  missionary  from  the  East ;  and  Rev.  Mr.  Thompson, 
of  Dracut,  were  present.  The  public  services  of  the  solemnity 
were,  (1)  Invocation  and  reading  of  the  scriptures,  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Edwards;  (2)  Prayer,  by  Rev.  L.  Thompson;  (3)  Sermon,  by 
Rev.  Mr.  Braman,  from  1.  Cor.  xii.  4.  "Now  there  are  diversi- 
ties of  gifts,  but  the  same  Spirit :  "  a  very  ingenious  discourse  ; 
full  of  instruction,  and  well  adapted  to  the  occasion,  and  to  the 
times.  (4)  Installing  prayer,  by  Rev.  Mr.  Sewall;  (5)  Right 
Hand  of  Fellowship,  by  Rev.  A.  Emerson;  (6)  Charge,  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Budington;  (7)  Address  to  the  people,  by  Rev.  Dr.  Blan- 
chard; (8)  Concluding  prayer,  by  Rev.  Mr.  Whiting. 

After  laboring  in  the  ministry  with  this  church  and  people 
three  years,  Rev.  Mr.  Dole  was  dismissed  at  his  own  request, 
with  the  sanction  of  a  council,  October  3,  1855.  During  the 

42 


482  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

two  years  which  immediately  followed  his  dismission,  the  pulpit 
was  supplied  part  of  the  time  with  preaching  by  students  from 
the  Theological  Seminary  at  Aridover,  and  part  of  the  time  the 
house  was  closed. 

In  October  1857,  Mr.  Alpheus  S.  Nickerson,  a  student  of 
Andover  Theological  Seminary,  was  engaged  to  supply  the  pul- 
pit a  year ;  and  in  December  following,  the  church  offered  by 
vote  to  invite  a  council  to  ordain  him,  though  without  a  legal  set- 
tlemeid.  This  offer  was  accepted  by  Mr.  Nickerson :  and  a  coun- 
cil was  accordingly  convened,  December  16th,  for  this  purpose, 
consisting  of  the  following  churches,  viz :  First  Church  in  Wo- 
burn,  Rev.  Daniel  March;  Winchester,  Rev.  R.  T.  Robinson; 
Mystic  church  in  Medford,  Rev.  E.  Marvin;  Melrose,  Rer.  A.  H. 
Sessions;  West  Cambridge,  Rev.  D.  Cady;  Wilmington,  Rev.  S. 
H.  Tolman;  South  Reading,  Rev.  J.  B.  Johnson;  Burlington, 
Rev.  S.  Sewall,  delegate. 

This  council,  however,  after  a  long  and  patient  examination, 
decided  not  to  ordain  Mr.  Nickerson  immediately ;  but  to  give 
him  opportunity,  after  an  interval  of  eight  weeks,  to  come  before 
them  once  more,  and  be  examined  anew.  But  this  decision  did 
not  satisfy  the  church,  which  called  another  council,  to  meet  Feb- 
ruary 2,  1858,  composed  of  the  following  churches,  viz:  Tewks- 
bury,  Rev.  R.  Tolman ;  Pine  Street,  Boston,  Rev.  H.  M.  Dexter ; 
Plymouth  church,  Chelsea,  Rev.  E.  H.  Nevins ;  South  Reading, 

Rev.  J.  B.  Johnson ;  Chestnut  Street,  Chelsea,  ;  Park 

Street,  Boston,  Rev.  A.  L.  Stone;  Dighton,  Rev.  C.  Sanford; 
First,  Woburn,  Rev.  Daniel  March;  Winchester,  Rev.  R.  T. 
Robinson ;  Wilmington,  Rev.  S.  H.  Tolman ;  Bedford,  Rev.  H. 
Patrick ;  South  Dennis,  Rev.  W.  H.  Sturtevant ;  East  Bridge- 
water,  .  This  second  council,  "  after  a  careful  and  pro- 
tracted consideration  of  the  whole  subject,  decided  to  ordain  Mr. 
Nickerson;"  which  accordingly  they  did  the  same  day. 

In  the  month  of  April  following,  "  Mr.  Nickerson  being  with- 
out a  legal  settlement,  left  the  society  of  his  own  choice."  For 
several  months  afterwards,  the  meeting-house  was  not  opened  for 
regular  worship,  though  the  Sabbath  school  organization  was 
kept  up,  and  regular  sessions  maintained.  From  October  1858, 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  483 

till  May  1860,  with  the  exception  of  short  intervals,  the  pulpit 
was  supplied  by  students  from  the  seminary  in  Andover.  In 
May  1860,  Rev.  Henry  Kimball,  of  New  York  city,  was  engaged 
to  preach  for  one  year.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Swift 
Byington,  whose  services  were  so  acceptable,  that  at  the  expira- 
tion of  his  engagement  for  a  year,  the  arrangement  was  con- 
tinued almost  another  year;  that. is,  "as  long  as  the  society 
furnished  the  means  to  pay  his  salary." 

"  After  Mr  Byington  left,  the  house  was  closed  for  several 
months,  but  was  re-opened  in  the  fall  of  1863,  and  the  pulpit 
was  supplied  for  more  than  a  year  by  Rev.  Mr.  Harding,  agent 
of  the  Plymouth  Monument  Association." 

In  July  1865,  an  invitation  was  extended  to  Rev.  Melancthon 
G.  Wheeler  to  become  the  stated  pastor  of  the  church  and 
society.  This  invitation  was  accepted,  and  he  was  accordingly 
installed  July  26,  1865,  by  a  council  then  convened,  consisting 
of  pastors  and  delegates  from  the  following  churches : 

First  Church  Woburn,  Rev.  J.  C.  Bodwell,  pastor;  Deacon 
Stephen  Richardson,  delegate. 

Church  in  Stoneham,  Deacon  J.  Dunlap,  delegate. 

Bethesda  Church,  Reading,  Rev.  W.  H.  Wilcox,  pastor; 
Deacon  S.  E.  Park,  delegate. 

Church  in  West  Amesbury,  Rev.  Leander  Thompson,  pastor ; 
Bro.  Andrew  Frye,  delegate. 

Church  in  Winchester,  Rev.  R.  T.  Robinson,  pastor ;  Deacon 
S.  Abbott,  delegate. 

South  Church,  Reading,  Rev.  William  Barrows,  pastor ;  Bro. 
Nathan  Bancroft,  delegate. 

Church  in  Wilmington,  Deacon  C.  Morrill,  delegate. 

Church  in  Burlington,  Deacon  John  Marion,  delegate. 

Church  in  South  Reading,  Rev.  Charles  R.  Bliss,  pastor ;  Bro. 
J.  G.  Aborn,  delegate. 

Rev.  Mr.  Wheeler  still  (November  20, 1866)  continues  pastor 
of  the  church  in  North  Woburn,  where  his  services  are  highly 
acceptable  to  the  church  and  society.  He  was  born  in  Charlotte, 
Vermont ;  graduated  at  Union  College,  Schenectady,  N.  Y.,  and 
at  Andover  Theological  Seminary;  settled  at  Abington  Centre, 


484  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

Conway,  Williamsburgh,  and  South  Dartmouth,  previously  to  his 
installation  at  North  Woburn. 

The  number  of  members  in  the  North  Woburn  church,  July 
12,  1866,  was  fifty-nine.18 

BAPTIST  CHURCH  AND  SOCIETY. 

Notice  was  taken,  it  will  "be  remembered,  in  Chapter  V.,  of 
this  history,  of  certain  citizens  of  Woburn,  some  of  them  men  of 
distinction  in  the  town,  who  withdrew  from  the  worship  of  the 
congregational  society,  embraced  and  practised  the  peculiarities 
of  the  Baptist  denomination,  and  were  prosecuted  therefor,  in 
1671,  before  the  civil  courts.  But  their  meetings  for  distinctive 
worship  soon  ceased.  Most  of  them  rejoined  their  congrega- 
tional brethren ;  some  of  them  became  officers  in  the  old  Con- 
gregational Church  and  Society  in  Woburn;  and  in  the  next 
generation,  all  visible  tokens  of  their  former  separation  ceased 
to  exist. 

The  present  highly  respectable  Baptist  Church  in  Woburn 
originated  in  the  disaffection  towards  Rev.  Mr.  Sargeant,  which 
sprang  up  in  his  society  soon  after  his  ordination  in  1785. 
Before  the  close  of  the  year,  1786,  several  members  of  the  Con- 
gregational Parish,  dissatisfied  with  Mr.  Sargeant's  preaching, 
had  begun  to  frequent  the  meetings  of  the  Baptists  in  West 
Cambridge,  (then  the  northwest  parish  in  Cambridge,)  where  a 
small  Baptist  Church  had  been  organized  in  1781,  and  was  then 
under  the  pastoral  care  of  Rev.  Thomas  Green.  In  1790,  the 
number  of  those  who  had  thus  withdrawn  from  Mr.  Sargeant's 
society  amounted  to  twenty-two;19  and  as  the  assessors  of 
Woburn  still  persisted  in  taxing  them  for  the  support  of  the 
congregational  worship,  Rev.  Mr.  Green  commenced  a  lawsuit, 
in  1790,  for  the  recovery  of  their  parish  taxes.  In  this  suit,  he 
was  successful :  and  thenceforth,  the  assessors  of  Woburn  were 
directed,  October  17,  1791,  "to  omit  taxing  those  persons 

18  The  above  account  of  North  Woburn  Church  has  been  derived  partly  from  minutes  of 
my  own,  taken  at  the  time,  and  partly  from  statements  of  Dea.  Josiah  Linscott,  kindly  fur- 
Dished  me  from  his  own  recollection,  and  from  the  Records  of  the  Church. 

19  Report  of  Committee  of  First  Parish,  at  adjourned  meeting,  January  28, 1790. 


HISTORY   OF    WOBURN.  485 

reputed  to  belong  to  Mr.  Thomas  Green's  society,  whose  names 
were  returned  to  the  parish  committee,  except  Benj.  Fowle, 
Ephraim  Tottingham,  and  such  others,  as  the  assessors  think 
best  to  tax  or  not,  according  to  their  own  discretion."  ^ 

In  the  mean  while,  several  who  had  withdrawn  from  the  public 
worship  in  Woburn  to  attend  meeting  in  West  Cambridge,  had 
joined  the  Baptist  Church  in  that  place ;  and  at  their  request, 
an  arrangement  was  made  in  1790,  with  Rev.  Mr.  Green,  its 
pastor,  to  preach  once  a  month  in  Woburn.  Not  long  after,  it 
was  agreed  that  he  should  preach  half  the  time  in  Woburn ;  the 
name  of  the  church  was  altered  from  "  the  Baptist  Church  in 
Cambridge  "  to  the  "Cambridge  and  Woburn  Baptist  Church."21 
And  so  much  more  rapidly  did  the  branch  of  this  church  in  Wo- 
burn gain  in  numbers  and  strength,  than  the  mother  church  in 
Cambridge,  that  "  Cambridge"  was,  in  a  few  years,  dropped  from 
its  title,  and  it  was  thenceforth  styled  and  known,  as  the  "  Wo- 
burn Baptist  Church."21 

The  first  meetings  of  this  church  in  Woburn  were  held  in  a 
house  belonging  to  Capt.  John  Edgell.  This  was  a  large  unfin- 
ished building  erected  on  the  spot,  where  a  new  house  of  Mr. 
Henry  Flagg  now  stands.  "  The  whole  of  the  second  floor  was 
in  one  unfinished  room,  (with  a  great  chimney  stack  running  up 
in  the  middle,)  and  furnished  with  plain  benches.  It  was  acce* 
sible  by  a  narrow  stairway  in  the  rear  of  the  house ;  and  would 
seat  perhaps  a  hundred  people.  To  this  spot,  the  fathers  and 
mothers  of  this  church  resorted  each  Sabbath  day,"  when  they 
held  meeting  in  Woburn ;  "  and  climbing  those  stairs,  filled  the 
rude  benches  with  perhaps  threescore  lowly  worshippers."21 

In  1793,  much  to  the  regret  of  his  people,  Rev.  Thomas  Green 
removed  his  residence  to  another  place.  He  was  succeeded  by 
Elder  Simon  Snow,  who  remained  but  about  a  year.  In  the 
early  part  of  1 794,  Elder  Peak  was  called  to  preach  half  the 
time  in  Woburn  and  in  Newtown,  N.  H.,  alternately.  He  is 
described  as  "  a  tall,  slim  man,  dignified  in  appearance,  and  of 
considerable  intellectual  power.  His  influence  was  felt  at  once 


20  Record  of  First  Parish.    The  reason  of  the  distinction  here  made  is  unknown. 
«  First  sermon  of  Rev.  Mr.  Kennard. 
42* 


486 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 


upon  the  church ;  the  congregation  grew,  till  the  room  where 
they  met  seemed  too  small  to  accommodate  them ;  and  the  church 
resolved  to  arise  and  build  a  house  unto  the  Lord.  This  was 
in  the  spring  of  1794.  This  was  a  brave  resolution,  for  so  feeble 
a  band.  Yet  the  favor  of  God  was  manifested,  as  it  always  is, 
when  his  people  attempt  great  things  for  him.  No  sooner  had 
the  building  been  begun,  than  the  Spirit  of  God  was  poured  out 
upon  the  church,  through  the  labors  of  Elder  Peak ;  and  while 
the  temple  of  wood  was  being  erected,  the  Holy  Ghost  was 
building  up  the  spiritual  temple  of  lively  stones.  The  work  of 
revival  embraced  both  the  Woburn  church,  and  that  in  South 
Reading  j  the  church  in  Woburn  was  greatly  refreshed ;  and  as 
a  result,  thirty-five  persons  were  baptized  and  added  amidst  much 
rejoicing."21 

The  meeting-house,  which  the  Baptist  Society  commenced 
building  in  the  spring  of  1794,  was  ready  for  occupation  in 
July  of  that  year.22  It  was  erected  on  the  spot  very  near  the 
dwelling-house  of  the  late  Col.  William  Winn ;  "  The  frame  of 
it  is  still  standing,  though  very  much  altered  in  appearance,  at 
the  corner  of  Main  and  Church  streets,  and  has  been  for  many 
years  used  as  a  manufacturing  establishment.  When  the,  church 
first  met  there,  it  was  a  plain  frame  building  without  finish  or 
•nament.  It  was  about  forty  feet  square,  and  consisted  of  one 
floor  only,  (the. walls  and  ceiling  being  left  for  several  years 
much  in  the  style  of  a  barn,)  furnished  with  rude  benches."  But 
uninviting  as  the  appearance  was  which  it  presented,  both  within 
and  without,  yet  here  Elder  Peak,  Drs.  Baldwin,  Stillman  and 
others,  in  visiting  the  weak  churches,  would  stop  and  preach." 

Meetings  of  the  church  still  continued  to  be  held  in  West  Cam- 
bridge and  Woburn,  alternately,  till  1797 ;  but  very  soon  after, 
the  church  voted  to  hold  the  services  altogether  in  Woburn,  it 
being  most  convenient  for  a  majority  of  the  members.23 

After  worshipping  in  the  house  just  described  some  five  or  six 
years,  the  brethren  resolved  to  improve  it :  "  which  they  did  by 
ceiling  and  plastering  it,  and  putting  in  pews,  which  were  square 

»  "  1794.  July  20.  Baptists  met  at  new  meeting  house  first  time."  —  Diary  of  Samuel 
Thompson,  Esq.  M  Rev.  Mr.  Kennard's  first  sermon. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  487 

and  panelled,  with  the  seats  made  to  turn  up  in  prayer  time ; 
there  were  two  blocks  of  these,  making  in  all  thirty-five  pews,  and 
an  aisle  running  up  the  middle,  and  another  round  the  walls. 
They  also  put  up  a  gallery,  which  was  reached  from  a  porch  in  the 
west  end,  where  also  was  the  main  entrance.  The  pulpit  was 
very  high,  with  a  sounding-board  over  it,  as  was  the  fashion  in 
those  days ;  and  was  reached  by  two  short  flights  of  stairs.  In 
front  of  the  pulpit  was  the  Deacon's  Seat,  where  these  elders  in 
the  church  sat  facing  the  congregation,  and  apparently  support- 
ing the  minister,  and  overlooking  the  flock."23 

The  church  continued  to  worship  in  this  meeting-house  "  from 
1 795  till  1 825  [1 794  till  1 828  ?]  or  about  thirty  years."  During 
this  period,  they  were  served  in  the  pastoral  office  by  Elder 
Peak,  who  left  in  the  latter  part  of  1795.24 

"  He  was  followed  by  Rev.  Elias  Smith ;  '  a  man  of  singular 
traits  of  character.'  He  remained  two  years,  and  then  withdrew 
from  the  church  and  the  denomination,  to  enter  upon  a  some- 
what erratic  course,  so  far  as  theological  opinions  and  church 
relations  are  concerned."24 

Rev.  Mr.  Smith  was  followed  by  Elder  E^  Nelson,  who  was 
pastor  from  1802  till  1804;  and  was  succeeded  by  Elder  Isaiah 
Stone,  and  h.e  in  1809  by  Elder  S.  Wydown. 

"  In  the  year  1 804,  the  Rev.  Thomas  Paul,  a  colored  preacher? 
visited  the  church,  and  supplied  it  for  a  number  of  months.  He 
was  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  genius  and  originality  of 
mind,  independence  of  spirit,  joined  to  deep  humility  before 
God.  His  preaching  was  attended  by  the  demonstration  of  the 
Spirit  and  with  power.  A  precious  revival  appeared  in  the 
church ;  and  as  a  result,  thirty-nine  souls  were  brought  to 
Christ,  and  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  the  church." 

"In  1811,  Rev.  Thomas  Waterman  took  the  pastoral  charge. 
He  was  a  man  small  of  stature,  like  Paul,  but  with  a  manly 
intellect.  He  had  been  educated  in  an  English  College,  and 
was  eminent  among  a  race  of  ministers,  who  had  most  of  them 
but  very  limited  literary  culture,  for  the  extent  of  his  attain- 


»  Rev.  Mr.  Kennard's  first  Bcrmon. 
**  Rev.  Mr.  Kennard's  second  sermon. 


488  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

merits In  addition  to  his  pastoral  work,  he  ....  kept 

a  school  of  a  superior  character,  and  was  much  respected  in  the 
community,  as  a  gentleman  of  refinement,  and  an  able  Christian 
minister.  He  died  suddenly,  probably  in  a  fit  of  apoplexy,  after 
having  served  the  church  to  great  acceptance  about  three  years. 
His  remains  lie  in  our  cemetery,  where  a  neat  shaft,  erected 
through  the  exertions  of  a  prominent  member  of  this  society, 
still  living,  commemorates  in  modest  terms  his  virtues.  His 
companion,  who  long  outlived  him,  and  who  is  well  remembered 
for  her  womanly  and  Christian  character,  has  lately  been  laid 
by  his  sleeping  dust. 

"In  1817,  Rev.  Herbert  Marshall  was  ordained  pastor.  He 
was  a  man  of  respectable,  not  of  shining  abilities  as  a  preacher ; 
but  distinguished  for  his  simple-hearted  faith,  his  fervor  and 
industry  in  his  work,  and  especially  by  his  power  in  prayer.  In 
answer  to  his  fervent  prayers,  the  Spirit  descended  with  wonder- 
ful power  upon  the  church  and  congregation,  and  a  remarka- 
bly deep  and  permanent  work  of  grace  was  wrought  in  the 
church.  It  seemed  to  reach  every  member,  and  is  still  remem- 
bered and  often  referred  to,  as  the  great  revival  of  1817. 
Seventy  persons  were  baptized  in  one  year ;  and  among  them 
some  of  the  most  valuable  members  the  church  has  ever  had." 

"Rev.  George  Phippen  became  pastor  in  1818 ;  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Rev.  Adoniram  Judson,  father  of  the  Missionary,  a 
venerable  and  highly  esteemed  servant  of  God:  who  was  fol- 
lowed, 1823,  by  Rev.  James  N.  Seaman.  During  these  pastor- 
ates, the  church  seemed  under  a  cloud,  and  experienced  some 
trials.  Very  few  were  added  to  the  church ;  and  the  member- 
ship on  the  whole  diminished. 

"With  the  settlement  of  Rev.  Samuel  Malory,  in  1826,  the 
cloud  seemed  to  break,  and  the  sunshine  of  prosperity  cheered 
the  church.  An  extensive  revival  of  religion  was  sent  from  on 
high,  and  seventy  were  received  into  the  church  by  baptism,  of 
whom  the  same  may  be  said  as  of  those  received  during  the 
revival  of  1817.  In  the  increase  of  the  church  (which  now 
numbered  over  two  hundred)  and  of  the  congregation,  the 
meeting-house  began  to  be  too  small  for  them :  and  they  must 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  489 

either  enlarge,  or  build  a  new  house.  From  an  account  of  the 
movement  contained  in  the  '  Old  Book  of  the  Treasurer's  Ac- 
counts,' we  learn,  that  Mrs.  Rebecca  Tottingham,  who  owned 
the  land  adjacent  to  that  on  which  the  church  stood,  and  which 
it  was  necessary  to  purchase,  if  the  house  was  enlarged,  was 
asked  by  a  committee  to  sell  it  to  the  church  for  that  purpose : 
but  that  she,  after  due  deliberation,  (as  the  old  Record  goes) 
gave  a  lot  of  land  sufficient  to  enlarge  the  house,  build  sheds, 
and  a  parsonage  house,  for  the  love,  affection  and  esteem  she  had 
for  the  Baptist  Church  and  Society  in  this  place.  Let  it  be 
spoken  of  for  a  memorial  of  her. 

"  Upon  subsequent  consideration  however,  it  was  thought  best 
to  procure  a  lot  in  the  centre  of  the  town,  and  build  a  new 
house."  ....  Accordingly,  "  a  lot  was  procured ;  and  upon 
it  was  a  bakery,  which  was  removed  to  make  way  for  a  place 
where  the  Bread  of  Life  might  be  held  forth  for  the  hungry. 
It  was  begun  in  May  1827;  was  planned  and  superintended 
by  Brother  Samuel  Abbot,  and  finished  and  dedicated  in  the 
spring  of  1828.  The  original  dimensions  were  fifty-eight  by 
sixty  feet,  with  a  porch  of  six  feet  in  front.  Its  whole  cost, 
including  the  land,  was  about  $8,000.  It  has  since  been  en- 
larged. The  Record  at  the  time  appropriately  says,  'We  have 
abundant  reason  to  bless  God  for  all  our  efforts  to  build  an 
House  of  Worship ;  and  if  we  will  but  view  the  hand  of  Prov- 
idence, we  shall  see  that  all  and  every  move  has  been  over- 
ruled for  the  best  under  the  guidance  of  Heaven.  To  God  be 
all  the  glory  ! ' 

"From  1829  to  1833,  Rev.  B.  C.  Wade  was  pastor;  and  from 
1 833  to  1 835,  Rev.  T.  B.  Ripley.  Rev.  N.  Hooper  followed  from 
1837  to  1840.  During  his  time,  there  was  quite  a  division  in 
the  church.  Forty-five  of  the  members  withdrew.  While  some 
of  these  were  such  as  had  caused  much  dissension,  others  were 
brother  and  sisters  beloved  and  honored.  Some  of  them  still 
survive,  and  still  possess  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  those  who 
know  them  best.  It  is  believed  that  in  the  case  of  most  if  not 
all  of  the  survivors  of  those  sad  days,  the  feelings  that  were 
then  kindled  have  long  ago  died  away." 


490  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

"Mr.  Hooper  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  S.  B.  Randall,  from  1844 
to  1847,  when  Rev^J.  C.  Stockbridge  became  pastor.  During 
his  ministry,  a  gracious  work  of  conversion  was  enjoyed,  and 
about  forty  added  in  one  year  to  the  church.  His  ministry  and 
that  of  Brother  Ricker  and  Brother  Bronson  being  within  the 
memory  of  you  all,  I  need  not  dwell  upon  them.  You  know 
better  than  I,  my  hearers,  their  faithfulness,  their  ability  and 
their  success.  During  Brother  Ricker's  time,  this  house  was  en- 
larged and  improved ;  and  during  Brother  Bronson's,  the  debt 
incurred  was  paid  off. 

"  The  church  has  been  blessed  in  its  'deacons :  Thaddeus 
Davis,  Daniel  Brooks,  Josiah  Converse,  Jacob  Richardson,  Jesse 
Converse,  John  Fowle,  Samuel  Tidd,  all  of  whom  have  gone  to 
their  rest.  The  deaths  of  Brothers  Richardson  and  Tidd  were  a 
peculiarly  heavy  blow.  They  fell  suddenly  and  in  their  prime ; 
cut  down  in  the  midst  of  most  important  services  they  were  ren- 
dering the  church.  She  was  plunged  in  deepest  sorrow ;  their 
loss  seemed  irreparable.  But  their  death  was  blessed  to  the 
spiritual  good  of  the  church :  and  in  regard  to  them,  and  the 
other  names  mentioned,  as  well  as  those  who  have  succeeded 
them,  we  may  say,  how  much  does  the  church  owe  of  gratitude 
to  God  for  giving  them ! 

"  The  total  number  added  to  those  connected  with  the  church 
since  its  organization  is  about  nine  hundred.  Of  these  about 
six  hundred  and  fifty  have  been  received  by  baptism.  Surely 
God  hath  done  great  things  for  us,  whereof  we  are  glad. 

"  During  all  these  years,  the  doctrines  of  the  church  have  re- 
mained unaltered.  There  may  have  been,  indeed,  during  the 
early  part  of  her  history,  a  large  development  of  what  are  called 
the  high  Calvinistic  doctrines,  in  regard  to  Sovereignty,  Election, 
etc.,  etc.  These  have  not  been  withdrawn  in  their  essence ;  but 
there  has  been  a  development  also  of  other  doctrines,  which  sup- 
plement and  limit  those,  so  as  to  present  a  symmetrical  system."25 

To  the  above  account  of  the  Baptist  Church  in  Woburn,  taken 
almost  entirely  from  two  historical  discourses  concerning  it 

»  Rev.  Mr.  Kennard'g  second  sermon. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBTJBN.  491 

preached  by  Rev.  Mr.  Kennard,  the  immediate  predecessor  of  its 
present  pastor,  Rev.  Mr.  Townley,  may  be  added  the  following 
brief  notices  of  several  of  the  more  recent  ministers  of  this  church 
and  people,  kindly  furnished  by  Rev.  Dr.  Stockbridge  and  Mr. 
John  D.  Tidd. 

Rev.  J.  C.  Stockbridge  was  born,  June  8,  1818,  at  Yarmouth, 
Maine ;  received  his  academic  education  at  the  academy  in  his 
native  town;  was  graduated  from  Brown  University,  1838; 
studied  theology  at  the  Institution  in  Newton,  where  he  was 
graduated  in  1844;  and  was  installed  as  pastor  of  the  Baptist 
Church  in  Woburn,  January  27,  1848.  This  relation  he  sus- 
tained, "  the  happy  pastor"  of  a  people  beloved  by  him,  till  Octo- 
ber 1852,  when  he  was  dismissed  from  Woburn,  that  he  might 
assume  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  in 
Providence,  R.  I.  to  which  he  had  been  invited,  during  the  ab- 
sence of  its  minister,  Rev.  Dr.  Granger,  who  had  been  appointed 
as  one  of  a  deputation  from  the  Missionary  Union,  to  visit  the 
Baptist  missionary  stations  in  Burmah. 

At  the  close  of  the  year,  he  was  called  to  the  pastoral  office 
of  the  Charles  Street  Church,  Boston,  over  which  he  was  installed 
October  23,  1853.  In  this  position,  he  remained  nearly  eight 
years;  and  during  this  time,  viz :  at  commencement,  in  1859,  he 
received  from  Harvard  University  the  honorary  degree  of  D.  D. 

His  health  beginning  to  fail  him,  that  he  might  preserve  that 
invaluable  blessing,  as  well  as  fulfil  a  long  cherished  purpose,  he 
gave  up  all  ministerial  labor  early  in  1865,  and  embarked  for 
Europe.  Landing  in  Sicily,  he  went  thence  to  Greece,  and  made 
a  visit  of  much  interest  at  Athens.  Returning  to  Sicily,  he 
commenced  travelling  extensively  in  Italy  and  Switzerland,  and 
over  some  portions  of  France  and  Germany;  and  in  passing 
along  in  these  several  countries,  he  remained  some  time  at  Rome 
and  Paris,  and  visited  Naples,  Florence,  Bologna,  Venice,  Milan, 
and  Geneva.  Sailing  down  the  Rhine,  he  came  to  Cologne. 
He  then  went  to  Holland,  spent  a  few  days  at  Amsterdam, 
visited  the  Hague  and  Rotterdam,  and  crossing  the  sea  from 
Holland  he  came  to  England,  where  he  spent  several  weeks, 
making  tours  in  various  directions  through  the  country ;  took  a 


492  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

short  trip  to  Scotland,  and  then  coming  back  to  Liverpool,  he 
embarked  in  the  steamer  for  New  York,  where  he  arrived  in 
safety,  after  an  absence  abroad  of  about  eight  months. 

Soon  after  his  return  to  this  country,  he  took  charge  of  the 
Free  Street  Church,  Portland,  where  he  remained  till  recently ; 
when  the  situation  of  Principal  of  a  literary  institution  in  Pro- 
vidence being  offered  him,  he  accepted  it,  and  his  present  resi- 
dence is  in  that  city.  - 

Rev.  Joseph  Ricker  was  installed  February  14,  1853;  dis- 
missed April  1,  1858,  and  afterwards  appointed  chaplain  of  the 
State  Prison  in  Charlestown.  He  then  became  pastor  of  the 
Baptist  Church  in  Milford,  Mass. ;  and  is  now  settled  in  Augusta, 
Me. 

Rev.  B.  F.  Bronson  entered  upon  his  pastoral  labors  in  this 
church,  June  1,  1858,  without  any  public  services  of  installa- 
tion; was  dismissed  April  27,  1862,  and  settled  in  Roxbury, 
receiving  an  appointment,  In  connection  with  his  pastorate  in 
Roxbury,  as  Secretary  of  the  Massachusetts  Baptist  State  Con- 
vention. He  is  now  settled  at  Southbridge,  Mass. 

Rev.  J.  Spencer  Kennard  was  installed  October  31,  1862; 
dismissed  December  15,  1865;  took  charge  of  the  Calvary 
Church,  Albany,  N.  Y. ;  and  is  now  settled  in  Philadelphia,  Pa., 
succeeding  his  honored  father,  who  was  removed  by  death  from 
a  pastorate  over  the  same  church  of  more  than  twenty-five  years. 

The  present  pastor  of  this  church,  and  immediate  successor  of 
Mr.  Kennard,  is  Rev.  H.  C.  Townley,  who  was  installed  July 
17,  1866. 

In  connection  with  his  labors,  there  has  been  enjoyed  by  his 
people  an  interesting  season  of  revival.  Since  his  settlement, 
thirty-three  persons  have  been  baptized  by  him  and  added  to 
the  church.  And  although  for  two  or  three  months  past  there 
has  been  no  observable  special  interest,  yet,  during  this  inter- 
val, a  measure  of  interest  has  been  kept  up,  which  is  at  present 
on  the  increase;  and  the  members  of  this  church  "are  confi- 
dently expecting  to  be  permitted  soon  to  witness  displays  of 
divine  power  in  the  conversion  of  the  impenitent." 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  493 

INDEPENDENT  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

The  church  in  Woburn,  thus  denominated,  originated  in  a 
secession  from  the  First  Baptist  Church.  On  the  22d  day  of 
June,  1838,  Leonard  Fowle,  Jesse  Convers,  George  Flagg,  John 
Edgell,  with  thirty  other  members  of  the  'Baptist  Church,  thirty- 
four  in  all,26  requested  letters  of  dismission  from  that  church. 
Their  request  was  granted  to  each  petitioner  severally,  in  letters 
after  the  following  form : 

"  To  all  whom  it  may  concern ;  This  may  certify,  that  A.  B. 
is  a  member  in  good  standing  in  the  Baptist  Church  in  Woburn, 
Mass. ;  and  as  such  is  hereby  dismissed  at  his  (or  her)  request, 
and  recommended  to  any  church  of  the  same  faith  and  order. 
Done  at  a  regular  meeting  of  the  church : 

«  Woburn,  June  22d,  1838.  A.  A.  NEWHALL,  Clerk." 

The  reasons  assigned  by  these  brethren  and  sisters  for  re- 
questing dismission  from  the  church  to  which  they  had  hitherto 
belonged  were : 

1.  First,  "The  admitting  into  the  pulpit  of  others  than  the 
professed  ministers  of  the  gospel,  and  the  discussion  of  other 
subjects  than  the  gospel,  from  the  pulpit,  against  the  expressed 
wish  of  the  injured  brothers  and  sisters." 

2.  Secondly  and  principally,  "  the  seeming  letting  down  of  the 
doctrines  of  grace,  as  found  in  the  Word  of  God,  and  embodied 
in  the  Church  Covenant." 

Having  made  repeated  efforts  for  an  adjustment  of  the  diffi- 
culties above  suggested,  without  success,  "  they  felt  it  a  duty  to 
go  out,  however  trying,  not  knowing  whither  they  went." 

These  withdrawing  brethren  and  sisters  from  the  First  Baptist 
Church  do  not  appear  to  have  formed  themselves  into  a  separate 
church  by  any  new  organization,  but  to  have  considered  them- 
selves as  already  such  by  mutual  consent,  and  united  by  the 
bonds  of  the  covenant  into  which  they  had  formerly  entered. 

By  the  courtesy  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  they  were  allowed 
the  use  of  their  old  meeting-house,  then  unoccupied,  at  a  mere 


Forty-five,  according  to  Rev.  Mr.  Kennard's  second  sermon. 
43- 


494  HISTORY  OP   WOBURN. 

nominal  rent,  till  the  chapel  they  now  assemble  in,  was  erected 
for  them  by  a  member  of  their  own  body,  Mrs.  Sarah  Convers. 

Since  their  establishment  as  an  Independent  Church,  they  have 
been  favored  successively  with  the  pastoral  services  of  Elders 
Hartwell  Osburn  and  Lemuel  Cox,  Jr.,  who  labored  among  them 
more  than  fourteen  years,  "  much  to  their  edification  and  comfort." 
Since  the  year  1861,  they  have  been  without  a  stated  minister, 
but  do  not  forsake  the  assembling  of  themselves  together ;  but 
meet  semi-monthly,  "  and  enjoy  a  good  degree  of  harmony,  al- 
though by  frequent  removals  and  deaths,  their  number])  is  now 
much  reduced;  being  at  this  date  (May  7,  1866)  but  about 
thirty."27 

FIRST  UNIVERSALIST  SOCIETY. 

About  1828,  a  number  of  Christians  of  the  Universalist  per- 
suasion formed  themselves  into  a  society,  and  erected  a  meeting- 
house, which  was  dedicated  December  23,  1829,  and  was  im- 
proved by  them  as  their  house  of  worship  several  years.  For 
their  first  minister,  they  had  Rev.  Otis  A.  Skinner.  His  suc- 
cessors in  office  (the  dates  of  whose  respective  settlements  have 
not  been  preserved  on  record)  were  Rev.  Messrs.  Daniel  D. 
Smith,  A.  L.  Balch,  John  Gregory  and  J.  C.  Waldo.28  But 
this  society  at  length  ceased  to  have  preaching,  and  after  retain- 
ing possession  of  their  meeting-house  for  some  time,  they  eventu- 
ally sold  it  to  the  town,  and  it  is  now  occupied,  with  various 
alterations,  as  the  Town  Hall. 

SECOND  UNIVERSALIST  SOCIETY. 

A  Second  Universalist  Society  was  formed,  and  a  constitution 
adopted  by  it,  early  in  1841.  At  a  meeting  held  in  the  meeting- 
house of  the  First  Universalist  Society,  April  5,  1841,  and  con- 
tinued by  adjournment  to  April  19th,  this  Second  Society  was 
organized  by  the  choice  of  Joshua  V.  Peirce  as  Clerk,  John 
Johnson,  Jr.,  Moderator,  Messrs.  John  Johnson,  Jr.,  John  Knight, 
2d,  and  William  Winn,  Jr.,  as  Standing  Committee,  Joshua  V. 
Peirce,  as  Treasurer,  and  Timothy  Winn,  as  Collector. 

w  Letter  of  May  7, 1866,  from  a  member  of  the  Independent  Church. 
«  John  Johnson,  Esq.,  communication  from. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  495 

At  a  meeting,  June  27,  1844,  it  was  voted  that  they  would 
hold  their  meetings  in  the  Town  Hall,  with  the  consent  of  the 
"  Unitarian  Society "  to  release  it  to  them  a  part  of  the  time. 

At  a  meeting  held  in  the  Town  Hall,  April  4th,  1845,  one 
article  of  the  warrant  was,  "  To  see  what  measures  they  would 
take  to  build  a  meeting-house  the  ensuing  season,"  and  a  com- 
mittee of  three  was  then  chosen  to  ascertain  "  how  many  pews 
could  be  sold  in  a  new  house,  and  to  report  at  the  adjournment 
of  that  meeting."  The  meeting-house  which  the  society  thus 
appears  to  have  contemplated  building  in  the  spring  of  1845 
was  built  and  finished  before  winter  that  year,  and  from  certain 
minutes  seems  to  have  been  dedicated  November  21st.  It  is  the 
same  house  as  that  afterwards  occupied  by  the  Unitarian  Society, 
and  more  recently  by  the  Methodists. 

May  18,  1845,  the  society  accepted  the  proposal  of  Rev. 
W.  B.  Randolph  to  come  and  preach  for  them  for  what  money 
they  could  raise  for  his  support,  and  voted  him  their  thanks  for 
his  offer.29  But  at  a  meeting,  March  16,  1846,  they  voted  not 
to  hire  Mr.  Randolph  another  year,  and  instructed  their  treas- 
urer, April  14th,  "to  hire  money  sufficient  to  pay  him  what  was 
due  to  him  to  that  date." 

Rev.  Mr.  Randolph  was  the  first  and  the  last  minister  whom 
the  Second  Universalist  Society  appears  to  have  statedly  em- 
ployed. No  other  subsequently  to  him  is  mentioned  on  their 
records.  At  a  meeting,  March  29,  1847,  called  "to  see  if  they 
would  close  up  their  affairs,"30  they  seem  to  have  dissolved 
their  connection  with  one  another,  as  a  distinct  religious  society, 
and  to  have  yielded  up  the  disposal  of  their  meeting-house,  upon 
some  terms,  to  the  Unitarians,  who  thenceforth  had  the  charge 
of  providing  the  preacher  employed  in  it,  and  of  paying  for  his 
services. 

FIRST  UNITARIAN  SOCIETY. 

Reference  is  made  in  the  records  of  the  Second  Universalist 
Society,  1 844,  to  Unitarians,  as  being  at  that  time  accustomed 
to  assemble  for  worship  in  the  Town  Hall.  No  regular  legally 

»  Memoranda,  by  John  Johnson,  Esq.  »  Letter  of  Rev.  Ell  Fay. 


496  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

constituted  society,  however,  of  this  denomination  appears  to 
have,  existed  in  Woburn,  till  1847.  By  a  warrant  issued  by 
Albert  H.  Nelson,  Esq.,  March  31,  1847,  the  members  of  a  reli- 
gious association,  not  named  therein  or  incorporated,  were ' 
warned  to  assemble  in  the  vestry  of  the  Universalist  meeting- 
house that  day,  at  a  given  hour.31  In  compliance  with  this 
notice,  several  gentlemen  of  the  Unitarian  belief  came  together 
at  the  time  and  place  appointed,  some  of  whom  had  had  appa- 
rently no  previous  connection  with  the  Universalist  Society,  and 
the  first  act  of  their  proceedings  on  that  occasion  was,  to  organ- 
ize the  gentlemen  present  into  "  The  First  Unitarian  Society  in 
Woburn."  31 

At  a  parish  meeting,  held  May  20,  1848,  Rev.  Henry  F.  Edes, 
an  alumnus  of  Bowdoin  College,  1828,  and  of  the  Theological 
School,  Cambridge,  1831,  was  invited  to  become  the  pastor. 
He  accepted  the  invitation;  but  resigned  March  18,  1850.31 

January  10,  1853,  Mr.  George  F.  Simmons  was  unanimously 
called  to  the  pastoral  office ;  but  declined.31 

March  7,  1853,  Rev.  John  M.  Masters,  a  graduate,  1847,  and 
a  tutor,  1850,  of  Harvard  University,  was  chosen  and  accepted. 
During  his  ministry,  the  church  building  was  remodelled,  and 
the  society  prospered  greatly.  But,  March  25,  1855,  he  ten- 
dered his  resignation,  on  account  of  ill  health.31 

April  15,  1857,  Rev.  Rufus  P.  Stebbins,  D.  D.,  was  elected 
pastor.  The  office  to  which  he  was  thus  chosen,  he  accepted; 
and  continued  to  fill  it  till  November  28,  1863.  The  society 
prospered  under  his  labors.31 

Rev.  Dr.  Stebbins  is  a  native  of  Wilbraham,  Mass. :  was  a 
graduate  of  Amherst  College,  1834;  an  alumnus  of  Cambridge 
Theological  School,  1837;  settled  in  Leominster,  September  20, 
1 837-44.  President  of  the  Meadville  Theological  School,  Mead- 
vine,  Pa.,  1844-56 ;  und  received  the  honorary  degree  of  D.  D. 
from  Harvard  University,  1851. 

Rev.  Eli  Fay  was  chosen  his  successor,  April  16,  1864,32and 
still  (1867)  continues  in  office. 

M  Letter  of  Rev.  Eli  Fay.  «  Letter  of  Rev.  Eli  Fay. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  497 

Before  the  ministry  of  Rev.  Dr.  Stebbins  in  Woburn  was  com- 
pleted, his  society  had  taken  measures  to  provide  themselves 
with  a  larger  and  more  commodious  house  of  worship.  Thus  far, 
since  their  organization  as  .a  society,  they  had  met  on  sabbath 
days  in  the  church  built  by  the  Second  Universalist  Society,  in 
1 845,  and  which  had  been  remodelled  and  enlarged  by  them, 
during  the  ministry  of  Rev.  Mr.  Masters.  But  now,  the  more 
fully  to  answer  their  wishes  in  this  respect,  they  had  purchased, 
enlarged  and  adorned,  at  the  cost  of  about  forty  thousand  dollars, 
the  comparatively  new  church  erected  by  the  First  Congrega- 
tional Society  of  Woburn,  in  1 841 ;  and  having  finished  their 
labors  upon  this  stately,  elegant  church  edifice,  they  dedicated  it 
anew,  April  16,  1865. 

METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

Methodist  preaching  was  commenced  in  Woburn,  at  the  town 
house,  1850,  by  brethren  of  that  denomination,  Stephen  M.  Vail, 
D.  D.,  Leonard  P.  Frost,  and  J.  W.  Merrill,  D.  D.  Previously, 
there  had  been  a  few  Methodists  in  the  town,  a  portion  if  not  all 
of  whom  belonged  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  Med- 
ford,  and  had  for  some  time  been  organized  as  a  class,  nearly  all 
the  members  of  which  attended  very  punctually. 

In  February  1851,  a  church  was  organized  by  Amos  Binney, 
presiding  elder,  consisting  of  ten  members  in  full  communion, 
and  several  probationers. 

In  May  1851,  Brother  H.  Kendall,  a  local  preacher,  was  ap- 
pointed by  the  presiding  elder  to  supply  the  people  regularly  with 
preaching.  He  is  characterized,  as  "  earnest,  laborious  and  suc- 
cessful" in  his^ vocation ;  and  at  quitting  the  place,  in  1852,  he 
left  to  the  charge  of  his  successor  twenty-seven  members  in  church 
fellowship,  and  twelve  probationers. 

In  1852,  he  was  followed  by  Brother  J.  B.  Holman,  a  local 
preacher,  who  made  the  earliest  permanent  church  record. 

In  1853,  Brother  Gary  succeeded,  the  first  appointed  by  the 
Conference ;  but  left  before  the  close  of  the  year ;  and  was  fol- 
lowed by  Brother  H.  R.  Pa"menter  from  the  Biblical  Institution 
at  Concord,  N.  H. 

43*, 


498  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

In  1854,  Brother  George  Sutherland  was  stationed  at  Woburn 
by  the  Conference ;  preached  there  two  years,  and  was  very  suc- 
cessful in  his  labors.  During  his  ministry,  the  chapel  was  moved 
from  the  site  now  occupied  by  Lyceum  Hall,  and  placed  where  it 
now  stands ;  was  bought  of  the  parties  that  built  and  owned  it, 
paid  for,  and  "  filled  to  overflowing  with  an  attentive  congrega- 
tion, most  of  whom  loved  God  and  each  other." 

In  1856,  Brother  Sutherland  was  followed  by  Brother  Tread- 
well;  and  he,  in  turn,  in  1857,  by  Brother  J.  A.  Ames,  "who 
was  very  successful.  More  persons  were  received  on  probation, 
more  baptized,  and  more  married  by  the  pastor  of  the  Methodist 
Church  in  Woburn  during  his  two  years'  service,  than  in  any 
other  equal  length  of  time,  during  the  first  fourteen  years  of  its 
history." 

Brother  Ames  was  followed,  in  1859,  by  Brother  M.  P.  Web- 
ster; and  he,  in  1860,  by  Brother  Otheman;  and  he,  in  1862, 
by  Brother  Atkinson;  and  he,  in  1863,  by  Brother  Barney,  a 
student  from  Concord,  N.  H. 

During  the  years  1862,  1863,  "many  were  ready  to  give  up 
the  organization ;  and  but  for  a  very  few  determined  spirits,  the 
church  must  have  broken  up.  For  a  long  time,  the  Records 
show  no  conversions,  no  baptisms,  and  no  marriages.  In  fact, 
the  church  seems  to  have  been  crippled  socially,  financially  and 
spiritually." 

During  1864,  the  church  was  supplied,  under  the  presiding 
elder,  by  Rev.  N.  D.  George,  who,  with  the  church,  succeeded  in 
obtaining  pledges  for  nearly  enough  to  meet  the  cash  payment 
($5,000)  on  the  church  building  we33  now  occupy.  About  one- 
half  of  such  pledges  were  collected,  when  Brother  George  was 
succeeded,  in  1865,  by  [the]  present  pastor,  (Rev.  M.  M.  Park- 
hurst.)  Between  the  1st  of  April  and  17th  of  May,  the  build- 
ing was  purchased,  the  balance  of  subscription  ($2,500)  was 
collected  and  paid  over,  and  a  deed  obtained.  The  church 
building  was  thoroughly  repaired,  carpeted,  cushioned.  Gas 

S3  The  foregoing  account  is  copied  chiefly  from  communication  of  Bev.  Mr.  M.  M.  Park- 
hurst,  May  1866,  the  present  pastor  of  this  church. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  499 

pipes  were  brought  into  the  audience  room ;  a  new  pulpit,  altar 
rail  and  chairs  purchased,  and  the  house  was  re-opened  May 
17, 1865,  with  all  the  bills  paid,  but  the  small  balance  ($1,000) 
of  the  purchase  money  of  the  church." 

During  the  time  from  the  1st  of  April,  1865,  to  the  present 
[May  1866],  the  congregation  has  increased  greatly;  the  sab- 
bath school  has  doubled  in  numbers  j  the  church  has  enlarged  in 
financial  ability  and  social  power ;  and  has  increased  its  pastor's 
salary,  and  its  membership  about  four-tenths.33 

ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 

In  1847,  the  Roman  Catholics  commenced  holding  meetings  at 
Woburn,  in  the  Town  Hall.  A  house  of  worship  was  erected 
by  them,  in  1852,  under  the  supervision  of  Father  Carroll,  who 
then  officiated  among  them  as  priest,  and  who  was  succeeded 
in  office  by  Father  Brannigan.  In  1862,  Father  McCarthy  became 
a  resident  priest  in  the  town,  and  remained  until  1864,  when 
Father  John  Qually  became  pastor.34 

The  church  erected  in  1852  for  the  public  worship  of  this 
denomination  of  Christians,  is  now,  it  is  understood,  found  too 
strait  for  them,  and  strenuous  efforts  are  now  being  made,  under 
the  direction  of  Father  Qually,  and  with  the  aid  of  several  citi- 
zens of  the  town,  to  build  them  a  larger  and  more  convenient 
house  for  this  purpose. 

The  present  average  attendance  upon  their  Sunday  services  is 
about  eight  hundred.  A  sabbath  school  of  about  two  hundred 
and  fifty  meets  in  the  afternoon  at  the  church.34 

PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  SOCIETY. 

Zealous  efforts  are  now  being  made  to  establish  an  Episcopal 
Society  in  Woburn.  Numbers,  it  is  understood,  regularly  meet 
on  the  sabbath  in  Lyceum  Hall,  who  make  use  there  of  the 
Liturgy  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of  the  United  States 
in  their  worship,  and  who  hope  ere  long  to  see  a  church  erected, 
and  a  society  legally  formed,  for  the  benefit  of  their  denomina- 
tion. And  here  it  seems  not  inappropriate,  and  may  be  accept- 

M  Communication  of  Father  Qually,  April  21, 1806. 


500  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

able  to  the  good  people  of  Woburn,  to  remind  them  that  the 
worship  of  God,  according  to  the  forms  and  usages  of  the 
Church  of  England,  is  no  new  thing  in  their  town. 

In  1751,  immediately  after  the  ordination  of  Rev.  Thomas 
Jones  as  pastor  of  the  Second  or  Precinct  Church  in  Woburn, 
twelve  dissatisfied  persons  out  of  the  one  hundred  and  three, 
who  were  that  year  ratable  inhabitants  of  the  parish,  signed  off, 
as  was  said,  to  the  Church  of  England.35  Most  of  them,  it  is 
believed,  joined  the  Episcopal  Church  in  Cambridge ;  but  a  few 
of  them  appear  to  have  connected  themselves  with  one  or  other 
of  the  three  Episcopal  Churches  then  in  Boston.  In  the  course 
of  the  three  next  succeeding  years,  1752,  1753, 1754,  two  others 
joined  them,  and  they  were  all  rated  each  year  by  the  Second 
Parish  Assessors  for  their  minister  taxes ;  and  those  taxes  were 
severally  paid  over  (as  the  Province  law  of  1742  then  required) 
to  the  Episcopal  clergyman,  upon  whose  services  the  Assessors 
were  certified,  that  they  "usually  and  frequently  attended." 
But  after  1754,  they  do  not  appear  from  the  Parish  Records  to 
have  been  rated  at  all  by  the  Second  Parish  Assessors  for  their 
parish  taxes. 

Shortly  after  the  individuals  above  referred  to  had  withdrawn 
from  the  worship  of  the  Second  Precinct  in  Woburn  to  that  of 
the  Church  of  England,  they  were  joined  by  Benjamin  Simonds, 


35  "profess'a  or  Pretended  members  of  the  Church  of  England,  Inhabit- 
ing this  Parish :  rated  for  Salary  only. 

"William  Smith  7:8: 

Robert  Reed  6  :0. 

Swithin  Reed  18 :11. 

Ebenezer  Reed  18  :6. 

George  Reed  jun'        9  :9. 
Eliphaz  Reed  9  :9. 

James  Perry  9  :2 

Thomas  Skelton  jun.  16 :0 
Caleb  Simonds  18 :1 :2 

Caleb  Siraonds  jun.    11 :0 :0 
Seth  Johnson  16  :0 :0 

John  Cutler  16 :5  :0." 

Second  Parish  Records  for  1752,  Vol.  //.,  p.  18. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  501 

of  the  First  Parish,36  who  proved  a  very  important  man  among 
them.  His  house  is  still  standing,  having  its  back  to  the  road 
at  the  north,  but  a  magnificent  elm  growing  in  the  yard  on  the 
south  side  in  front  j  and  is  the  same  house  as  that  now  occupied 
by  Mr.  Jesse  Cutler  on  the  road  from  Burlington  to  Cummings- 
ville.  At  this  house,  these  professed  Episcopalians  met  on  ordi- 
nary sabbaths  for  public  worship,  when  the  liturgy  of  the  church 
of  England  was  read  to  them,  and  not  improbably  a  printed 
sermon  likewise,  by  Mr.  Thomas  Skelton,  Jr.,  one  of  their 
number.  But  on  extra  occasions,  when  an  Episcopal  clergy- 
man from  Cambridge  or  Boston  came  to  minister  to  them,  they 
would,  as  often  as  the  weather  allowed,  meet  in  the  yard  under 
the  shade  of  the  wide-spreading  elm,  no  room  in  the  house 
being  large  enough  to  hold  them,  and  there  the  minister  would 
preach  to  them,  and  celebrate  the  ordinances.  The  late  Mrs. 
William  Kendall,  of  this  town,  once  showed  me  an  octavo 
English  prayer  book,  from  which  she  said  her  grandfather,  Mr. 
Thomas  Skelton,  Jr.,  was  accustomed  to  read  the  church  of 
England  prayers  on  sabbath  days  in  the  Episcopal  meeting  at 
Mr.  Simonds' ;  and  Mr.  Gideon  Simonds,  deceased,  a  son  of  Mr. 

36  Copy  of  certificate,  yet  extant,  of  membership  from  Christ  Church, 
Boston,  to  Benjamin  Simonds  :  — 

"This  may  Cartify  the  treasurer  of  the  first  precinct  in  Wooburn,  that 
Mr  Benjamin  Simonds  of  said  precinct  is  a  professed  member  of  the 
Church  of  England,  and  that  he  atends  the  publick  worshep  of  God  on 
Sundays  at  Christ  Church  in  Boston  as  frequently  as  he  can,  and  as  is 
useuel  at  his  Distance. 

his 
"  TIMOTHY  X  CUTLER,  minister  of  Christ  Church  in  Boston 

mark 

"Boston  September  ye  10.  1759. 

«  Witnes  the  signing  of  Docter  Cutler,      "  JohnPigen     J  church  wardins." 
"  Caleb  Simonds  juner,  "Thomaslvers  3 

"  Sarah  Cutler." 

This  certificate  i^  accompanied  by  another  on  the  same  page,  in  the  same 
words,  to  the  treasurer  of  the  second  precinct  in  Woburn ;  and  it  bears 
indubitable  marks  of  being  a  transcript,  taken  by  some  ignorant  and  care- 
less person  from  a  genuine  certificate  of  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler,  signed  by  him 
and  his  church  wardens  at  the  given  date,  except  writing  "  his  mark," 
which  must  be  deemed  an  expedient  of  the  transcriber,  adopted  for  some 
purpose  of  his  own. 


502  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

Caleb  Simonds,  Jr.,  a  member  of  that  meeting,  once  told  me, 
that  he,  and  (I  think  I  may  confidently  add)  his  brothers  Calvin 
and  Jesse,  were  baptized  by  an  Episcopal  clergyman  under  that 
venerable  elm. 

But  at  the  commencement  of  the  revolutionary  war,  this  Epis- 
copal meeting  in  Woburn,  like  several  others  of  that  denomina- 
tion in  various  parts  of  New  England,  appears  to  have  been 
broken  up.  Its  connection,  however,  with  the  Episcopal  churches 
in  Boston,  by  which  it  had  been  patronized,  was  not  at  once  dis- 
solved, as  the  annexed  certificate,  still  extant,  seems  to  indicate. 

Dec1.  4,  A.  D.  1781.  Then  was  married  Mr  Ebenezer  Page 
to  Miss  Susanna  Simons  [daughter  of  the  above  named  Benjamin 
Simons]  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Samuel  Parker  of  Boston." 

Nor  was  the  attachment  to  the  royal  government  of  England, 
which  the  use  of  its  established  forms  of  public  divine  wor- 
ship had  nurtured  and  strengthened  in  this  band  of  Episco- 
palians in  Woburn,  at  once  renounced  or  cast  off.  The  late 
Capt.  James  Reed,  Sen.  of  this  town,  once  told  me,  that  being  col- 
lector one  year  for  Woburn,  he  presented  a  tax  bill  to  Mr. 
Thomas  Skelton,  Jr.,  the  Episcopal  reader  mentioned  above, 
for  payment.  "  I  wont  pay  it,"  said  Mr.  Skelton ;  "  the  govern- 
ment that  ordered  the  tax,  is  no  lawful  government ;  and  I  wont 
submit  to  any  tax  of  its  imposing."  After  repeatedly  applying 
to  Mr.  Skelton  to  pay  the  bill,  Capt.  Reed  was  peremptorily 
commanded  by  the  assessors  of  Woburn,  to  collect  the  tax,  or 
to  take  the  body.  Upon  Capt.  Reed's  communicating  the  orders 
he  had  received,  Mr.  Skelton  instantly  replied, "  Well,  take  the 
body,  if  you  will ;  but  I  suppose  you  will  give  me  time  to  go  up 
stairs,  and  shift  my  clothes  before  you  take  me  off."  The  liberty 
asked  was  readily  granted;  but  Mr.  Skelton  was  gone  to  his 
chamber  so  long,  that  Capt.  Reed  began  to  be  seriously  alarmed , 
lest  his  debtor  had  given  him  the  slip.  At  length  Mr.  Skelton 
returning  to  him,  said,  "  Capt.  Reed,  will  you  sign  a  paper  I  shall 
give  you,  if  I  will  pay  you  them  taxes  ?"  "  Sign ! "  replied  Capt. 
Reed ;  "  Why,  Mr.  Skelton,  I'll  sign  anything,  if  you  will  only 
pay  that  demand."  Mr.  Skelton  then  produced  a  receipt  to  be 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  503 

signed,  expressed  as  follows :  "  Received  of  Thomas  Skelton  Jr., 
he  being  threatened  with  imprisonment,  his  taxes  due  for  such 
a  year."  The  receipt  was  quickly  signed,  and  Mr.  Skelton  was 
let  off  in  peace. 

At  another  time,  the  same  Mr.  Skelton  sold  a  piece  of  land  to 
Mr.  Swithin  Reed,  the  Captain's  father ;  and,  drawing  up  a  deed 
of  it  himself,  gave  it  to  the  Captain  to  deliver.  Upon  reading  it, 
the  old  gentleman  said  to  his  son,  "  Jim,  I  don't  know  but  this 
deed  is  all  right;  yet  it  seems  to  me,  it  don't  read  exactly  as 
other  deeds  do.  Here,  take  it  to  Cambridge,  and  show  it  to 
"  Mr.  Deany,"  [Hon.  Judge  Francis  Dana]  "  and  he'll  tell  you  at 
once  whether  it  be  as  it  should  be."  Accordingly,  the  Captain 
took  it  to  Cambridge  as  directed,  and  the  moment  the  judge  read 
it,  he  threw  it  aside,  saying,  "  it  was  not  worth  a  farthing." 
"Why,  what  is  the  matter  with  it?"  inquired  the  Captain. 
"  Matter !  "  said  the  Judge :  "  Why,  don't  you  see  ?  Instead  of 
dating  it  in  such  a  year  of  the  United  States  Independence,  he 
writes,  "  In  such  a  year  of  His  Majesty's  Reign  ! " 

The  prime  movers  of  this  Episcopal  meeting  have  all  of  them 
long  since  gone  the  way  of  all  the  earth.  Their  children,  too, 
are  all  dead.  Those  of  them  who  continued  in  town,  at  the  time 
the  war  of  the  Revolution  put  a  stop  to  their  assembling  on 
the  sabbath  for  Episcopal  worship,  joined  to  a  man,  it  is  believed, 
the  Precinct  Congregational  Society;  and  nothing  more  was 
heard  in  Woburn  or  its  precinct,  of  meeting  to  worship  according 
to  the  liturgy  of  the  Church  of  England,  till  the  present  attempt 
to  establish  an  Episcopal  Society  was  commenced. 

P.  S.  On  Tuesday,  October  29,  1867,  the  corner-stone  of  an 
Episcopal  Church,  to  be  called  Trinity  Church,  was  laid  in  Wo- 
burn, in  due  form.  The  principal  services  of  the  occasion  were 
conducted  by  Rev.  Dr.  Huntington,  rector  of  Emmanuel  Church, 
Boston.  In  consequence  of  the  unfavorableness  of  the  weather, 
the  persons  who  were  to  take  part  in,  or  to  witness  the  exercises 
of  the  solemnity,  fifty  or  sixty  in  number,  assembled  at  the  house 
of  Mr.  Oliver  W.  Rogers,  adjoining  the  church,  where  appropriate 
lessons  from  the  Scriptures  were  read,  prayers  were  offered,  and 


504  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

the  hymn,  Te  Deum  Laudamus,  was  sung  by  the  choir.  Then 
the  whole  company  moved  in  procession  to  the  church,  where  a 
list  was  read  by  the  Rev.  H.  D.  Nicholson,  the  rector,  of  the 
articles  previously  deposited  in  a  metallic  box  let  into  the  stone, 
which  lay  ready  to  be  set  in  its  place.  This  list  comprehended 
an  "  historical  sketch  of  the  parish,  names  of  the  officers,  by- 
laws, names  of  building  committee,  architect,  builder,  copies  of 
Middlesex  Journal,  Christian  Witness,  order  of  service  for  the 
day,  etc.,  etc." 

"  Rev.  Dr.  Huntington  then  taking  a  hammer,  and  striking  the 
stone  three  blows,  in  the  name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  pronounced, 

" '  I  lay  the  corner-stone  of  an  edifice  to  be  here  erected  by 
the  name  of  Trinity  Church,  to  be  devoted  to  the  service  of 
Almighty  God,  according  to  the  doctrine,  discipline,  and  worship 
of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States  of 
America. 

" '  Other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  which  is  laid, 
even  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  God  over  all,  blessed  for  evermore, 
in  whom  we  have  redemption  through  His  blood,  even  the  for- 
giveness of  sins.  Amen.' 

"  On  their  returning  to  the  house,  Dr.  Huntington  addressed 
those  assembled,  in  a  most  eloquent  and  masterly  manner. 
The  exercises  then  concluded  with  a  hymn." — Middlesex  Jour- 
nal, Woburn,  Nov.  2,  1867. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

Progress  of  Woburn  since  1800,  in  population,  business,  wealth,  buildings, 
schools,  and  other  means  of  promoting  the  public  welfare. 

GREAT  and  rapid,  during  the  last  sixty  years,  have  been  the 
advances  of  Woburn  in  numbers,  business  and  wealth ;  in  all 
the  means  of  literary  and  social  progress,  and  of  spiritual  pros- 
perity and  enjoyment.  It  is  the  design  of  this  last  chapter  of 
its  history,  to  contrast  the  present  condition  of  the  town,  in 
respect  to  the  above-named  and  other  particulars,  with  what  it 
was  at  the  commencement  of  this  century,  and  in  other  previous 
portions  of  its  history. 

POPULATION.  —  Within  the  last  twenty  years,  the  number  of 
the  inhabitants  of  Woburn  has  surprisingly  increased.  The 
total  population  of  the  town  in  1765,  was  1,57s.1  According 
to  the  colonial  census  in  1776,  it  had  advanced  only  to  1,6 9 1.1 
By  the  first  census  under  the  United  States  government  in  1790, 
the  sum  of  the  white  and  colored  inhabitants  was  but  1,750. 
By  the  second  census  in  1800,  it  had  diminished  to  1,246,  in 
consequence  of  the  detachment  of  Burlington  from  Woburn  the 
year  before.  In  1810,  the  population  was  still  further  reduced 
in  number  to  1,219,  which  is  less  by  twenty-seven  than  it  was  in 
1800.  In  1820,  it  was  only  1,579,  which  is  but  four  more  than 
it  was  in  1765,  fifty-five  years  before.  But  since  1820,  the 
increase  has  been  very  rapid.  In  1830,  the  whole  number  of 
inhabitants,  according  to  the  census  taken  that  year,  was  1,977; 
in  1840,  it  was  2,994;  and  although  by  the  incorporation  of 
Winchester  as  a  separate  town  April  30,  1850,  Woburn  lost  a 
large  number  of  people  who  previously  belonged  to  it,  yet  by 
the  census  of  1860,  the  sum  total  of  its  inhabitants  had  increased 
to  6,295,  which  is  more  than  double  the  number  it  contained  in 

'  *  Town  Report,  March  1866,  pp.  31,  32. 
44      . 


506  HISTORY    OF    WOBURN. 

1 840,  only  twenty  years  before ;  and  even  this  large  number, 
according  to  a  State  census  of  1865,  had  advanced  still  further 
on  May  1st  of  that  year  to  7,003,  an  increase  of  708  in  five 
years.2 

To  accommodate  its  1,575  inhabitants  with  dwellings,  Wo- 
burn  was  provided  in  1765  with  228  houses;  but  in  1860,  with 
1,126  houses  for  its  6,295  inhabitants.1 

PRINCIPAL  BUSINESS.  —  The  principal  employment  of  the 
original  inhabitants  of  Woburn  was  doubtless  the  cultivation  of 
the  soil,  for  which  they  all  had  larger  or  smaller  grants  of  land 
given  them  by  the  town.  But  at  the  present  day  (1867),  the 
employment  pursued  in  the  town  more  than  any  other  is  work 
upon  leather.  For  in  a  town  report  for  the  year  ending  March 
1,  1866,  it  appears  that  of  two  hundred  and  forty-one  children 
whose  births  are  registered  in  1865,  the  fathers  of  ninety-four 
were  curriers,  of  twenty-four  were  tanners,  of  fourteen  were 
cordwainers,  and  of  six  were  leather  and  shoe  mauufacturers, 
making  a  total  of  one  hundred  and  thirty-eight  employed  upon 
leather,  and  leaving  only  one  hundred  and  three  of  all  other 
occupations.3 

The  leather  business  was  followed  in  Woburn  from  the 
beginning,  upon  a  small  scale.  John  and  Francis  Wyman, 
brothers,  and  among  the  first  settlers  of  the  town,  were  tanners ; 
and,  as  tradition  affirms,  had  their  tanyard  in  the  Wyman  Lane, 
near  where  the  late  Dea.  Benjamin  Wyman  (a  descendant  from 
Francis)  had  his  dwelling.  Gershom  Flagg,  too,  another  early 
inhabitant,  who  came  a  young  man,  from  Watertown,  and  mar- 
ried in  Woburn  in  1668,  was  a  tanner  by  trade,  and  had  his 
"  dwelling  hows,  bark  hows,  mill  hows,  and  bearne  hows,  tann 
fats,  with  an  acre  of  land  more  or  less  thereunto  belonginge, 
being  or  situate  in  High  Street  nere  the  meetting  hows,  bounded 
West  by  Mr  Thomas  Carter,  and  East  by  the  burying  place, 
South  by  the  trayning  feild."  4  And  during  Philip's  war,  Wo- 
burn taxes  at  one  time  were  partly  paid  in  shoes,  manufactured 

»  Communication  from  Nathan  Wyman,  Esq.,  town  clerk, 
s  Town  Report,  March  1866,  pp.  3-7. 
«  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  21,  inverted. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  507 

probably  from  leather  prepared  by  one  or  all  of  the  citizens 
above  named.5 

But  it  is  not  likely  that  either  of  them  carried  on  the  business 
very  extensively,  or  employed  about  it  many  hands.  For  Licui,. 
John  Wyman,  having  his  eldest  son  killed  by  the  Indians  in  the 
swamp  fight,  December  1675,  petitioned  the  General  Court  in 
May  following,  that  his  servant,  Robert  Simpson,  a  tanner  by 
trade,  whom  he  had  "  bought  on  purpose  for  the  management  of 
his  tan  yard,"  but  who  had  been  long  in  the  war,  needed  clothes, 
and  was  then  a  garrison  soldier  in  Hadley,  might  be  allowed  to 
come  home  to  him,  that  "  so  his  lether  now  in  the  fatts  may  not 
be  spoyled ;  "  6  which  looks  as  though  Mr.  Wyman  was  not  suf- 
ficiently provided  with  help  to  conduct  his  business,  or  that  the 
servants  he  had  then  with  him  were  not  well  skilled  in  the  trade 
they  worked  at. 

The  Messrs.  Wyman  appear  to  have  been  succeeded  in  their 
business,  in  the  same  vicinity  where  they  had  wrought,  by  Jona- 
than Wyman,  a  grandson  of  John  j  and  also  at  a  later  period 
(about  1768),  by  Mr.  David  Cummings,  originally  from  Tops- 
field,  who  is  styled  in  sundry  papers  he  left  behind  him,  a 
tanner,  and  who  was  an  ancestor  of  the  present  John  Cummings, 
Jr.,  Esq.  But  tanners  in  Woburn  were  then  few  and  scarce ; 
and  it  has  recently  been  told  me  by  a  middle-aged  gentleman  of 
Burlington,  that  he  could  remember  the  time  when  it  used  to  be 
said,  that  "  old  Mr  Jonathan  Tidd,  of  New  Bridge,  was  the  only 
tanner  in  Woburn." 

But  since  Gen.  Abijah  Thompson  entered  into  the  business 
of  tanning,  etc.,  about  the  year  1814,  it  has  astonishingly  and 
with  great  rapidity  increased  in  Woburn.  According  to  the 
statistics  of  the  "  Industry  of  Massachusetts,"  for  the  year  ending 
May  I,  1865,  p.  419,  and  published  with  the  sanction  of  the 
Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth,  there  were  that  year  in  active 

6  "Paid  in  to  the  Treasurer  [1675]  by  John  Richison,  Constable,  in  silver 
and  debenters  all  advanced,  the  full  sum  of  -        -        -        -        £68  :16  :3 
"  paid  more  by  shoose  and  barly         -        -        -        -        -          08:11:6" 

Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  64,  65. 
8  Extract  from  Colony  Records,  by  Rev.  Joseph  B.  Felt. 


508  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

operation  in  Woburn  twenty-one  tanning  and  currying  estab- 
lishments, which  tanned  and  curried  leather  to  the  value  of 
$1,723,450,  and  employed  five  hundred  and  fifty-four  hands. 
There  were  also  four  establishments  for  making  patent  and 
enamelled  leather,  estimated  at  $285,550,  and  finding  employ 
for  fifty-eight  hands.  At  the  same  time,  there  were  manufac- 
tured in  the  town  758  pairs  of  boots  of  all  kinds,  and  of  shoes 
of  all  kinds  160,145  pairs,  the  making  of  which  boots  and  shoes 
employed  two  hundred  and  three  males  and  one  hundred  and 
five  females,  and  the  total  value  of  which  was  estimated  to  be 
$254,190.  And  although  in  this  latter  branch  of  business, — the 
manufacturing  of  boots  and  shoes, —  Woburn  was  excelled  in 
1865  by  two  or  three  towns  in  Middlesex  County,  as  Holliston 
and  Hopkinton,  yet  there  was  no  town  in  the  county  which  then 
equalled  it  in  the  extent  and  value  of  its  tanning  and  currying.7 

WEALTH.  —  An  almost  uninterrupted  increase  of  the  popula- 
tion and  business  of  the  town,  since  the  present  century  com- 
menced, has  vastly  increased  its  wealth.  Some  judgment  of  this 
increase  may  be  formed  by  comparing  the  taxes  of  1 800  and  of 
1865.  In  1800,  the  sum  assessed  for  town  purposes  was  only 
$2,205,  and  for  State  and  county  taxes,  $613.50,  making  a  total 
of  $2;818.50.8  But  in  1865,  the  sum  total  assessed  for  all  pur- 
poses, State,  county  and  town,  was  $8 7,432.3 7.9 
Again,  in  1865,  the  personal  property  assessed  in  Woburn 

was $2,068,021  00 

The  real  estate 3,144,455  00 


Total  valuation      -        -        -       $5,212,476  00 
Whereas  the  total  valuation  in  1860,  was      -         4,504,341  00 


Showing  a  gain  in  five  years,  of        $708,135  00 

WOBURN  BRANCH  RAILROAD.  —  Another  great  improvement 
made  in  the  condition  of  Woburn  during  the  present  century 

7  Industry  of  Massachusetts,  May  1, 1865,  p.  419. 
«  Town  Records,  Vol.  XILL,  pp.  26,  29,  30.  •  Town  Report,  1866,  p.  51. 


HISTORY  OP   WOBURN.  509 

has  resulted  from  the  establishment  of  the  Woburn  Branch 
Railroad.  This  road  was  chartered  in  1 843,  and  was  opened 
for  travel  December  30,  1844.  And  it  has  unquestionably  been 
the  means  of  greatly  enlarging  both  the  business  and  the  wealth 
of  the  town.  Such  are  the  facilities  it  affords  for  the  speedy 
transportation  both  of  persons  and  of  freight,  that  gentlemen  of 
Woburn  who  have  business  in  Boston,  or  goods  to  be  conveyed 
to  or  from  there,  may,  by  means  of  the  cars,  go  to  the  city  in  the 
morning,  transact  their  business,  and  return  to  Woburn  at  noon 
or  night,  if  they  please ;  and  thus  may  share  in  the  advantages 
of  Boston  for  trade,  combined  with  the  almost  uninterrupted 
enjoyment  of  domestic  intercourse  and  the  comforts  of  home. 

The  following  estimate,  kindly  furnished  me  by  Mr.  Alvah 
Wood,  ticket-master  on  this  road,  of  the  business  and  travel 
done  upon  it  for  one  year  between  Woburn  and  Boston,  or 
between  Woburn  and  some  or  other  of  the  towns  between, 
shows  that  the  citizens  of  Woburn  have  not  been  slow  to  per- 
ceive and  improve  the  privileges  which  this  road  afforded  them. 

u  The  amount  received  at  Woburn  Centre  for  tickets,  for  the 
year  1866,  was  -  -  -  -  $21,185  46 

« The  amount  received  for  local  freight  -  19,48611 

"  «  "  "  through  freight  -  70,9^  14 

"Total  collections  for  1866  -         -     $111,62371 
"  The  above  amount  is  exclusive  of  commutation  tickets,  of 

which  there  are  about  130,  which  at  $72  per  year,  would  add  to 

the  total  $9,360.  s 

"Number  of  passengers  [in  1866?]  from  Woburn  Centre, 

136,000." 

BUILDINGS.  —  Since  the  present  century  came  in,  the  vast 
increase  of  wealth  in  Woburn  has  effected  a  marked  improve- 
ment in  its  buildings  of  every  description.  In  1800,  the  only 
considerable  public  edifice  was  the  church  on  the  training-field  j 
and  that,  though  then  capacious  enough  to  accommodate  the 
people  in  their  weekly  worship,  was  erected  close  to  the  road 
from  Wilmington  to  Medford,  was  without  porch,  without  steeple, 
44* 


510  HISTORY   OF  WOBURN. 

and  had  nothing  of  elegance  to  recommend  it.  And  as  to  the 
private  dwelling-houses  of  the  town  at  that  period,  though, 
generally  speaking,  they  were  substantially  built,  neat  and  con- 
venient, yet  (if  we  may  except  the  Baldwin  mansion)  there  was 
nothing  beautiful  or  attractive  about  them.  But  now  we  see 
scattered  in  all  parts  of  the  town,  and  quite  thickly  in  the 
centre,  large  and  costly  dwelling-houses,  beautiful  to  look  to, 
and  some  even  approaching  magnificence.  We  see  a  convenient 
town-house,  instead  of  a  contracted  school-house,  or  a  small 
chamber  over  the  church  porch,  to  hold  town  meetings  in.  We 
see  a  Lyceum  Hall,  intended  for  large  gatherings  of  the  people 
on  secular  occasions,  unsurpassed  in  capaciousness  and  elegance 
by  few  if  any  buildings  in  the  neighborhood,  of  the  like  design. 
We  see  a  lofty  High  School  House,  which  is  an  ornament  and  an 
honor  to  the  town ;  and  we  see  four  houses  for  public  worship, 
all  of  them  highly  respectable  in  appearance,  and  well  adapted 
to  their  intended  use ;  and  two  ef  them  in  particular,  stately, 
imposing  (as  well  as  costly)  structures,  calculated  in  a  measure 
to  excite  in  a  spectator  from  abroad  those  sentiments  of  pious 
awe,  which  the  exercises  within  are  professedly  designed  to 
cherish  and  promote.  And  ere  many  months  have  passed  away, 
an  additional  church  to  the  above  four  may  be  expected  to  be 
seen  in  Woburn,  viz :  a  new  Catholic  church,  which  is  now  in 
process  of  erection,  and  which  promises  to  be  an  elegant  house 
of  worship,  and  sufficiently  large  to  accommodate  the  numerous 
worshippers  of  that  denomination  in  the  town. 

POOR  FARM.  —  During  the  latter  half  of  the  last  century,  the 
question  was  often  agitated  in  town  meeting,  What  shall  be 
done  with  the  helpless  poor,  instead  of  boarding  them  out  in 
private  families  ?  and  resolves  were  repeatedly  passed  to  build 
or  procure  a  workhouse,  in  which  the  poor  might  be  employed 
and  maintained.10  In  particular,  it  was  voted  at  a  general  town 
meeting,  April  7,  1794,  1.  To  have  the  poor  of  the  town  sup- 
ported in  a  workhouse;  2.  That  the  selectmen  be  a  committee 

10  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  pp.  56,  59;  Vol.  VHI.,  pp.  104, 147;  Vol.  XI.,  p.  153. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  511 

to  procure  a  house  for  that  purpose.  3.  That  the  selectmen 
should  not  support  or  assist  any  of  the  poor,  except  those  who 
live  in  the  workhouse.11  Nothing  effectual  however  was  then 
done  to  this  end  j  and  the  above  and  other  numerous  Resolves 
on  this  subject  all  came  to  nothing.  But  since  1800,  a  Poor 
Farm  of  suitable  extent,  with  the  requisite  buildings  thereon, 
has  been  purchased  by  the  town ;  and  the  poor  are  there  com- 
fortably provided  for;  and  the  old  matter  of  discussion  and 
debate  on  this  subject  has  been  put  to  rest. 

CEMETERY. —  The  original  Woburn  burying-ground  was  sit- 
uate, it  is  well  known,  on  the  hill  in  the  centre  of  the  town.  But 
this  revered  spot,  where  the  remains  of  the  honored  fathers  of 
the  town  were  committed  to  the  dust,  having  long  since  been 
filled,  a  place  for  a  new  burying-ground  was  purchased  not  far 
from  the  railroad  station,  about  the  close  of  the  last  century. 
But  this  too,  in  process  of  time,  proving  inadequate  for  the  pur- 
pose intended,  a  large  tract  of  ground  conveniently  situated  for 
a  public  Cemetery  for  a  town  like  Woburn,  has  been  purchased 
for  this  use  since  1 800.  This  tract,  now  enlarged  to  about  twenty- 
eight  or  thirty  acres,  has  been  securely  fenced,  and  laid  out  into 
lots,  which  have  been  taken  up  by  a  large  proportion  of  the  families 
in  the  place ;  and  many  of  them  are  now  distinguished  by  suitable 
ornaments,  and  exhibit  impressive  tokens  of  the  respectful  re- 
membrance cherished  by  the  living  in  Woburn  for  their  honored 
and  beloved  dead.  And  for  its  future  enlargement,  the  sum  of 
five  thousand  dollars  has  been  recently  left  by  Mr.  Sewell  Flagg, 
a  citizen  of  the  Town,  who  died  June  17, 1866. a 

u  Town  Records,  Vol.  XH.,  p.  141. 

a  Town  Report  for  1867,  p.  61.  The  town  voted,  April  7,  1845,  that  the 
selectmen  be  a  committee  to  purchase,  for  a  burial  place,  eight  or  ten  acres 
of  Mr.  Choate  (Hon.  Charles  Choate?)  which  had  been  offered  for  the 
purpose,  at  $75.00  per  acre.  At  the  same  time,  a  committee  of  three  was 
appointed  by  the  chair,  to  nominate  a  committee  of  five,  to  lay  out  the 
new  burial  ground.  Agreeably  to  its  instructions,  the  committee  of  five 
chosen,  viz :  Gen.  Abijah  Thompson,  Col.  Moses  F.  Winn,  Messrs.  Oliver 
C.  Rogers,  Samuel  T.  Richardson  and  Nathaniel  A.  Richardson,  laid  out 
the  ground  which  was  purchased  by  the  selectmen,  into  lots,  appraised 


512  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

SCHOOLS. —  Since  the  commencement  of  the  present  century, 
great  progress  has  been  made  in  the  public  schools  in  Woburn, 
and  in  measures  for  securing  a  good  education  therein.  In  1795, 
the  town  erected  within  its  then  bounds,  nine  school-houses,  build- 
ings of  contracted  dimensions  and  scanty  accommodations,  at  an 
expense  of  about  £600,  or  $2,000.12  In  1799,  at  the  incorpo- 
ration of  the  Second  Parish,  as  Burlington,  five  only  of  those 
school-houses,  estimated  as  worth  £350,  or  $1,126,  were  retained 
by  Woburn  j 12  and  in  each  of  them  was  kept  a  separate  school. 
But  in  1865,  the  town  had  twelve  school-houses,  most  of  them 
new,  large  and  handsome,  and  all  of  them  convenient  for  their 
intended  use ;  viz,  the  High  School  House,  the  Central  Advanced, 
and  ten  others  beside,  in  which  are  kept  twenty-two  schools, 
Primary,  Intermediate,  Advanced  or  Mixed,13  and  the  whole 
twelve,  with  their  fixtures  and  the  land  they  stamd  upon,  are 
valued  at  $55,500.13 

the  lots,  and  advertised  them  for  sale  at  auction,  October  30, 1845.  Previ- 
ously to  the  auction,  however,  this  burial  ground  was  solemnly  conse- 
crated to  its  intended  use  as  follows  : 

"  The  Order  of  the  Ceremonies  at  the  Consecration  of  the  Woburn 
Cemetery  on  Tuesday,  October  30,  1845,  was  as  follows,  viz  : 

'  1.  Invocation  by  Rev.  Webster  B.  Randolph. 

'  2.  Voluntary  by  the  Marion  Band. 

'  3.  Reading  of  the  Scriptures,  by  Rev.  Silas  B.  Randall. 

'  4.  An  Original  Hymn,  composed  for  the  occasion,  by  Mrs.  Mary  L. 
Bennett. 

'  5.  Address  by  Rev.  Joseph  Bennett. 

'  6.  Consecrating  Prayer,  by  Rev.  Luther  Wright. 

'  7.  Old  Hundred. 

'  8.  Benediction  by  Rev.  Silas  B.  Randall. 

'  The  day  was  fine,  and  the  ceremonies  were  very  interesting.  They 
commenced  at  one  o'clock,  P.  M.,  and  continued  for  about  an  hour.  It  has 
been  estimated  there  were  above  one  thousand  people  present  on  the  occa- 
sion." —  Notice  of  Nathan  Wyman,  Jr.,  town  clerk,  in  Town  Records,  Vol. 
XVI.,  p.  378. 

"  Town  Records,  Vol.  XII.,  pp.  143,  144, 195.  By  the  terms  of  separation, 
Woburn  was  entitled  to  six  of  the  nine  school-houses.  But  as  one  which 
belonged  to  it  stood  within  the  bounds  of  Burlington,  it  was  either  sold 
to  Burlington  at  auction,  according  to  order  of  the  town,  or  by  some 
mutual  agreement  Burlington  was  allowed  to  keep  it  in  possession.— 
Town  Records,  Vol.  XIII.,  pp.  21,  44,  45. 

u  Town  Report,  1866,  pp.  18,  50. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBUBN.  513 

In  1799,  after  the  separation  of  Burlington,  $300  was  voted 
for  the  support  of  schooling  in  Woburn.14  In  1800,  this  sum 
was  increased  to  $350,15  and  gradually  in  subsequent  years,  to 
$400,  to  $500,  to  $600,  etc.,  etc.,  and  April  20,  1839,  the  town 
voted  to  raise  $1,200  for  the  support  of  schools.  But  in  1865, 
the  town  was  at  the  cost  of  $10,500  and  upwards,  for  school 
purposes ;  from  which,  after  deducting  $400  paid  for  the  care 
of  school- rooms,  there  will  remain  $10,000  and  upwards,  appro- 
priated to  the  compensation  of  teachers.16 

Nor  is  the  progress  of  the  schools  in  Woburn  more  conspic- 
uous than  the  increased  number  and  accommodations  of  its  school- 
houses,  and  in  the  liberal  sums  latterly  granted  by  the  town  for 
the  payment  of  able  teachers  therein,  than  in  the  increased  variety 
of  studies  pursued  in  them,  the  improved  method  of  taking  those 
studies  in  orderly  succession,  and  the  standard  character  of  some, 
(at  least)  of  the  books  that  are  used.17 

The  books  introduced  into  the  Woburn  schools  in  1792,  by 
the  committee  appointed  "  to  recommend  some  uniform  system  of 
instruction,"  formed  by  no  means  a  contemptible  list.18  At  that 
that  day,  for  instance,  "  Perry's  Spelling  Book,"  and  "  Child's 
Friend,"  were  used  not  only  in  Woburn,  but  very  extensively  and 
successfully  elsewhere,  for  teaching  children  to  read  and  spell ; 
"  Pike's  Arithmetic"  was  a  text-book  in  Harvard  College,  as 
late  as  1800 ;  "  Cheever's  Accidence"  was  in  such  high  repute  for 
beginners  in  Latin,  that  it  passed  through  twenty  editions  from 
the  press,  —  and  was  still  further  recommended  by  the  long  and 
eminently  successful  experience  of  its  venerable  author,  Master 
Ezekiel  Cheever,  who  spent  nearly  seventy  years  of  his  life,  in 
teaching  at  New  Haven,  Ipswich,  Charlestown  and  Boston,  and 
who  died,  head  master  of  Boston  Latin  School,  in  1 708,  aged 
ninety-three.  And  as  to  "  Corderius,"  "Eutropius,"  and  "  Cas- 
talis,"  they  were  in  general  if  not  universal  use,  in  academies 
and  classical  schools,  as  suitable  introductions  to  Virgil  and 
Caesar's  Commentaries. 

»  Town  Records,  Vol.  XH.,  pp.  363-355.     •  "  Town  Records,  Vol.  Xm.,  pp.  13, 40. 
w  Town  Report,  1866,  pp.  18,  21. 

«  Town  Report,  1866,  pp.  43,  44,  compared  with  Town  Records,  Vol.  XII.,  p.  75. 
»  Town  Records,  Vol.  XII.,  p.  75. 


514  HISTORY   OP   WOBURN. 

But  what  gives  the  common,  public  schools  of  Woburn  of  the 
present  day  the  superiority  over  those  which  were  kept  there 
sixty  years  ago,  is  not  that  all  the  books  used  in  them  now  are 
decidedly  preferable  to  all  the  school-books  of  former  days ;  but 
it  is  the  orderly,  thorough  system  of  study  now  established  in 
them,  and  by  the  aid  of  which,  gradual  yet  sure  advances  are  now 
made  from  the  lower  and  easier  branches  of  learning  to  those 
which  are  higher,  but  more  intricate  or  difficult. 

In  the  public  schools  of  Woburn,  according  to  present  arrange- 
ments, there  is  a  regular  progressive  course  of  study,  calculated 
to  employ  each  scholar  who  goes  through  it,  fourteen  years ;  viz, 
three  years  in  the  primary  school,  till  he  be  eight  years  old ; 
three  years  in  the  intermediate ;  four  years  in  the  advanced  or 
grammar  school,  and  four  years  in  the  high  school,  where  his 
education  is  completed.  Beginning  with  the  first  rudiments  of 
learning  in  the  primary  school,  he  is  there  taught  Sargent's 
Charts,  Primer  and  First  Reader ;  Robinson's  Progressive  Pri- 
mary Arithmetic,  and  Cornell's  Primary  Geography ;  with  exer- 
cises on  the  slate  and  black-board.  After  remaining  three  years 
in  the  primary  school,  he  enters  the  intermediate  school,  where  he 
abides  three  years  more,  continuing  his  attention  to  reading  and 
spelling,  in  the  use  of  Sargent's  Second  Reader  and  Spelling 
Book ;  pursues  the  study  of  Robinson's  Progressive,  Intellectual, 
and  Rudiments  of  Written  Arithmetic,  and  Cornell's  Inter- 
mediate Geography ;  and  at  the  same  time  exercising  himself  in 
writing,  singing,  and  drawing  maps,  etc.,  on  the  slate  and  black- 
board. Three  years  afterwards,  he  is  admitted  into  the 
advanced  or  grammar  school,  where,  in  addition  to  continued 
attention  to  reading,  spelling  and  writing,  and  to  Robinson's 
arithmetics,  and  to  Cornell's  Geography,  he  takes  up  the  study 
of  familiar  science,  English  Grammar,  and  Lossing's  History  of 
the  United  States.  Finally,  after  being  connected  four  years 
with  the  grammar  school,  he  enters  the  high  school,  where  for 
four  years  more  he  enjoys  the  privilege  of  learning  Latin  or 
French,  and,  at  the  selection  of  his  parents,  algebra,  geometry, 
chemistry,  or  botany ;  ancient  or  modern  history ;  natural,  moral 
or  mental  philosophy;  astronomy,  Constitution  of  the  United 


HISTORY   OP   WOBUBN.  515 

States;  rhetoric,  and  miscellaneous  exercises  in  arithmetic, 
surveying,  geography,  book-keeping,  declamation,  English  lan- 
guage, reading,  composition.19 

PUBLIC  TOWN  LIBRARY. — This  important  and  valuable  In- 
stitution, unknown  to  the  inhabitants  of  Woburn  in  the  last 
century,  originated  in  the  suggestion  of  one  of  the  citizens  of  the 
town,  Jonathan  Bowers  Winn,  Esq.,  in  1854.  At  town  meeting, 
in  November,  that  year,  he  offered  to  give  towards  a  Free  Public 
Library  the  money  he  had  received,  as  a  member  of  the  Con- 
stitutional Convention  of  1853,  provided  the  town  would  give  a 
like  sum  for  the  same  purpose.  At  March  Meeting,  1855,  the 
town  voted  to  accept  Mr.  Winn's  offer;  and  appropriated  the 
sum  of  three  hundred  dollars,  to  be  expended,  with  Mr.  Winn's 
donation,  in  the  purchase  of  books  for  a  public  library.  It 
likewise  authorized  the  Selectmen  to  draw  from  the  treasury  such 
additional  sums  as  might  be  found  necessary  to  providing  a  room 
for  the  proposed  library,  and  fitting  it  up  with  suitable  con- 
veniences. It  also  chose  a  committee  of  seven  persons,  and  gave 
them  full  powers,  on  the  town's  behalf,  to  provide  and  furnish  a 
room,  to  purchase  books,  to  appoint  a  librarian,  and  to  establish 
all  necessary  By-Laws,  Rules  and  Regulations  for  the  observance 
of  those  who  should  make  use  of  the  library.20 

Thus  empowered,  the  Library  Committee,  consisting  of  J.  B. 
Winn,  Albert  H.  Nelson,  Esq.,  Joshua  P.  Convers,  Esq.,  Dr. 
Truman  Rickard,  Messrs.  Lewis  L.  Whitney,  Josiah  Linscott 
and  Albert  Thompson,  proceeded  promptly  to  fulfil  the  objects 
of  thuir  appointment.  They  purchased  books,  which  they  had 
selected  with  great  care,  for  the  library ;  they  prepared  a  room 
in  the  Town  Hall  for  its  reception ;  and  they  successfully  exerted 
their  influence  to  increase  their  means  for  enlarging  the  library, 
in  procuring  donations  both  of  money  and  books.  And  thus, 

19  Town  Report,  1866,  pp.  43,  44.  It  is  not  expected  that  each  scholar 
in  the  high  school  should  engage  in  the  study  of  all  the  branches  of  learn- 
ing here  enumerated,  but  only  of  such  as  their  respective  parents  should 
select,  and  prefer  to  have  them  pursue. 

»  Catalogue  of  1856,  pp.  3,  4. 


516  HISTORY   OP   WOBDRN. 

within  three  years  from  the  time  that  the  subject  was  first  men- 
tioned, they  had  the  satisfaction  of  publicly  announcing  that  a 
valuable  library  of  more  than  1,700  volumes  was  open,  without 
cost  or  charge,  to  .all  the  resident  citizens  of  the  town,  whether 
poor  or  rich,  who  were  twenty-one  years  of  age,  and  who  would 
subscribe  the  By-Laws  of  the  Institution,  and  conform  to  their 
requirements.20 

In  1865,  the  library  was  removed  to  a  locality  more  com- 
modious and  desirable  than  the  room  which  it  had  occupied 
hitherto  in  the  Town  Hall.  There  a  new  library  room  was 
fitted  up  for  it,  and  opened  in  October ;  the  books  were  arranged 
anew  j  an  addition  was  made  to  them  of  fifty  volumes  by  purchase ; 
of  three  hundred  and  seventy-five  volumes  which  had  once  be- 
longed to  the  Young  Men's  Society,  but  which  now,  with  the 
consent  of  the  surviving  Owners,  were  incorporated  with  the 
town  library ;  and  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  volumes  more, 
belonging  to  the  Agricultural  Library,  which,  with  the  consent  of 
the  proprietors,  were  now  deposited  in  the  town  library,  under 
the  care  of  the  town.21 

With  these  additions,  the  whole  number  of  books  belonging  to 
the  town  library,  according  to  the  catalogue  recently  prepared,  is 
3,298  : 21  and  to  provide  for  its  future  increase,  a  generous  legacy 
of  five  hundred  dollars,  bequeathed  for  its  benefit  in  the  Will  of 
the  late  Hon.  Bowen  Buckman,  Esq.,  who  died  November  16, 
1864,  has  been  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Selectmen.  This 
bequest  the  present  Library  Committee  recommend,  should  be 
allowed  to  remain  as  a  permanent  fund,  of  which  the  interest 
only  should  be  annually  expended.21 

Beside  the  town  library,  Woburn  has  three  other  institutions 
of  the  kind :  viz. 

1.  The  Charitable  Religious  Library,  connected  with  the  First 
Congregational  Church,  which  was  founded,   1807,  under  the 
auspices  of  Rev.  Mr.  Chickering,  and  which  now  contains  about 
eight  hundred  volumes.22 

2.  North  Woburn  Library,  founded  November  1840,  and  con- 
taining at  this  present  time  seven  hundred  and  five  volumes.23 

21  Town  Report  of  1866,  pp.  55-61. 
82  Dr.  Ephraim  Gutter.  **  Communication  of  N,  Wyman,  Esq.,  town  clerk. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  517 

3.  Woburn  Academy  Library,  containing  three  hundred  or 
four  hundred  volumes.22 

To  the  above  excellent  institutions,  and  a  few  others  of  a 
similar  character  that  might  be  named,  which  have  all  originated 
since  the  present  century  commenced,  may  be  added, 

1.  The  Woburn  Agricultural  and  Mechanic  Association,  incor- 
porated March  5,  1830:  J.  B.  Winn,  President;  John  Johnson, 
Secretary.23 

2.  The  Young  Men's  Literary  Association,  organized  November 
7,  1855 :  E.  F.  Wyer,  President,-  H.  A.  Carter,  Secretary.23 

3.  Irish  Literary  Association,  organized  1857.     Timothy  Cor- 
coran, President ;  Patrick  Murphy,  Secretary.23 

4.  Natural  History  Society,  organized  1859.     John  Cummings, 
Jr.,  President ;  J.  F.  Frisbie,  Secretary.23 

SABBATH  SCHOOLS. — With  this  popular  and  laudable  means  of 
imparting  and  widely  diffusing  religious  instruction  among  the 
young,  Woburn  is  well  provided.  In  former  days,  heads  of  fam- 
ilies in  this  as  well  as  in  other  towns  throughout  New  England 
appear  to  have  been  very  diligent  and  conscientious  in  teaching 
their  children  the  great  principles  of  the  Christian  religion  and 
morality  by  frequently  exercising  them  in  the  catechism  then  in 
use.  And,  accordingly,  an  aged  minister  in  this  vicinity  (now  I 
trust  in  heaven)  observed  some  years  ago,  in  conversing  with 
me  upon  Sabbath  Schools,  "  Why,  the  fact  is,  sir,  that  in  my  boy- 
hood, every  family  was  a  Sabbath  School."  Pastors  of  churches, 
too,  at  that  day,  were  accustomed  to  consider  themselves  as 
under  indispensable  obligations  to  hear  and  examine  the  chil- 
dren and  youth  of  their  respective  charges,  at  stated  times,  in 
the  catechism.  And  hence,  when  Rev.  John  Fox,  the  third 
minister  of  Woburn,  became  totally  blind,  as  he  was  for  several 
years  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  he  used,  it  is  said  on  good 
authority, 24  to  have  the  young  people  of  his  flock  come  at  times 
to  his  chamber,  and  there  to  catechise  them,  and  address  to  them 


*  Alden'g  Epitaphs,  Vol.  I.,  p.  229,  No.  238. 
45 


518  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

his  pious  counsels. a  And  on  the  other  hand,  one  of  the  charges 
alleged  (with  what  justice  I  cannot  say)  against  Rev.  Mr.  Sar- 
geant,  of  Woburn,  before  the  Council  that  dismissed  him  in 
1798,  was,  that  he  had  neglected  to  catechise  the  children  of  his 
people.25  But  since  the  introduction  and  establishment  of  Sab- 
bath Schools  in  this  town,  at  a  period  subsequent  to  the  com- 
mencement of  the  present  century,  they  seem  to  have  been 
welcomed  here  and  elsewhere  as  a  means  much  preferable  to 
the  catechism  for  instructing  the  young  in  the  knowledge  of 
Christian  truth  and  duty,  and  to  have  displaced,  in  very  con- 
siderable measure  at  least,  the  public  catechetical  exercises  of 
former  years. 

Woburn  contains  at  the  present  day  (1867)  seven  distinct 
Sabbath  Schools,  viz : 

1.  Baptist,  organized  May  1818.  No.  of  Scholars,  3S926 

2.  First  Congregational,     «      June  17, 1818.  «          575 ** 

3.  North  Woburn  Congl.,  «      November  1846.        "          15026 

4.  Methodist,  «      August  1, 1850.          "          141 » 

5.  Unitarian,  "      May  1853.  «          16526 

6.  Protestant  Episcopal,    "      June  1866.  "          '  4026 

7.  Roman  Catholic,  "          200 28 


Making  a  total  of  1,610 

children  and  youth,  who  enjoy  the  inestimable  privilege  of  weekly 
instruction  in  the  all-important  truths  and  duties  of  religion  and 

»  Such  too,  apparently,  was  the  custom  of  Rev.  Mr.  Jackson,  junior  col- 
league to  Rev.  Mr.  Fox.  He  used  the  Catechism  in  teaching  the  children 
and  youth  of  his  congregation  the  great  truths  of  religion  and  morality. 
Prince,  a  negro  slave,  (belonging  to  Rev.  Timothy  Walker,  first  minister 
of  Penacook,  now  Concord,  N.  H.),a  who  originated  in  Woburn,  and  who 
eventually  returned  to  Woburn  again,  and  died  here  in  the  almshouse, 
September  6,  1825,  aged  115  years,  once  'told  Col.  Leonard  Thompson  of 
this  town,  that  he  remembered  Mr.  Jackson's  hearing  him  repeat  his  cate- 
chism.b 

»  Boutou's  History  of  Concord,  N.  H.,  pp.  252,  253.  b  Col.  Leonard  Thompson. 

25  Address  to  the  Council  by  the  Joint  Committee  of  the  Church  and  Parish.  See  Parish 
Records,  Vol.  HI.,  p.  46. 

«•  Communication  of  N.  Wyman,  Esq.,  town  clerk. 

27  Congregational  Quarterly,  January  1867,  page  73. 

»  Communication  of  Rev.  Father  Qually,  May  1867. 


HISTORY   OF   WOBURN.  519 

morality,  of  whom  a  considerable  proportion  derive  no  benefit 
on  these  topics  from  parental  teachings  and  example,  and  who, 
destitute  of  the  advantage  in  these  respects  which  the  Sabbath 
Schools  afford  them,  might  be  left  to  grow  up  in  heathenish  igno- 
rance, the  pests  of  civil  society,  and  the  grief  of  any  Christian 
community  in  which  they  reside. 

Bank. —  No  public  institution  for  furnishing  money  upon  loan 
existed  in  Woburn  previously  to  1800.  The  Bank  of  Woburn 
was  incorporated  in  1853.  with  a  capital  stock  of  $100,000.  It 
has  since,  viz,  in  January  1865,  been  changed  to  "First  National 
Bank"  of  Woburn,  with  its  capital  stock  increased  to  $300,000.29 
It  is  a  prosperous  institution ;  affords  a  safe  and  profitable  in- 
vestment for  money ;  and  proves  a  great  accommodation  to  the 
business  men  of  the  town.  Abijah  Thompson,  President;  E.  J. 
Jenks,  Cashier.29 

Woburn  Five  Cents  Savings  Bank]  Incorporated,  April  1854: 
Amount  of  deposits,  $90,379.57.  Abijah  Thompson,  President; 
James  N.  Dow,  Secretary.29 

An  excellent  though  recent  institution ;  affording  the  poor,  the 
fatherless  and  the  widow,  a  means  of  saving  a  portion  of  their 
scanty  earnings,  which  might  otherwise  have  been  thoughtlessly 
wasted  and  scattered  to  the  winds ;  and  of  gathering  in  time,  by 
little  and  little,  a  sum,  which  in  some  unforeseen  exigency,  may 
prove  a  source  to  them  of  unspeakable  comfort  and  advantage. 

Woburn  Gas  Light  Company. —  Incorporated  1854 :  Gas  works 
built,  1855.  Commenced  making  gas,  January  10, 1856.  D.  D. 
Hart,  President  in  1867;  Aaron  Thompson,  Treasurer.29 

A  most  useful  association,  though  of  modern  origin ;  which,  by 
the  gas  its  managers  produce,  renders  the  streets  of  Woburn 
passable  with  comfort  and  safety  by  night,  as  well  as  by  day ; 
and  furnishes  the  means  of  lighting  up  halls,  and  places  of  popu- 
lar resort  in  the  evening  with  a  brilliant  light,  which  largely  con- 
tributes to  the  ease  and  pleasure  with  which  public  speakers 

»  Communication  of  N.  Wyman,  Esq.,  town  clerk. 


520  HISTORY   OP  WOBURN. 

may  be  heard  on  various  interesting  occasions,  by  the  crowds 
who  assemble  to  listen  to  their  addresses. 

-,  MASONIC  INSTITUTIONS. 

Mount  Horeb  Lodge.  —  Instituted  in  1856:  contains  at  pres- 
ent (1867)  about  eighty  members.  T.  G.  DAVIS,  Master;  C.  K. 
CONN,  Secretary.30 

Good  Samaritan  Lodge.  —  Instituted  October  17,  1865;  No. 
of  members,  two  hundred  and  fifty.  GEORGE  H.  WOODSIDE,  C. 
T. ;  FREDERIC  W.  ELLIS,  Secretary.30 

FIRE  DEPARTMENT. 

An  Act  of  the  Legislature,  1851,  establishing  a  Fire  Depart- 
ment in  Woburn,  was  accepted  April  7,  185 1.31 

"  The  Woburn  Fire  Department  is  organized  as  follows : 

"  Chief  Engineer  and  four  assistant  engineers. 

"  Steam  Fire  Engine, '  Woburn  No.  1,'  built  by  the  Amoskeag 
Manufacturing  Company,  Manchester,  N.  H. ;  in  charge  of  an 
engineer,  fireman  and  driver. 

"'Independent'  Hose  Company,  No.  1,  consists  of  twenty 
members.  They  have  charge  of  a  beautiful  four-wheeled  hose 
carriage,  built  by  Button,  of  New  York,  and  1,200  feet  service- 
able hose. 

"  Hook  and  Ladder  Company,  No.  1,  consists  of  fifteen  mem- 
bers. They  have  a  serviceable  truck,  well  supplied  with  hooks, 
ladders,  ropes,  rakes,  axes,  etc.  These  three  companies  are 
located  on  Railroad  Street. 

" '  Jacob  Webster '  Engine  Company,  No.  2,  consists  of  thirty- 
nine  members.  They  have  a  very  good  Howard  &  Davis  hand 
engine,  and  all  the  apparatus  usual  with  such  machines.  This 
company  is  at  North  Woburn. 

u  Washington  Engine  Company,  No.  3,  consists  of  one  hun- 
dred and  seventeen  members.  They  have  a  machine  the  exact 
counterpart  of  No.  2.  This  company  is  at  Cummingsville. 

so  Communication  of  N.  Wyman,  Esq.,  town  clerk. 
M  Town  Records,  Vol.  XVII.,  p.  332. 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  521 

"  Niagara  Engine,  No.  1,  is  at  present  without  a  company;  but 
is  kept  in  good  order,  and  can  be  used  in  an  emergency.  It  is 
kept  in  the  basement  of  the  First  Congregational  Meeting- 
house." 

"From  JOHN  L.  PARKER."32 

CHARITABLE  READING  SOCIETY. 

Lastly  (though  it  be  not  the  least  of  the  numerous  benevolent 
associations  in  Woburn),  must  be  noticed  the  "  Charitable  Read- 
ing Society  of  Woburn,  connected  with  the  First  Congregational 
Church."  This  society  originated  with  a  young  lady,  who,  con- 
ceiving a  strong  desire  to  see  established  in  Woburn  an  associa- 
tion for  self-improvement  and  doing  good  to  others,  similar  to 
one  whose  good  fruits  she  had  witnessed  in  Boston  during  the 
winter  of  1814—15,  communicated  her  desire  on  her  return  to 
another  young  lady  of  Woburn,  of  a  kindred  spirit.  These  two 
combined,  and  drew  up  a  skeleton  constitution  for  such  a  society 
as  they  wished  for,  which  they  submitted  to  their  pastor,  Rev. 
Mr.  Chickering,  for  his  revision;  and  when  they  received  it 
from  his  hands  amended  and  approved,  they  immediately  put  it 
in  circulation  through  the  town  for  signatures.  It  was  speedily 
returned  to  them,  with  the  addition  of  thirty  names  besides  their 
own.  And  then,  agreeably  to  an  article  of  the  constitution,  they 
met  at  the  Town  Hall,  on  Wednesday  P.  M.,  June  21,  1815,  to 
organize.  At  that  meeting,  they  elected  their  pastor's  wife,  Mrs. 
Betsey  Chickering,  for  their  President;  and  chose  all  the  other 
requisite  officers  in  due  form :  and  though  within  five  months 
from  their  organization,  they  and  the  whole  community  were 
afflicted  with  poignant  grief  by  the  death  of  their  lovely  and  be- 
loved President,  yet  they  did  not  give  way  to  discouragement. 
The  society  still  lived ;  the  vacancy  caused  by  their  President's 
death  was  in  due  time  filled  by  the  election  of  Mrs.  Mary  B. 
Wyman ;  and  before  the  first  year  of  the  society  had  expired, 
thirty-three  new  members  were  added  to  their  list. 

The  rules  and  customs  of  this  society  were,  to  meet  once  a 

M  Communicated  by  Nathan  Wyman,  Esq.,  September  24,  1867. 
45* 


522  HISTORY   OF   WOBURN. 

month  cither  at  the  house  of  some  member,  or  in  the  room  over 
the  porch  of  the  Congregational  meeting-house,  then  used  as  a 
Town  Hall ;  to  open  each  meeting  with  reading  a  portion  from 
the  Scriptures,  and -to  offer  prayer  from  a  prayer-book  procured 
for  them  by  Rev.  Mr.  Chickering :  but  this  form  of  devotional 
exercise  was  at  an  early  period  exchanged  for  extempore  prayer. 
Then  followed  the  appointment  of  committees  to  search  out  and 
to  visit  the  poor,  sick  and  infirm ;  the  hearing  of  reports  of  com- 
mittees previously  appointed  for  this  purpose ;  and  the  granting 
of  needed  relief  from  funds  raised  principally,  at  first,  from  a 
monthly  contribution  by  each  member  of  sixty  cents  each.  Next 
followed  reading,  by  one  or  more  of  the  members,  portions  of 
some  interesting  and  instructive  publications,  such  as  Blair's 
Sermons,  Hunter's  Sacred  Biography,  Mason  on  Self  Knowledge, 
Mary  Lundie  Duncan,  Lady  Huntington,  Parsons  Cooke  on  Be- 
nevolence, and  occasionally  extracts  from  the  Boston  Recorder 
or  Panoplist,  the  Missionary  Herald,  and  "  various  magazines  and 
reports,  calculated  to  raise  the  standard  of  benevolence  by  ap- 
prising us  of  the  world's  want  and  wretchedness." 

This  society  celebrated  its  fiftieth  anniversary,  21st  June, 
1865,  in  the  First  Congregational  Church,  with  the  mutual 
friendly  greetings  of  its  members  both  resident  and  from  abroad, 
and  with  appropriate  exercises  and  addresses.  From  the  pro- 
ceedings on  that  occasion,  which  were  afterwards  published,  it 
appears,  that  during  the  fifty  years  of  the  society's  existence 
then  completed,  a  total  of  $2,500  had  been  raised  in  money,  and 
paid  out  for  various  benevolent  objects.  Of  this  sum,  $817  had 
been  bestowed  on  the  poor  about  home,  beside  clothing  and 
other  necessaries  not  counted ;  a  large  share  had  been  used  in 
fitting  out  children  for  the  Sunday  School ;  several  promising 
young  men  had  been  assisted  in  their  efforts  to  obtain  a  liberal 
education;  ministers,  churches  and  colleges  in  straitened  cir- 
cumstances had  been  helped;  contributions  had  been  made  to 
several  Missionary  Societies,  both  domestic  and  foreign;  and 
certain  missionaries  in  foreign  lands  had  received  benefactions ; 
the  Christian  Commission,  the  Sanitary  Commission,  Sabbath 
School  Missions,  the  Freedman's  Aid  Society,  and  the  Congrega- 


HISTORY   OP   WOBURN.  523 

tional  Aid  Society,  had  all  tasted  the  bounty  of  the  Charitable 
Reading  Society  of  Woburn.  Nor  must  it  be  forgotten  or  over- 
looked that  this  society  was  the  immediate  instrument,  under 
God,  of  getting  up  the  sabbath  school  in  the  First  Congrega- 
tional Society  within  three  years  from  its  own  organization.  At 
a  meeting,  May  6,  1818,  several  members  expressed  themselves 
as  anxious  to  establish  a  sabbath  school,  but  no  vote  was  taken. 
June  3d,  it  was  voted  to  establish  one.  A  special  meeting  for 
this  purpose  was  called,  to  be  held  June  17th,  at  the  Town  Hall. 
A  Constitution,  which  had  been  prepared,  was  then  read  twice, 
adopted,  and  a  board  of  managers  (three  of  whom  were  living 
at  the  late  anniversary  meeting)  and  a  board  of  twelve  lady 
teachers  were  chosen. 

Presidents  of  this  Society  for  the  first  fifty  years. 

1815.  Mrs.  BETSEY  CHICKERING. 

1816.  Mrs.  MARY  B.  WYMAN. 

1818,  20.     Mrs.  SARAH  CHICKERING. 

1819.  Miss  SUSAN  CLAPP  ? 
1821.     Mrs.  E.  LEATHE. 

1822-Feb.  1846.     Mrs.  MARY  BENNETT. 
1846-47-48.     Mrs.  CELINDA  THOMPSON. 
1849-50-51.     Mrs.  ANNA  B.  THOMPSON. 
1852-53-54.     Mrs.  N.  B.  GRAMMER. 
1855.     Mrs.  A.  G.  CARTER.33 

In  reviewing  the  statements  presented  in  this  chapter,  showing 
the  advances  which  Woburn  has  made  this  century  thus  far,  in 
matters  pertaining  to  the  present  comfort  and  respectability,  and 
to  the  future  happiness  of  all  her  inhabitants,. well  may  her  aged 
citizens  exclaim,  What  hath  God  wrought  for  us !  How  many, 
and  how  beneficial  have  been  the  changes  which  He  in  his  kind 
Providence  has  accomplished  for  this  place !  Be  thankful,  my 
friends,  if  in  any  measure  he  has  employed  you  as  his  instru- 
ments for  effecting  so  much  for  the  cause  of  humanity,  and  for 
the  promotion  of  your  own  benefit,  and  that  of  your  children,  and 

83  Proceedings  at  celebration  of  fiftieth  anniversary,  1865. 


524  HISTORY   OP  WOBURN. 

children's  children,  yet  unborn.  Ascribe  praise  and  thanksgiving 
to  him  for  the  honorable  distinction  He  has  thus  bestowed  on 
you.  While  life  is  spared,  and  your  opportunities  are  lengthened 
out,  still  labor  to  be  continuing  and  multiplying  and  increasing 
the  benefits  conferred  by  you  on  this  place  of  your  nativity  or 
long  continued  residence.  Encourage  those,  who  are  rising  up 
to  take  the  places  you  have  so  creditably  filled,  to  pursue  a 
course  like  to  that  which  you  have  followed,  and  which,  with  the 
smiles  of  Heaven,  has  resulted  in  so  much  good,  to  yourselves 
and  to  them:  that  when  you  quit  this  stage  of  action,  others 
whom  you  leave  behind  may  call  you  blessed ;  may  praise  God 
for  you,  and  for  others  of  a  like  spirit  who  have  gone  before  you, 
and  say,  Behold  the  men  by  whom  Woburn  has  been  built  up ! 

Young  men  of  Woburn,  allow  an  old  man  who  wishes  you  all 
well,  for  your  fathers'  sake  as  well  as  your  own,  to  address  you 
with  a  few  words  of  congratulation  and  advice.  You  are  about 
to  enter  on  the  cultivation  of  fields  in  which  others  have  wrought 
before  you ;  to  reap  the  fruits  of  their  toil,  and  to  enjoy  the 
privileges  and  advantages  which  they  have  labored  to  procure  or 
prolong  to  you.  I  rejoice  in  the  happy  lot  which  has  fallen  to 
you,  and  which,  it  may  be  truly  said,  far  exceeds  that  of  hundreds, 
nay  thousands  of  others,  even  in  this  favored  land.  But  remem- 
ber that  of  them  to  whom,  much  is  given,  much  will  be  required. 

Be  thankful  then  to  God  for  the  auspicious  circumstances  under 
which  you  enter  upon  the  duties  and  cares  and  labors  of  life. 
Resolve,  in  his  strength  (which  daily  implore),  that  the  choice 
favors  you  inherit  shall  not  diminish  or  turn  to  no  account  in 
your  hands.  Improve  well  the  means  of  enlarging  your  knowl- 
edge, which  your  predecessors  have  so  liberally  provided. 
Accustom  yourselves  to  the  active,  industrious  habits  which  you 
have  observed  in  them.  In  transacting  the  business  of  your 
several  callings,  and  in  all  your  dealings  with  others  around  you, 
use  those  methods  only  which  the  wise  and  good  before  you  have 
sanctioned  by  their  instructions  and  example.  Imbibe  and  cher- 
ish that  public  spirit  which  they  have  manifested  in  aiming  at 
the  good  of  others,  as  well  as  their  own,  in  the  various  sacrifices 
and  generous  exertions  they  have  made.  In  a  word,  assured  of 


HISTORY   OP   WOBUBN.  525 

the  intimate,  inseparable  connection  there  is  between  religious, 
virtuous  principle  and  action,  with  all  real,  lasting  prosperity, 
both  private  and  public  (a  truth  which  you  have  seen  illustrated 
and  proved  in  so  many  instances  of  actual  fact,  in  the  foregoing 
history),  make  it  your  habitual  concern  to  shun  what  is  base  and 
dishonorable,  to  practise  whatsoever  things  are  pure,  just,  lovely 
and  of  good  report;  and  to  seek  to  prosper  in  your  several 
worldly  employments  in  those  ways  only  which  are  enjoined  by 
the  precepts  and  recommended  by  the  example  of  the  meek  and 
lowly  Jesus,  and  by  the  gospel  of  his  grace.  So  may  you  con- 
fidently expect  that  the  God  of  Heaven,  the  God  of  your  fathers, 
your  own  God,  will  guide  and  keep,  prosper  and  bless  you  in  all 
your  affairs  and  concerns ;  will  make  all  things  work  for  your 
good;  will  give  you  the  satisfaction,  as  you  proceed  in  your 
earthly  course,  of  seeing  the  continued  and  increasing  prosperity 
of  this  place  of  your  abode,  as  being  the  result,  in  some  good 
degree,  under  God,  of  your  benevolent  efforts ;  and  before  you 
pass  away,  will  impart  to  you  joy  unspeakable  in  reflecting  that 
you  have  not  lived  in  vain ;  that  you  have  employed  your  time 
and  talents  and  means  for  good,  in  promoting  the  designs  of 
their  Divine  Author,  and  so  as  to  secure  through  the  Saviour  his 
everlasting  approbation  and  reward. 


APPENDIX 


HISTORY    OF  WOBURN. 


APPENDIX,  No.   I. 

TOWN  ORDERS  FOR  WOBURN,  AGREED  UPON   BY  THE   COMMIS- 
SIONERS AT  THEIR  FIRST  MEETING,  DECEMBER   18,   1640. 

[Omitting  the  Preamble.] 

"  It  is  required  that  all  persons  admitted  to  be  Inhabitance  in 
the  said  Towne  shall  by  voluntary  Agreement  subscribe  to  these 
Orders  following ;  upon  which  Condistion,  they  are  admited. 

"  First  Order  for  Sixpenc  an  Acre."  "  For  the  caring  one  [car- 
rying on]  Common  Charges,  all  such  persons  as  shall  bee  thought 
meete  to  haue  land  and  admittance  for  Inhabitance,  shall  paye  for 
every  Acre  of  land  formerly  layd  out  by  Charlestowne,  but  now  in 
the  limmets  of  Woburne,  six  pence  ;  and  for  all  hereafter  layd  out, 
twelve  pence. 

"  Second  Order :  to  returne  their  lotts,  if  not  improved  in  15 
months"  "  Every  person  taking  lott  or  land  in  the  said  Towne 
shall  within  fiueteen  monthes  after  the  laying  out  of  the  same, 
bulde  [build]  for  dwelling  therone,  and  improve  the  said  land  by 
planting  ether  in  part  or  in  whole  ;  or  surrender  the  same  upp  to  the 
towne  againe :  also  they  shall  not  make  sale  of  it  to  any  person 
but  such  as  the  Towne  shall  approve  of." 

"  Thurd  Order :  about  fencing"  " That  all  manner  of  persons 
shall  fence  their  Catell  of  all  sorts  ether  by  fence  or  keeper :  only 
it  is  Required  all  garden  plots  and  orchards  shall  bee  well  inclosed 
ether  by  pale  or  otherwayes." 

"  Jfourth  Order  about  Inmats"  "  That  Noe  maner  of  person 
shall  entertayne  Inmate,  ether  married  or  other,  for  longer  time 
than  three  days,  without  the  consent  of  fower  [four]  of  the  Select- 
men :  Every  person  ofending  in  this  perticqler  [particular]  shall 
paye  to  the  use  of  the  Towne  for  every  day  they  offend  herein  six 
pence." 

fiuft  Order :  about  timber"  "  That  noe  person  shall  sell  or  cutt 
any  younge  Oake  lyke  to  bee  good  timber,  under  eaight  inches 
square,  upon  forfitur  [forfeiture]  of  flue  shillings  for  euery  such 
offence." 

46 


530 


APPENDIX,  NO.   II. 


"  These  Persons  subscribed  to  these  Orders.' 


"  Edward  Johnson 
Edward  Conuars 
John  Mousall% 
EzekiU  Richison 
Samuwell  Richison 
Thomas  Richison 
William  Leraedt 
James  Thomson 
John  Wright 
Michall  Bacon 
John  Seers 
John  Wyman 
flrances  Wyman 
Mr  Thomas  Graues 
Nicholas  Dauis 
Nicholas  Treerice 


John  Carter 
Jams  Conuars 
Danill  Bacon 
Edward  Winne 
Henery  Bolden 
ffrances  Kendall 
John  Teed 
Henery  Tottingham 
Richerd  Lowden 
Will.  Greene 
Benjamen  Butterffeild 
Henery  Jefts 
Jams  Parker 
John  Russell 
Jams  Britten 
Thomas  ffuller."  » 


APPENDIX,   No.   II. 

LINES  m  VERSE  BY  CAPT.  EDWARD  JOHNSON, 

Referring  to  the  difficulties  encountered  by  him  and  the  otJier  Com- 
missioners for  the  Settlement  of  Woburn,  and  prefixed  by  him  to 
the  Town  Records,  Vol.  L,p.  1. 

"RECORDS  FOR  THE  TOWNE  OP  WOBURNE, 

ffrom  the  year  1640  :  the  8  :  day  of  th :  10  month : 

Paulisper  Fui. " 

In  peniles  [pennyless]  age  I  Woburne  Towne  began : 
Charls  Towne  first  mou'd  the  Court  my  lins  to  span : 
To  vewe  my  land  place,  Compild  body  [to]  reare, 
Nowell,  Sims,  Sedgwick,  thes  my  patrons  were. 
Sum  fearing  I'le  grow  great  upon  these  grounds, 
Poore  I  wase  putt  to  nurs  among  the  Clownes ; 
Who  being  taken  with  such  myghty  things 
As  had  bin  work  of  Noble  Queeins  and  Kings, 


1  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  2. 


APPENDIX,  NO.   III.  531 

Till  Babe  gan  crye  and  great  disturbance  make, 

Nurses  Eepent  they  did  her  undertake. 

One  l  leaues  her  quite ;  another  2  hee  doth  hie 

To  foren  lands  free  from  the  Baby's  crye  : 

To  [two]  3  more  of  seauen,  seeing  nursing  prou'd  soe  thwarte, 

Thought  it  more  ease  in  following  of  the  Carte. 

A  naighbour  by,  4  hopeing  the  Babe  wold  bee 

A  pritty  Girle,  to  rocking  her  went  hee. 

Too  [two]  5  nurses  less  undanted  then  [than]  the  rest 

ffirst  howses  fflnish  :  thus  the  Girle  gane  drest. 

Its'  rare  to  see  how  this  poore  Towne  did  rise 

By  weakest  means  :  two  [too]  weake  in  great  ones  Eys  : 

And  sure  it  is,  that  mettells'  deere  Exstraction 

Had  neuer  share  in  this  poore  Town's  Erextion ; 

Without  which  metall  and  sum  fresh  supplys  [supplies] 

Patrons  conclud  she  neuer  upp  wold  rise. 

If  ever  she  mongst  ladys  haue  a  station, 

Say  'twas  ffrom  Parents,  not  her  education. 

And  now  conclud  the  Lord's  owiie  hand  it  was, 

That  with  weak  means  did  bring  this  work  to  pass ; 

Not  only  Towne,  but  Sister  Church  to  [too]  ade  [add] 

Which  out  of  dust  and  ashes  now  is  had. 

Then  all  inhabit  Woburne  Towne,  stay  make 

The  Lord,  not  means,  of  all  you  undertake. 

[Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  1.] 


APPENDIX,  No.   III. 

OLD  AND  NEW  STYLE. 

The  distinction  between  Old  Style  and  New  owes  its  origin 
to  the  difference  in  length  between  the  Julian  year  and  the  Solar. 
The  Julian  year  (so  named  from  Julius  Cassar,  who  instituted 
this  way  of  reckoning  time)  consisted  of  365  days  and  6  hours ; 
making  three  consecutive  years  of  365  days  each,  and  the  one 
next  following  of  366  days,  to  be  equivalent  to  four  years  of 
the  above  denomination.  The  Julian  year  was  in  general  use 
throughout  Christendom,  in  the  computation  of  time,  from  the 
sitting  of  the  Nicene  Council,  A.  D.  325,  till  A.  D.  1582.  It 

i  Ezeklel  Richardson.  *  Thomas  Graves. 

*  Samuel  and  Thomas  Richardson  ?  «  Edward  Johnson. 

e  Edward  Oonvers,  built  at  the  Mill ;  and  John  Mousall,  on  "  Hilly  Way." 


532  APPENDIX,  NO.   III. 

was  then  ascertained  by  accurate  observation,  that  it  exceeded 
the  Solar  year  (or  that  which  was  measured  by  the  apparent 
annual  motion  of  the  sun  from  one  point  till  his  return  to  the 
same  point  again)  a  little  more  than  eleven  minutes.  This 
excess,  amounting  to  a  day  in  about  131  years,  or  to  three  days 
in  400  years,  had  arisen,  in  1582,  to  about  ten  days  since  the 
Nicene  Council,  A.  D.  325,  when  the  vernal  equinox  was  on 
March  21st,  but  was  now  thrown  back  to  March  llth.  As  this 
change  had  caused  derangement  in  the  computation  of  Easter 
day,  that  great  festival  of  the  Church,  which  was  regulated  by  the 
day  on  which  that  equinox  occurred,  Pope  Gregory  XIU.,  the 
then  Roman  pontiff,  ordered  that  ten  days  should  be  omitted  in 
the  Calendar  reckoning,  thus  restoring  the  vernal  equinox  to  its 
old  place  in  the  Calendar,  the  21st  of  March.  And  to  prevent 
a  recurrence  of  the  error,  he  further  directed,  that  the  Bissextile 
or  Leap  year  should  be  omitted  thrice  every  four  hundred  years, 
viz  :  in  each  centennial  year,  the  two  first  figures  of  which  could 
not  be  divided  by  four  without  a  remainder,  as  A.  D.  1700,  1800, 
and  1900,  and  be  reckoned  only  in  those  centennial  years  which 
could  bear  such  division,  as  A.  D.  1600  and  2000.  This  method 
of  computing  time  was  called,  from  its  author,  the  Gregorian,  or 
otherwise,  the  New  Style ;  and  was  speedily  adopted  in  all  or 
most  Catholic  countries.  But  in  Great  Britain,  the  Julian  or 
Old  Style  was  still  retained;  and  the  year  1700  being  consid- 
ered there  as  a  Leap  year,  the  difference  between  the  Old  and 
the  New  Style  was  now  increased  to  eleven  days.  But  in  1 752, 
New  Style  was  adopted  in  Great  Britain  and  its  American 
dependencies;  and  the  Calendar  was  corrected  by  dropping 
eleven  days  in  September ;  thus  bringing  it  into  conformity  with 
the  Gregorian  Calendar.  But  in  Russia,  Old  Style  is  still  con- 
tinued; and  the  year  1800  having  consequently  been  accounted 
there  as  a  Leap  year,  the  difference  in  that  empire  between  Old 
Style  and  New  is  grown  to  be  twelve  days.  From  the  above 
statements,  it  is  plain,  that  to  reduce  dates  in  England  and  this 
country  from  Old  Style  to  New,  ten  days  must  be  added  for 
events  that  occurred  between  1600  and  1700;  and  eleven  days 
for  such  as  took  place  between  1700  and  the  adoption  of  New 


APPENDIX,  NO.   III.  533 

Style  in  Great  Britain  and  its  American  Colonies  in  1752.  The 
landing  at  Plymouth,  for  instance,  was  on  December  11,  1620, 
Old  Style,  answering  to  December  21st,  New  Style.  And  the 
birthday  of  Washington  occurring  February  11, 1732,  Old  Style, 
its  date  in  New  Style  is  February  22d. 

Moreover,  in  countries  which  adopted  the  New  Style  at  its 
introduction  in  1582,  the  year  began  with  January  1st;  whereas, 
in  Great  Britain  and  its  American  colonies,  March  was  anciently 
regarded  as  the  first  month  of  the  new  year,  and  January  and 
February  as  the  eleventh  and  twelfth  months  of  the  year  preceding. 
For  instance,  the  first  choice  of  Selectmen  in  Woburn  is  recorded 
to  have  taken  place  on  the  13th  of  the  2d  month,  (April  13th,) 
1644;  the  second  choice  on  the  19th  of  12th  month,  "1644" 
(viz:  19th  of  February,  1644-5);  and  the  third  choice,  on  the 
3d  of  the  1st  month,  (3d  of  March,)  1646.  l 

But  though  March  was  then  called  in  England  and  its  depen- 
dencies the  first  month  of  the  year,  yet  in  the  eye  of  the  law  the 
first  day  of  the  year  was  not  till  March  25th,  or  Lady  Day. 
Accordingly,  Governor  Winthrop,  in  writing  to  his  wife  from 
aboard  the  Arbella,  as  he  was  about  to  sail  for  New  England, 
dates  his  letter  March  22,  1629 ;  and  yet  dates  another  letter, 
written  to  her  from  aboard  the  same  ship  only  six  days  after, 
March  28,  1630.2 

Again,  events  that  took  place  before  1752,  between  March  1st 
and  March  25th,  were  designated  in  England  and  this  country 
by  a  double  date,  as  March  10th,  -Bit-;  for  though  they  happened 
in  the  first  month  of  the  new  year,  yet  the  law  regarded  them 
as  having  taken  place  in  the  old  year ;  so  that  they  were  practi- 
cally accounted  as  belonging  to  a  period  of  time  that  was  com- 
mon to  both  years.  And  for  a  like  reason,  the  custom  of  dou-i 
ble  dating  came,  at  length,  to  be  extended  to  events  in,  January 
and  February,  as  occurring  in  the  year  preceding,  according  to 
Old  Style,  and  in  the  year  following,  according  to  the  New. 

1  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  6-8. 

»  WinUirop's  History,  by  Savage,  Vol.  I.,  Append!*,  pp.  440,  44^ 

46* 


534  APPENDIX,  NO.   IV. 

APPENDIX,   No.   IV. 

CHURCH  COVENANT. 

The  Covenant  agreed  upon  by  the  founders  of  the  Church  of  Woburn 
in.  1642,  and  copied  from  Johnson's  Wonderworking  Providence,  in  the 
account  given  of  the  gathering  of  this  church  in  Chapter  I.  of  this  History, 
appears  to  have  continued  unchanged  till  1756,  when  the  following  was 
adopted,  probably  on  the  recommendation  of  Rev.  Mr.  Sherman,  the  junior 
pastor:  the  Records  containing  the  original  covenant  being  then  un- 
accountably missing  or  lost. 

The  Covenant  of  the   Church   of  Christ  in   Woburn,   April 
the   6th  1756. 

"  We  whose  names  are  hereunto  subscribed,  apprehending  our- 
selves called  of  God  into  a  Church  State  of  the  Gospel,  do  first  of 
all  confess  ourselves  unworthy  to  be  so  highly  favoured  of  the 
Lord,  and  admire  that  rich  &  free  grace  of  his  that  triumphs 
over  so  great  unworthiness,  and  with  an  humble  reliance  upon  the 
aids  of  grace  therein  promised  to  those  who,  through  a  sense  of 
their  own  inability  to  do  any  good  thing,  do  humbly  wait  on  him 
for  all,  we  do  thankfully  lay  hold  on  his  Covenant,  and  chuse  the 
things  that  please  him. 

1.  "  We  avouch  the  Lord  to  be  our  God,  and  give  up  ourselves 
and  our  Seed  after  us  in  their  generations  to  be  his  people,  in  the 
truth  and  sincerity  of  our  hearts. 

2ly.  "  We  give  up  ourselves  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  be  ruled 
and  guided  by  him  in  the  matters  of  his  worship,  and  in  our  whole 
conversation  ;  acknowledging  him  not  only  our  alone  Saviour,  but 
our  King  to  reign  and  rule  over  us,  and  our  Prophet  and  teacher 
by  his  word  and  Spirit ;  forsaking  all  other  teachers  and  doctrines 
which  he  has  not  commanded ;  and  we  do  wholly  disclaim  our  own 
righteousness  in  point  of  Justification,  and  depend  alone  upon  him 
for  righteousness  and  Life,  Grace  and  Glory. 

3ly.  "  We  do  profess  ourselves  to  be  Congregational  in  our  Judg- 
ment, and  do  purpose  to  practise  upon  Congregational  principles, 
as  far  as  they  are  agreeable  to  the  doctrines  of  God's  word, 
looking  upon  the  Platform  of  Discipline  in  general,  as  gathered 
out  of  the  word  of  God,  and  agreeing  therewith. 

4ly.    "  We  do  further  promise,  by  the  help  of  Christ,  to  walk  with 


APPENDIX,  NO.   IV.  535 

our  brethren  and  sisters  of  this  Congregation  l  in  the  spirit  of 
brotherly  love,  watching  over  them,  and  caring  for  them  ;  avoiding 
all  jealousies,  suspicions,  backbitings,  censurings,  quarrelings  and 
secret  risings  of  heart  against  them ;  forgiving  and  forbearing, 
and  yet  seasonably  admonishing  and  restoring  them  by  a  spirit  of 
meekness,  and  setting  them  in  joynt  again  that  have  been  overtaken 
in  any  fault  amongst  us. 

bly.  "  "We  further  promise  and  bind  ourselves  in  the  strength  of 
Christ  to  labour  how  we  may  advance  the  Gospel  and  Kingdom 
of  Christ ;  how  we  may  win  and  gain  them  that  are  without,  how 
we  may  settle  grace  and  peace  amongst  ourselves :  and  seek  as 
much  as  we  can  the  peace  of  all  the  Churches ;  seeking  the  help, 
counsel  and  direction  of  other  churches,  if  need  be  ;  not  putting  a 
stumbling  block  before  any,  but  will  labour  to  abstain  from  all 
appearance  [of  evil]. 

6ty.  "  "We  do  hereby  promise  to  behave  and  demean  ourselves 
obediently  in  all  lawfull  things  to  those  that  God  hath  or  shall 
place  over  us  in  the  Church  or  Commonwealth  ;  knowing  that  it  is 
our  duty  not  to  grieve  them,  but  to  encourage  them  in  their  places, 
and  in  the  administration  of  the  charge  which  God  hath  committed 
unto  them. 

lly.  "  We  Resolve,  by  the  help  and  strength  of  God,  to  approve 
ourselves  in  our  particular  callings  as  becometh  saints :  shunning 
idleness,  not  sloathfull  in  business,  knowing  that  idleness  is  the  bane 
of  any  Society  :  Neither  will  we  deal  h[ardly]  or  oppressingly  with 
any  wherein  we  are  the  Lord's  stewards.  And  further  ?  [finally] 
we  promise  to  dedicate  our  Children  to  God,  and  to  teach  them 
the  good  knowledge  of  God  the  Lord,  according  to  the  best  of  our 
abilities,  and  to  fear  and  serve  him  with  us,  that  it  may  be  well 
with  them  and  us  forever. 

"  These  things  we  solemnly  promise,  as  in  the  presence  of  the 
omniscient  Jehovah." 

Entered  here  by  Jabez  Richardson."    Chh.  Rec.  Vol.  I.,  p.  3. 

On  the  page  of  the  Records  next  following  the  above  Cove- 
nant is  the  annexed  List  of  subscribers  to  it,  or  otherwise,  of 
the  male  members  of  the  Church  at  the  time  of  its  adoption. 

i  That  is,  "  of  this  Church."  Anciently,  the  word  Congregation  was  often  used,  a* 
synonymous  with  Church. 


536  APPENDIX,  NO.   IV. 

"  The  Revd.  Mr  John  Fox  Edward  Walker 

The  Revd.  Mr  Josiah  Sherman  Nathan  Richardson 

Deacon  Josiah  Peirce  Benjamin  Richardson 

Deacon  Samuel  Eames  Isaac  Snow 

Samuel  Neauards  [Nevers]  Joseph  Wright 

David  Wyman  John  Wright 

Nathan  Wyman  Thomas  Richardson 

Jacob  Richardson  Thomas  Wright 

John  Holdwin  [Holden]  Ebenezer  Brooks 

William  Tay  Josiah  Parker 

Samuel  Kendall  Josiah  Johnson." 

Church  Records,  Vol.  J.,  p.  4. 

COVENANT  OP  ADMISSION  INTO  THE  CHURCH  OF  WOBURN. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Church,  1768,  November  13th,  "  Voted  that 
the  following  Covenant,  or  Confession  of  Faith,  should  be  made 
use  of,  and  consented  to,  by  all  who  are  received  as  Members  of 
this  Church. 

The  Church  Covenant. 

"  You  do  now  solemnly  and  sincerely  give  up  yourself  and  yours 
to  God  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  according  to  the  Covenant  of 
Grace,  to  be  for  him,  and  him  only ;  resolving  and  engaging  to 
make  the  Word  of  God  the  rule  of  your  faith  and  practice  [as  it  is 
explained  in  our  well-known  Catechism  composed  by  the  Assembly 
of  Divines  at  Westminster].  You  do  take  the  ever  blessed  Jeho- 
vah for  your  chief  good  and  last  End.  You  do  take  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  for  your  Prophet,  Priest  and  King ;  the  Holy  Ghost  for 
your  Sanctifier,  Leader  and  Comforter :  promising,  by  the  help  of 
God,  to  walk  before  him  in  holiness  and  righteousness  all  your 
days.  You  do  also  put  yourself  under  the  care  and  watch  of  this 
Church,  and  the  government  of  Christ  herein ;  and  promise  to 
attend  duly  on  the  holy  Ordinances  of  Christ  here  administered  for 
your  edification  in  faith  and  holiness.  This  you  solemnly  engage 
and  promise  before  God,  Angels,  and  this  Assembly. 

"  Then  I  signify  to  you,  in  the  name  and  with  the  concurrence 
of  this  Church,  that  we  receive  you  into  our  sacred  Fellowship 
and  Communion ;  and  do  promise,  through  Christ's  assistance,  to 
watch  over  you,  #nd  carry  ourselves  towards  you  with  such  broth- 
erly affection  and  Christian  regard,  as  the  Rules  of  the  Gospel 


APPENDIX,  NO.    IV.  537 

demand  and  enjoin  in  such  a  relation.  This  we  do,  imploring  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  both  we  and  you  may  be  found  faithful  in 
his  Covenant,  and  may  have  grace  to  serve  him  with  that  holiness 
which  becomes  his  House  forever. 

"  I  now  declare  you  to  be  a  member  of  this  Church  in  full  Com- 
munion— "  Church  Records,  Vol.  l,p.  70. 

The  words  enclosed  in  brackets  in  the  above  Covenant  were  erased  by 
vote  of  the  Church,  June  27,  1785.  See  Church  Records,  p.  34.  And  in 
this  altered  form,  it  continued  to  be  used  at  admissions  as  late  as  1809.1 
Previously  to  admission  and  entering  into  Covenant,  however,  candidates, 
it  is  understood,  were  required  in  1838,  and  before,  to  give  their  assent  to 
the  following  Confession  of  Faith,  which  is  of  more  recent  adoption  in 
this  Church,  viz : 

CONFESSION  OP  FAITH. 

"  You  believe  there  is  but  one  God,  the  Creator,  Preserver,  and 
Governor  of  the  Universe ;  a  Being  self-existent  and  immutable, 
infinite  in  power,  wisdom,  justice,  goodness,  mercy,  and  truth. 

"  You  believe  that  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament 
were  given  by  the  inspiration  of  God,  and  are  a  perfect  rule  of  faith 
and  practice. 

'*  You  befieve  that  God  is  revealed  in  the  Scriptures  as  the  Fa- 
ther, the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  that  these  three  are  one, 
and  in  all  divine  attributes  equal. 

"You  believe  that  God  made  all  things  for  himself;  that  known 
unto  him  are  all  his  works  from  the  beginning  ;  that  he  governs  all 
things  according  to  the  counsel  of  his  own  will ;  and  that  the  prin- 
ciples and  administration  of  his  government  are  perfectly  holy,  just, 
and  good, 

'*  You  believe  that  God  created  man  holy,  and  that  he  fell  from 
his  happy  state  by  sinning  against  God ;  that,  in  consequence  of 
the  fall,  mankind  are  born  without  holiness,  and  continue  alienated 
from  God,  until  renewed  and  reconciled  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 

"  You  believe  that  God,  as  an  act  of  pure  mercy,  gave  his  Son 
to  die  for  the  sins  of  the  world,  and  that  Jesus  Christ,  by  his  suffer- 
ings and  death,  has  made  an  atonement  sufficient  for  the  redemp- 
tion of  all  mankind ;  so  that  God  can  be  just  and  the  justifier  of 
him  that  believeth  ;  and  that  upon  condition  of  repentance  and  of 
faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  pardon  and  eternal  life  are  sincerely 
offered  to  all. 

"  You  believe  that  mankind  do,  of  their  own  accord,  refuse  to 

1  ^bickering's  Dedication  Sermon,  Appendix,  p.  27,  % 


538  APPENDIX,  NO.   IV. 

comply  with  these  conditions,  to  the  aggravation  of  their  guilt  and 
condemnation ;  but  that  God,  notwithstanding  he  perceived  how 
mankind  would  treat  the  Gospel  of  his  Son,  did  always  purpose  t° 
save  from  deserved  ruin,  great  multitudes  of  the  human  race, 
through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit  and  belief  of  the  truth. 

"  You  believe  that  without  a  change  of  heart  by  the  special 
agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  no  one  can  be  an  heir  of  eternal  life. 

*'  You  believe  in  the  necessity  of  such  repentance  for  sin,  as 
arises  from  supreme  love  to  God ;  and  of  such  faith  in  Jesus  Christ, 
as  includes  an  affectionate  submission  to  him  and  reliance  upon  him 
for  pardon  and  eternal  life. 

"  You  believe  that  men  are  dependent  upon  God  to  give  repent- 
ance and  faith,  because  they  are  voluntarily  and  obstinately  opposed 
to  their  duty ;  and  that  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  bestowed, 
not  as  a  reward  of  antecedent  merit,  or  well  doing  on  the  part  of 
him  who  receives  it,  but  as  a  free  gift  of  God ;  and  yet  that  this 
influence  of  the  Spirit  is  ordinarily  so  inseparably  connected  with 
the  careful  use  of  means  by  the  sinner,  as  creates  entire  obligation 
and  ample  encouragement  to  attend  upon  them,  and  renders  all 
hopes  of  conversion  in  the  neglect  of  means  eminently  pre- 
sumptuous. 

"  You  believe  that  there  will  be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  both 
of  the  just  and  of  the  unjust,  when  all  must  stand  before  the  judg- 
ment seat  of  Christ,  and  receive  a  sentence  of  retribution,  according 
to  the  deeds  done  in  the  body ;  and  that  the  wicked  will  go  into 
punishment,  and  the  righteous  into  life,  both  of  which  will  never 
end. 

"  Moreover  you  believe,  that  in  this  world  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
has  a  visible  Church,  the  terms  of  admission  to  which  are  a  public 
profession  of  faith  in  Christ,  sustained  by  credible  evidence  ;  that 
Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper  are  ordinances  to  be  observed  in 
the  Church  to  the  end  of  the  world ;  that  none  but  members  of  the 
visible  church,  in  regular  standing,  have  a  right  to  partake  of  the 
Lord's  Supper. 

All  these  things  you  truly  confess  and  cordially  believe. 

(Those  who  have  not  been  baptized,  here  receive  the  ordinance  of  Bap- 
tism.) 

You  will  now  enter  into  Covenant  with  God,  and  with  this 
Church. 

(For  Covenant,  see  above.) 


APPENDIX,  NO.   V.  539 

APPENDIX,   No.   V. 

WHENCE  WOBURN  DEBITED  ITS  NAME.1 
Curiosity  may  prompt  the  inquiry,  Why  was  the  town  at  its 
incorporation  called  Woburn  ?  Was  it  not  (it  may  be  asked  in 
reply)  from  respect  for  Hon.  Richard  Russell,  who  came  to 
Charlestown  in  1640,  from  Herefordshire,  England,  and  quickly 
took  rank  among  the  prominent  and  most  influential  citizens  not 
only  of  Charlestown,  (which  he  represented  in  the  General  Court, 
in  1643,)  but  throughout  the  Colony,  of  which  he  was  many  years 
an  assistant,  and  the  treasurer  from  1645  till  his  death  in  1676  ? 
This  distinguished  gentleman,  it  may  be  plausibly  supposed,  was 
a  relative  of  the  noble  family  of  the  Russells,  in  Bedfordshire, 
England,  who  had  long  been  settled  at  Woburn,  in  that  County, 
and  were  proprietors  of  Woburn  Abbey,  or  of  a  palace  built  on 
its  site,  which  they  made  their  home.  If  this  conjecture  be  cor- 
rect, the  giving  to  this  town  of  the  name  it  bears  admits  of  an 
easy  explanation.  When  Charlestown  Village  was  to  be  incor- 
porated, in  1642,  and  it  was  asked  by  the  Court,  What  name  it 
should  be  known  by  ?  the  members  from  Charlestown,  viz  :  Hon. 
Increase  Nowell,  of  the  Assistants,  Capt.  Robert  Sedgwick  and 
Mr.  Francis  Willoughby,  Deputies  for  the  September  Session,  or 
either  of  them,  may  be  readily  conceived  to  have  proposed  the 
name  of  Woburn,  out  of  regard  to  their  newly  arrived  but  highly 
valued  fellow-citizen,  Richard  Russell,  and  also  with  a  view  to 
perpetuate  in  this  town  the  name  of  the  favorite  residence  of  his 
noble  relatives  in  the  mother  country. 

Woburn,  in  England,  is  described  as  follows  in  the  "  Complete  System 
of  Geography,"  London  1747 : 

"  Woburn  in  the  Hundred  of  Manshead  is  of  chief  Note  for  the  Palace  of 
the  Duke  of  Bedford,  where  stood  the  ancient  Abbey,  which  was  founded 
Anno  1145 ;  and  for  a  Canal  before  it,  that  carries  a  Yacht  of  thirty  or  forty 
Tons,  and  several  smaller  pleasure  Boats.  The  19th.  of  June  1724,  above  a 
hundred  of  its  Houses  were  burnt  down,  which  are  since  neatly  rebuilt, 
and  a  fine  Market  place  erected,  intirely  at  the  Expence  of  the  Duke  of 
Bedford ;  so  that  the  Town  makes  a  handsome  Appearance.  Here  is  a  Free- 
school  founded  by  Francis  [Russell]  Earl  of  Bedford ;  and  a  Charity  School 
for  thirty  Boys,  who  are  both  cloth'd  and  taught,  founded  and  maintain'd 
by  Wriothesley  late  Duke  of  Bedford  and  his  Duchess." 

Vol.  I.  Bedfordshire,  p.  132,  folio. 

1  Chap.  1,  Note  26. 


540  APPENDIX,  NO.  n. 

APPENDIX,  NO.  VI. 

LAND  OF  NOD. 

See  History,  Chapter  I.,  Note  38. 

The  3,000  acres  given  up  by  Woburn,  in  exchange  for  land 
received  from  Charlestown,  according  to  the  final  agreement 
between  the  two  towns,  concluded  upon  July  29,  1650,  lay  at  the 
northern  extremity  of  the  four  miles  square,  adjoining  Andover, 
and  within  the  limits  of  what  is  now  Wilmington.  Though  the 
rights  of  property  in  it  were  yielded  to  Charlestown,  yet  for  all 
municipal  control  and  regulations,  it  was  considered  as  still 
within  thjs  bounds  of  Woburn.  It  was  called  "the  land  of 
Nod;"  a  name  probably  suggested,  (as  Hon.  Richard  Frothing- 
ham  happily  conjectures  in  his  History  of  Charlestown,  No.  3, 
p.  1 1 1 )"  by  a  comparison  of  its  forlorn  condition,  so  far  remote 
from  Church  ordinances,  with  the  Nod  to  which  Cain  wandered, 
when  he  went  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  Genesis  IV." 
And  by  this  name  it  was  long  known,  and  still  is,  by  many  of 
Wilmington,  at  the  present  day. 

This  tract  of  land  continued  for  years  in  a  neglected,  unculti- 
vated state.  Its  precise  location,  by  suitable  metes  and  bounds, 
was  not  determined  till  June  1671 ;  and  it  was  not  till  Septem- 
ber 1674,  that  Woburn  formally  resigned  her  propriety  in  it, 
according  to  the  following  certificate  in  Woburn  Records : 

"The  21  of  September,  Seventy  fower,  Charlstowne  men,  Mr 
William  Sims  and  Edward  Wilson,  in  the  behalfe  of  the  propry- 
etors  of  the  land  of  Node,  did  goe  with  Woburne  Committee, 
and  resaiue  their  three  thousand  Acres  in  the  land  of  Nod, 
according  to  bounds  giuen  under  their  hands  upon  Record,  bear- 
ing date  the  20 :  of  the  4  mo.  [20  June]  71  j  with  which  bounds 
they  were  fully  sattisfied." — Woburn  Records,  Vol.  L,  p.  54. 

But  how  happened  it  that  these  3,000  acres  were  surren- 
dered, not  to  Charlestown,  to  which  it  was  given  in  exchange 
by  Woburn  in  1650,  but  to  the  proprietors  of  the  land  of  Nod? 
and  who  were  these  proprietors?  It  seems  that  in  1643,  one 
year  only  after  the  incorporation  of  Woburn,  and  seven  years 


APPENDIX,   NO.   VI.  541 

before  the  mutual  agreement  between  Charlestown  and  Woburn, 
in  regard  to  their  respective  bounds,  etc.,  etc.,  was  entered  into, 
Charlestown,  considering  the  land  of  Nod  as  already  her  own, 
(in  consequence,  probably,  of  some  previous  understanding 
between  the  two  towns,)  parcelled  it  out  among  twelve  of  her 
prominent  citizens,  in  the  following  proportions,  viz : — 

To  Robert  Sedgwick  was  granted  300  acres. 

Zechariah  Symmes  "  300  " 

Thomas  Allen  "  300  " 

Richard  Russell  "  300  " 

Francis  Willoughby  «  300  « 

John  Allen  «  300  « 

William  Stitson  "  250  " 

William  Phillips  "  200  " 

Ralph  Woory  «  200  « 

Robert  Cooke  "  250  « 

Thomas  Graves  "  250  « 

Mr.  Barnard  "  200  " l 

But  these  gentlemen  held  the  land  thus  given  them  but  in  low 
estimation.  Several  of  them  surrendered  back  their  respective 
grants  to  the  town  again.  And  of  the  grants  thus  relinquished, 
Charlestown  in  1652  bestowed  five  hundred  acres  upon  Francis 
Norton.  Subsequently,  Francis  Willoushby  bought  the  shares 
of  Francis  Norton  and  John  Allen,  which,  added  to  his  own, 
made  1,100  acres.  In  1683,  May  1st,  Lawrence  Hammond,  who 
had  married  Francis  Willoughby 's  widow,  sold  these  1,100  acres 
to  John  Hull,  of  Boston ;  who  dying  in  September  of  the  same 
year,  his  rights  in  Nod  fell  to  Samuel  Sewall,  (afterwards  Judge 
Se wall,)  who  had  married  Hull's  daughter  and  only  heir;  and 
who,  for  some  years,  was  accustomed  to  lease  a  portion  of  the 
meadow  in  Nod,  and  to  receive  rent  for  it.  Hearing  of  this, 
Charlestown  appointed  a  committee  to  examine  into  its  rights 
in  Nod.  In  their  Report,  dated  December  25,  1704,  this 
committee  say :  "  We  are  informed  that  there  are  several  per- 

1  Frothlngham's  Charlestown,  No.  3,  p.  112. 
47 


542  APPENDIX,  NO.   VI. 

sons  that  claim  part  of  that  tract  of  land  (Nod)  which  we  cannot 
allow  of:  for  we  are  very  well  satisfied,  that  this  tract  of  land 
was  originally  the  land  that  Woburn  exchanged  with  Charles- 
town  for  lands  then  belonging  to  Charlestown ;  and  we  cannot 
find  any  record  that  this  land  was  ever  legally  conveyed  to  any 
particular  person."  The  town  accepted  this  Report;  and  con- 
ceiving itself  agreeably  to  it  to  be  the  rightful  owner  of  all  the 
territory  in  dispute,  leased  to  two  individuals  the  whole  of  the 
meadow  contained  in  it.  This  assumption  by  Charlestown  was 
resisted  by  Judge  Sewall,  who  wrote  as  follows  to  one  of  the 
lejsees  above  referred  to : 

"  BOSTON,  June  6.  1705. 

"  Friend :  I  am  informed  that  some  Charlestown  Gentlemen  have  lately 
Lett  to  you  and  Henry  Holt  of  Andover  all  the  Meadow  belonging  to  the 
Land  of  Nod.  These  are  to  acquaint  you  that  I  have  a  good  Right  to  above 
a  third  part  of  the  said  Meadow,  and  am  in  the  actual  Improvement  of  it. 
I  made  a  Lease  of  it  to  Thomas  Asten  of  Andover  the  28th.  of  August  last 
for  eleven  years.  I  Lett  it  before  to  Oliver  Holt  by  Lease  in  writing;  and 
for  many  years  before,  I  Lett  it  out  to  others,  and  received  the  rent.  My 
Interest  in  that  Land  cost  a  great  deal  of  Money.  My  Deed  is  Acknowl- 
edged, and  has  been  upon  Record  above  Twenty  Year.  I  have  an  honest 
and  legal  Right :  which  I  acquaint  you  with,  to  prevent  your  giving  my 
Tenant  any  disturbance :  and  Rest 

"Your  loving  friend,  S.  S. 

"  Let  your  partner  in  the  Lease  see  what  I  say  to  you." 

"  Sent  by  Peirson  Richardson."  2 

In  consequence,  apparently,  of  this  step  taken  by  Judge 
Sewall,  Charlestown  commenced  an  action  at  law  against  him. 
The  case  was  tried  at  Cambridge,  before  a  Special  Court, 
September  18,  1705;  and  again,  upon  the  appeal  of  Charles- 
town,  before  the  Superior  Court  of  the  Province  at  Cambridge, 
July  29,  1706;  and  on  both  occasions,  the  decision  was  in 
Sewall's  favor.3  Thus  the  rights  of  individual  proprietors  to 
portions  of  the  land  were  legally  confirmed ;  and  Charlestown 
was  found  to  be  entitled  to  only  a  part  of  Nod,  and  not  the 
whole,  as  it  had  recently  claimed.  At  a  meeting  of  the  Pro- 
prietors, at  Charlestown,  April  14,  1718,  it  was  voted  to  divide 

*  Sewall's  Letter  Book,  p.  174.  »  Sewall's  Diary. 


APPENDIX,   NO.   VII.  543 

the  whole  3,000  acres ;  and  Capt.  Joseph  Burnap,  of  Reading,  a 
noted  Surveyor,  was  employed  to  do  it.3  The  work  was  accom- 
plished by  him  November  10,  1718;  and  on  November  25th,  Capt. 
Burnap  presented  to  the  Proprietors  at  Charlestown  a  Plan  of 
the  whole,  divided  into  Shares.3  Lot  No.  1  of  300  acres 
fell  to  Judge  Sewall,  who  sold  it  to  Samuel  Dummer,  Esq.,  a 
brother  or  near  relative  of  Lieut.-  Gov.  William  Dummer,  Esq. ; 
and  acknowledged  the  deed  of  it  March  9,  1726-7.3  Other 
proprietors  doubtless  parted  with  their  interest  in  it  from  time 
to  time  in  a  like  way.  And  "a  vote  of  Charlestown  May  10. 
1742  indicates  that  a  part  of  the  town's  share  of  it  has 
been  sold;  and  a  Committee  was  then  authorized  to  sell  the 
remainder. "  x 


APPENDIX,   No.    VII. 

1.   LETTER  OF  MAJOR  CONVERS  TO  GOVERNOR  JOSEPH  DUDLEY. 

[  Superscription.  ] 

"For  His  Excy.  Joseph  Dudly,  Esqr.  Captn.  Genu.   Gour.  In 
Chiefe,  &c. 

"  These. 

«Woobn.  August  14th,  1704. 
"  May  it  pleas  Your  Excy. 

"  I  Received  Your  Excel8.  Order  of  y6.  10th,  Courrant,  I 
Recd.  it  y6.  same  day  about  4  in  ye.  afternoone,  for  the  detaching 
45  Soldiers  <fec :  and  to  post  ym.  in  3  squadrons  under  y6.  Comand 
of  a  Sarg*.  to  Each,  viz.  Groaton,  Lanchester  &  Malburow.  I 
forthwith  sent  out  my  Warrants  to  all  ye.  touns  in  ye.  Lower 
Regam1;  the  Soldiers  were  all  Impress*1  y*.  night  and  y°.  llth  day 
and  began  to  March,  the  12  day  I  went  and  posted  them  ac- 
cording to  Order,  Giueing  the  sargte.  written  Orders  to  obserue 
till  further  Orders,  directing  them  to  take  advice  of  the  Capts.  of 
the  Respectiue  touns : 


544  APPENDIX,  NO.   VII. 

"  At  Malburow,  John  Benjamin  sarg*.  15  men  ^ 
"  Lanchester,  Benjamin  Wilson  sarg1.  14  men  >  45. 
"Groaton,  Joseph  Child,  sarg'.  16  men  ) 

here  is  ye.  whole  Number  Your  Excelencey  sent  for,  posted  ac- 
cording to  order.  I  think  there  are  too  many  garrasons  in 
every  toune.  If  these  men  be  Reposted,  one  at  a  garrason,  and 
two  at  another,  I  shall  account  my  labour  lost,  and  ye.  men  next 
to  thrown  away,  Saving  alwayes,  what  is  in  Obedience  to  Your 
Exc8.  Comand  there  is  nothing  lost  or  thrown  away. 
u  Exc1.  Sr.  I  pray  for  a  gracious  pardon,  and  am 

"  Your  Very  Humble  Ready  and  Obedient  Serv*. 

JAMS.  CONVERSE." 


2.   LETTER  OP  MAJOR  JAMES  CONVERS  TO  JOSEPH  DUDLEY,  ESQ., 
GOVERNOR,  &c. 

[Superscription.] 

"  To  His  ExceK  Joseph  Dudley,  Esqr.  Captn.  Gen",  and  Govern', 
in  Chief  &c     These. — 

«  For  her  Majte.  Service." 

"Woobourne:  Jan:  27th.  1704.  [1704-5. 
"  May  it  pleas  Your  Excely. 

"I  Recd.  Your  Exc8.  Letter  to  Coll.  Ting  on  tuseday  last 
about  ten,  and  [with]  much  a-doo  I  found  a  Snow-Shoo  man,  and 
posted  it  away,  and  it  got  to  Coll.  Tings  (as  I  understand)  about 
one  of  ye.  clock  y*.  night,  my  meaning  is,  about  one  of  ye.  Clock 
in  the  morning.  I  also  Recd.  your  Exel8.  order  about  mustering 
of  Sixty  men  to  be  in  a  Readiness  at  an  hours  Warning  to  march 
to  y6.  assistance  of  ye.  frontiers  &c :  this  I  Recd.  ye.  25th.  in  ye. 
night,  ye.  26.  I  prosecuted  it  as  far  as  I  could :  I  haue  not  been 
so  far  as  ye.  next  Neighbours  hous  this  fortnight,  we  cannot  goe 
on  horsback  nor  a  foot,  the  snow  is  so  exseeding  deep,  but  I 
writ  Warrants  and  sent  by  my  lad  to  Capt.  Johnson  and  other 
officers  to  Rais  about  sixty,  but  knowing  y*.  there  was  not  one 
third  of  y*.  number  of  Snow  shoos  in  toune,  and  most  of  ym. 


APPENDIX,  NO.  vm.  545 

troopers  y*.  Hue  at  the  farms,  I  sent  therefore  to  ye.  troop  officers 
that  are  in  our  toune  to  muster  ym.  and  I  hope  Your  Excy.  will 
exscuse  me,  I  sent  to  Majr.  Sweyne  to  provide  35  or  40  more, 
to  be  Comanded  by  Lt.  Tho8.  Nichols  of  y*.  toune  [Reading  ?] 
If  any  thing  could  be  done  on  horsback,  I  am  Ready,  but  not 
else — I  am  not  able.  I  doubt  all  these  will  not  make  aboue  20 
or  30  Snow  shoo  men.  I  do  not  know  what  there  is  at  Maiden 
and  Charlstn.  farms  and  Mistick :  I  know  there  are  som  at  Cam- 
bridg  farms  and  Watter  towne,  and  they  Hue  Neerer  yn.  we,  If 
your  Excy.  pleas  to  Order  Coll.  Phillips  to  look  after  ym.  Your 
Excy.  pro  [promised  ?]  Coll.  Phillips  and  Coll.  ffoxcroft  y*.  I 
should  be  a  perpetual  drouge  [drudge]  to  ym.  and  so  I  am,  I  am 
Willing  to  do  what  I  can,  but  not  all.  Wattertoune  and  Cam- 
bridge farms  exspect  a  Call,  pleas  to  let  ym.  haue  it.  So  Craue- 
ing  pardon,  I  Humbly  subscribe  Your  Exc8.  poore  and  old,  but 
very  Ready  Willing  Servant 

"  to  ye.  utmost  of  my  abillety, 

"  JAM*.  CONVERSE." 


APPENDIX,  NO. 

WRIT   OP   MANDAMUS.1 

"Province  of  the  )  George,  by  the  Grace  of  God  of  Great  Britain, 
Mass*  Bay.  Suffolk  sc.  )  France  &  Ireland  King,  Defender  of  the  ffaith,  &c. 

"  To  Eleazer  Flegg  Esqr.  Joseph  Wright  John  Fowle  Josiah 
Converse  James  Peirce  Yeomen  all^  of  Woburn  in  our  County 
of  Middlesex,  Selectmen  of  the  sd  Town,  and  to  the  said  John 
Fowle  Clerk  of  the  said  Town,  Greeting. 

"Whereas  on  the  sixth  day  of  July  last  past  Timothy 
Walker  of  Woburn  aforesd  Gentn  was  hired  by  you  the  Select 
men  aforesd,  to  keep  the  Grammar  School  in  the  Town  aforesd, 
for  one  quarter  of  a  year,  to  Commence  on  Monday  the  nine- 
teenth of  the  same  July,  at  Eleven  pounds  money  for  the  sd  quar- 
ter, and  accordingly  Entered  upon  ye  sd  service ;  and  afterwards 

1  Copy  of  the  original  writ,  kindly  lent  me  by  its  present  owner,  J.  Wingate  Thornton, 
Esq.,  of  Boston. 

47* 


546  APPENDIX,  NO.  vni. 

differences  arising  in  the  sd  Town  concerning  his  appointment 
to  y6  sd  Office,  Upon  the  27th  day  of  August  last  past,  the  sd 
Town  being  convened  to  make  their  Election,  and  settle  what 
schoolmaster  they  thought  proper  Elected  and  Voted  ye  sd  Tim- 
othy Walker  to  be  y6  School  Master  for  the  present  year,  he 
being  before  that  approved  according  to  Law  for  the  aforesd 
service,  And  ye  Moderator  accordingly  declared  his  Election, 
and  Ordered  you  the  Town  Clerk  aforesaid  to  Record  ye  War- 
rant for  the  sd  Meeting,  and  ye  Election  of  the  sd  Timothy 
Walker  as  aforesd.  Whereupon  ye  sd  Timothy  Walker  offered 
to  keep  ye  sd  School,  Yet  you  the  sd  John  Fowle,  to  whom  of 
right  it  belongs  to  Record  y6  Election  aforesd,  tho'  often  desired, 
have  refused  and  still  do  refuse  to  do  it.  And  you  the  Select- 
men aforesd,  to  whom  it  belongs  to  admit  the  sd  School  Master, 
tho'  often  requested  have  refused  &  still  do  refuse  to  admit 
y6  sd  Timothy  Walker  to  keep  ye  sd  Grammar  School,  tho'  he  has 
often  offered  himself  to  you  to  that  End.  But  you  have  admit- 
ted and  put  into  ye  sd  office  one  Ebenezer  Flegg,  of  Woburn 
aforesd  Gentn  to  ye  great  damage  &  grievance  of  the  said  Tim- 
othy Walker,  as  we  have  perceived  by  his  Complaint.  Where- 
upon he  has  supplicated  us  that  we  would  provide  him  suitable 
Remedy  in  this  behalf.  We,  therefore,  willing  as  is  just  to  pro- 
vide for  the  aforesd  Timothy  Walker  due  &  speedy  Justice  in 
this  behalf,  Command  you,  ye  sd  John  Fowle  to  Record  ye  War- 
rant and  Election  aforesd  without  delay ;  and  you  the  sd  Select- 
men to  Remove  ye  sd  Ebr  Flegg  and  admit  the  sd  Timothy 
Walker  to  ye  place  and  office  of  Grammar  School  Master  of  yc 
sd  Town  of  Woburn,  without  delay,  or  signify  to  us  the  Cause 
why  you  do  not,  least  by  your  Defaults  repeated  Complaints 
come  to  us :  And  Certify  to  Us  how  you  have  Executed  this 
Precept,  Remitting  this  Writ  to  Us  at  Boston  before  our  Jus- 
tices of  our  Superior  Court  of  Judicature,  Court  of  Assize,  and 
General  Gaol  Delivery  at  Boston  within  our  County  of  Suffolk 
on  ffriday  the  15th  day  of  October  next  at  Eleven  of  the 
Clock  in  ye  forenoon  of  ye  sd  day.  Witness  Samuel  Sewall, 
Esqr.  at  Boston  this  ninth  day  of  September  In  the  Twelfth 
year  of  our  Reign,  Annoq.  Dom.  1725. 

BENJK  ROLFE,  Clerk" 


APPENDIX,  NO.  IX.  547 

APPENDIX,   No.   IX. 

DIARY  OF  LIEUT.  SAMUEL  THOMPSON  OP  WOBURN, 
A    Soldier  in    the  French    War,  during  the  year  1758. 

1758  May  24.  Set  out  from  home,  and  went  to  Concord.  Received  the 
Bounty,  and  went  to  Bolton,  and  lodged  at  David  Alexander's,1  Thurs- 
day night. 

25.  Went  to  Worcester,  and  received  our  Blankets  and  lodged. 

26.  Marched  to  Leicester :  lodged. 

27.  Saturday,  went  to  Brookfleld. 

28.  Sunday :  went  to  Cold  Spring  meeting  house,  and  lodged  there. 

29.  Monday :  march  to  old  Hadley :  lodged. 

30.  Tuesday  afternoon ;  went  over  ye.  ferry  and  lodged. 

31.  Wednesday :  Election :  took  out  our  provision  and  ammunition  at 
Northampton  and  lodged.    A  rainy  storm  stopped  us  3  or  4  days. 

June  1.    Thursday  :  loitered  all  day  at  Northampton. 

2.  Friday :  lazing  at  Northampton  &  lodged. 

3.  Saturday.      Marched    from    Northampton    into     the     woods    for 
Pantoocick  Fort,  where  we    come    to   a  tavern    about   ten   miles   from 
Northampton,  and  camped. 

4.  Sunday :  marched  all  day  in  the  woods  over  several  Rivers. 

5.  Monday :  bad  marching,  sloughs  and  mountains,  rivers,  stumps  :  very 
weary,  and  so  camped. 

6.  Tuesday:  marched  to  Pantoosick  Fort  about  11  o'clock,  and  took 
out  bread  for  four  days,  and  then  went  to  Fort  Conectecaw  and  camped. 

7.  Wednesday,  marched  to  a  Dutch  place,  where  we  got  at  12  o'clock. 
Stopped  3  hours :  then  marched  over  several  bad  rivers ;  and  poplar  * 
was  almost  cast  away.     Camped  in  ye.  wood ;  and  Mr.  Crosby's  arm  was 
put  out  &c. 

8.  Thursday :  marched  to  the  half  way  house  by  10  o'clock,  where  we 
stopped  some  hours,  and  then  marched  till  we  came  over  against  Albany, 
one  mile  East  of  the  River,  or  thereabouts. 

9.  Friday :  marched  on  the  East  side  of  Hudson  River,   and  lost  in 
ye.  wood ;  but  we  came  to  ye.  River  again :  we  made  but  one  mile  good, 
and  went  seven  miles  as  we  judged ;  and  had  to  creep  up  the  banks,  and 

had  like  to  have  lost  our  horse :  but  at  last  we  came  to by  ye.  River, 

and  lodged  at  Flat  bush. 

10.  Took  out  store  for  one  week  5  miles  above  Albany,  and  lodged  in 
a  barn. 

11.  Sunday:  two  sermons  preached  to  the  Soldiers.    Abijah  3  had  a 
sore  throat :  and  we  lodged  in  the  said  barn,  which  was  every  night  full 
of  Soldiers. 

i  A  son  of  Philip  and  Joanna  Alexander,  born  at  Woburn,  7  September,  1716. 
»  "  Mare  named  Popler."  a  His  brother  Abijah,  afterward  Sheriff. 


548  APPENDIX,  NO.   IX. 

12.  Went  over  to  Albany,  and  spent  the  rest  of  ye.  day,  and  lodged  in 
the  barn  again  &c  &c. 

13.  Tuesday :  Spent  all  'day  again  at  Flat  bush,  and  lodged  in  the  said 
barn. 

14.  Wednesday :  drawed  up  in  the  forenoon  in  order  to  march,  and 
marched.    In  the  afternoon ;  but  I  went  up  ye.  River  in  a  battow  to  the 
Half  Moon,  and  camped  very  weary. 

15.  Thursday :  marched  from  the  Half  Moon  to  Stillwater,  and  lodged. 

16.  Friday,  marched  from  Stillwater  to  Salletoag,4   and  camped:  a 
mile  or  two  beyond :  we  took  stores  for  three  days,  and  Abijah  was  some 
better.    So  went  in  Fort 

17.  Saturday :  from  thence  we  went  to  Fort  Miller,  where  we  stayed 
one  hour  or  two ;  and  then  we  marched  to  Fort  Edward  by  5  oclock  after- 
noon, and  we  camped  in  the  woods. 

18.  Sunday :  we  stayed  where  we  camped  ye.  night  before ;  and  we  had 
two  Sermons ;  and  between  Sermons  I  went  over  ye.  river,  and  viewed 
Fort  Edward,  which  was  exceeding  strong,  commanded  with  a  numerous 
artillery ;  and  I  returned  and  heard  a  sermon,  Sun  2  hours  high.    At  night 
I  went  down  to  Fort  Miller  with  8  men,  with  a  packet  to  Major  Gage. 
And  with  8  men  came  up  in  the  battow.    In  the  same  evening  by  11  o'clock 
came  to  my  old  Camp. 

19.  Monday :  kept  at  our  Camp  still,  and  lodged. 

20.  Took  out  stores  at  Fort  Edward,  and  divided  some  of  them ;  and 
camped. 

21.  Wednesday;  divided  the  rest  of  ye  stores :  a  smart  thunder  shower. 

22.  Thursday,  I  went  out  in  a  Scout  of  three  hundred  after  Indians, 
but  we  found  none :  so  we  returned  after  4  or  5  hours  scout  at  seven  in  ye. 
evening.    A  man  whipt  10  lashes. 

23.  Friday,  at  our  old  encampments.    24.    Saturday,  Still  at  our  en- 
campments. 

25.  Sunday :  marched  from  Fort  Edward  to  the  Half  Way  Brook  and 
camped.    This  morning,  as  we  got  to  ye.  Fort  Edward,  we  heard  a  very 
smart  firing  half  a  mile  in  ye.  wood.    We  thought  y*.  Major  Rogers  had 
.found  a  party  of  ye.  enemy ;  we  expected  a  very  smart  fight :  but  ye.  Gen- 
eral had  given  leave  for  four  or  five  hundred  Rangers  to  go  out  and  hold  a 
bush  fight  for  i  of  an  hour. 

26.  Monday ;  rainy  morning.    Camped  at  the  Half  way  Brook. 

27.  Tuesday.     Some  rain.    Camped  at  the  Half  way  Brook. 

28.  Wednesday.    For  these  some  days  past  we  have  much  marching ; 
and  the  men  keep  passing  along  for  ye.  engagement  every  day  great  num- 
bers.   And  this  day  I  received  a  letter  which  caused  me  much  joy.    I  had 
a  letter  from  Mr.  Snow  that  all  was  well ;  and  Mr.  Alexander  came  this 
day  to  the  Half  way  Brook ;  and  we  camp'd  within  ye.  Fort. 

29.  Thursday,  three  of  my  Mess  went  to  ye.  Lake  with  Capt.  Jones : 
we  camped  in  the  Fort. 

30.  Friday,  all  day  on  guard  in  the  Fort.    Forces  still  on  ye.  march  up 
to  the  Lake  :  great  preparations  every  day.    I  sent  a  letter  home. 

«  Saratoga. 


APPENDIX,   NO.   IX.  549 

July  1.  Saturday  we  camped  in  the  Fort  of  Pickets :  again  I  sent  a  let- 
ter home. 

2.  Sunday,  I  marched  up  to  ye.  Lake  with  10  men,  and  came  back  to  the 
Halfway  Brook,  and  right  back  to  y«.  Lake  again :  and  on  our  march  there 
was  a  smart  thunder  shower,  and  we  were  all  very  wet ;  and  when  we 
came  to  camp,  it  rained ;  but  we  made  a  fire,  and  dryed  us  as  well  as  we 
could,  and  camped  about  half  a  mile  this  side  of  the  Lake. 

Monday,  In  ye.  morning,  we  marched  down  to  the  Lake,  and  fetched  our 
men ;  and  Col.  Cummings  had  orders  to  stay  with  500  men  to  keep  at  the 
Lake,  and  many  of  our  men  were  uneasy  and  sorry :  we  camped  where 
General  Johnson  had  a  fight  with  y«.  enemy ;  and  I  went  to  see  the  ruins 
of  ye.  Fort,  and  all  ye.  entrenchments  that  the  French  dug ;  and  I  see  where 
the  bombs  and  bullets  had  cut  down  trees  and  dug  holes. 

4.  Tuesday,  camped  where  Gen1.  Johnson  had  his  fight 

Wednesday,  our  Army  set  sail  in  battows  for  the  Narrows ;  and  the 

army  consists  of  25000  &  400  and  odd  men. 

5.  At  5  in  the  morning  they  mustered  and  set  off  as  fast  as  they  could ; 
and  we  saw  them  till  noon,  and  when  they  had  got  off,  we  struck  our  tents, 
and  removed  into  the  Fort  William  Henry,  and  set  up  our  tents  there  and 
camped. 

6.  Thursday,  in  ye.  afternoon,  the  Mohawks  came  in,  and  I  was  on 
guard  all  day.     Saml  Tay  took  a  vomit,  and  was  ill  with  a  bloody  Flux, 
and  I  was  full  of  business  all  day. 

7.  Friday  :    The  Mohawks  set  sail  for  the  Narrows.    Abijah  was  sick 
and  took  a  vomit.    I  had  scarcely  time  to  cook,  as  the  Hampshire  forces 
came  to  us  in  the  afternoon. 

8.  Saturday,   Post  came  from  the  Narrows;  and  they  brought  Lord 
How 5  to  ye.  Fort,  who  was  slain  at  their  landing ;  and  in  ye.  afternoon 
there  came  in  100  and  odd  men,  French  prisoners,  into  the  Fort. 

9.  Sunday  morning,   In  a  surprise  by  bad  news   from   the  Narrows, 
and  all  day  in  a  Concern ;  for  sometimes  we  heard  that  our  army  was 
defeated,  and  then  that  they  did  prosper  and  gain  ground,;   but  on  the 
whole,  our  army  was  forced  to  give  over  their  trial  for  the  Narrows,  and 
return  to  our  great  astonishment  &  amazement,  and  with  a  great  loss, 
among  the  old  Countrymen  in  a  special  manner,  and  till  our  army  came 
and  landed  at  Fort  William  Henry,  and  brought  in  many  wounded  men, 
and  so  camped  that  night  in  confusion ;  and  the  Mohawks  brought  in  some 
scalps :  yet  our  Provincials  did  not  lose  so  many  men  as  we  feared  we 
had  lost.    The  Highlanders  lost  many  men,  and  the  Regulars  lost  many : 
the  Jersey  Blues  lost  many,   and  the  Yorkers   suffered  in  the  loss  of 
many  men. 

*  "  Howe,  George,  lord  viscount,  was  the  eldest  son  of  Sir  E.  Scrope,  second  lord  viscount 
Howe  in  Ireland.  He  commanded  five  thousand  British  troops,  which  arrived  at  Halifax  in 
July,  1757.  In  the  next  year,  when  Abercrombie  proceeded  against  Ticonderoga,  in  an 
attack  on  the  advanced  guard  of  the  French  in  the  woods,  Lord  Howe  fell  on  the  first  fire, 
in  July  1758,  aged  33.  In  him,  says  Mante,  'the  soul  of  the  army  seemed  to  expire.'  By 
his  military  talent*  and  many  virtues  he  had  acquired  esteem  and  affection.  Massachusetts 
erected  a  monument  to  his  memory  in  Westminster  Abbey,  at  the  expense  of  250  pounds." 
Allen's  Biog.  Diet. 


550  APPENDIX,  NO.   IX. 

10.  Monday  in  the  morning  I  went  and  viewed  the  wounded  men ;  and 
some  of  them  were  dead,  and  some  were  taking  on  and  complaining  with 
pain :  a  wofull  sight  indeed,  and  all  lay  in  confusion :  and  just  at  night  we 
struck  our  tents,  and  moved  out  of  ye  Fort,  and  pitched  where  General 
Johnson  had  his  fight. 

11.  Tuesday,  unloaded  all  ye.  Battows,  and  piled  up  the  Stores,  and  - 
camped. 

12.  Wednesday,  took  out  five  days  allowance,  and  divided  it  to  the 
-  Company ;  flour,  pork,  beef  and  rice,  and  butter,  and  camped. 

13.  Thursday,  struck  our  tents  in  ye.  morning,  and  went  with  all  our 
luggage  about  one  mile  (to  the  South  West  of  the  Fort)  from  where  we 
camped,  and  could  not  find  our  ground  where  it  was  laid  out ;  and  we  took 
out  one  day's  allowance  of  fresh  beef,  and  divided  it  to  the  Company,  and 
camped  ?  at  random  here  and  there. 

14.  Friday,  struck  our  tents  in  the  morning,  and  went  back  to  the 
Halfway  Brook,  and  carried  exceeding  heavy  packs ....     ;  was  uneasy 
with  moving  so  often;  and  when  we  came  there,  Capt.  Tay's  son  was 
dead  and  was  buried  this  evening ;  and  we  camped  within  the  stockades. 

15.  Saturday,  Fixed  up  our  Fort,  and  uncle  Josiah  Wright  6  was  ex- 
ceeding bad,  and  he  died  about  four  o'clock  afternoon,  and  was  buried 
about  dusk,  and  I  followed  him  to  his  grave  as  the  nighest  Relation  he  had 
there,  and  saw  the   last  respects  paid,  and  thanked  them  all  for  their 
service,  and  returned  to  our  camps. 

16.  Sunday,  Mr.  Morrill  preached  two  Sermons,  (1.)  from  Psalm  37  &  7 
verse,  and  (2.)  Luke  16,  v.  31.  two  fine  sermons  :  and  Col.  Gates'  Regiment 
march  by  Half-way  Brook  to  day  to  Fort  Edw<* :  so  we  camped. 

17.  Monday  forenoon  we  went  out  in  a  scout  with  9  men ;  but  we  see 
nothing  and  returned :  scouted  in  ye.  afternoon,  &  see  nothing.    I  was 
not  well ;  I  had  a  bad  spell.    This  night  we  were  alarmed  by  ye.  watch. 

18.  Tuesday,  divided  some  stores  :    Mr.  Ephraim  Kendall 7  died :  and 
there  was  a  very  smart  thunder  shower ;  3  or  4  as  hard  claps  as  ever  I 
heard ;  and  a  rainy  afternoon :  and  Mr.  Kendall  was  buried :  myself  not 
well. 

19.  Wednesday :  some  poorly,  yet  I  went  about  and  camped. 

20.  Thursday,  in  the  morning,  10  men  in  a  scout  waylaid  by  the  Indi- 
ans, and  shot  at  and  larmed  the  Fort,  and  a  number  of  our  men  went  out 
to  assist  them,  and  the  enemy  followed  our  men  down  to  our  Fort,  and  in 
their  retreat,  Capt.  Jones  and  Lieut.  Godfrey  were  killed,  and  Capt.  Law- 
rence and  Capt.  Dakin,  and  Lieut.  Curtis  and  Ens».  Davis,  and  two  or  three 
non-commissioned  officers  and  privates,  to  the  number  of  fourteen  men, 
who  were  brought  into  the  Fort,  all  scalped  but  Ensn.  Davis,  who  was 
killed  within  20  or  30  rods  from  the  Fort :  and  there  was  one  grave  dug, 
and  all  of  them  were  buried  together,  the  officers  by  themselves  at  one 

«  Josiah,  son  of  Josiah  and  Ruth  Wright,  born  2  December,  1701.  Esquire  Thompson's 
mother,  Ruth  Wright,  was  a  sister  of  the  Josiah  here  mentioned  as  sick  and  dead. 

i  Ephraim  Kendall  and  Ruth  Peirce,  both  of  Wilmington,  married  24  February,  173?.  Wo- 
burn  Records  of  Births,  Marriages,  etc. 


APPENDIX,   NO.   IX.  551 

end,  and  the  rest  at  the  other  end  of  the  grave ;  and  Mr.  Morrill  made  a 
prayer  at  the  grave,  and  it  was  a  solemn  funeral :  and  NatW  Eaton  died  in 
the  Fort  and  was  buried ;  and  we  kept  a  very  strong  guard  that  night  of 
100  men.  Haggit  [and]  William  Coggin  wounded. 

A  List  of  Men's  names  that  were  killed  in  this  fight. 
Capt.  Ebenezer  Jones  of  Wilmington 
Capt.  Dakin  of  Sudbury 

Lieut.  SamueU  Curtice  of  Ditto. 
Private  Grout  of  do 

Lieut.  Simon  Godfrey  of  Billerica 
Capt.  Lawrence  of  Groton 

Corpi  Gould  of  Groton  Gore 

Private  Abel  Satle  [Sawtell]  of  Groton 
Private  Eleazer  Eames  of  Groton 
Do        Stephen  Foster  Do. 

Serg*.  Oliver  Wright,  Westford 
Private  Simon  Wheeler      Do 
Eiisn.  Davis  of  Methuen 

Serg*.  Russel  of  Concord 

Private  Abraham  Harden  [Harnden?]  of  Pembroke. 
Private  Payson  of  Kowley 

Private  Patterson 

We  have  also  an  account  that  there  are  seven  of  our  men  carried  into 
Ticonderoga,  which  make  up  the  number  of  those  that  were  missing. 

21.  Friday,  in  ye.  forenoon,  a  party  of  about  150  went  out  to  find  more 
men  that  were  missing,  and  we  found  4  men  who  were  scalped,  and  we 
buried  them,  and  so  returned:  and  at  prayer  this  evening  we  were  Laromed 
by  a  false  outcry.    Nicholas  Brown  died  and  was  buried ;  and  Moses  Hag- 
git  died. 

22.  Saturday,    This  morning   Moses  Haggit   was   buried:    and   we 
trenched  half  round  ye.  Fort  this  day  a  small  trench.    Our  men  are  very 
poor,  and  we  scarce  could  get  men  for  work  and  for  guard ;  but  for  my 
own  part,  I  am  very  well. 

23.  Sunday  :  no  preaching,  for  Mr.  Morrill  was  very  poor :  and  about 
one  or  two  oclock,  all  our  Camp  got  in  an  uproar,  and  some  had  slung 
their  packs  in  order  to  march  right  off;  and  for  my  own  part,  I  thought 
that  they  would  have  risen  and  marched  right  off;  but  our  Colonels  under- 
stood it,  and  went  about  in  the  Regiment,  and  spoke  very  sharp,  and  put 
them  all  to  silence,  and  ordered  them  all  to  work  again,  in  the  afternoon ; 
and  so  they  left  the  flurry. 

24.  Monday,  we  had  an  eighteen  pounder  come  to  our  Fort,  and  I 
worked.   In  y«  afternoon  we  set  another  row  of  pickets  round  the  Flanker. 
Nicholas  Noyes  died  this  night  in  the  Fort. 

25.  Tuesday,  all  the  fires  are  ordered  out  of  fort,  ovens  excepted ;  and 
Nicholas  Noyes  was  buried ;  and  about  noon  order  came  to  march  right  off 
from  ye.  Halfway  Brook  to  the  Lake,  and  we  got  up  to  the  Lake  at  dark, 
and  setup  our  tent,  and  lay  warm,  altho'  it  was  a  very  rainy  night. 


552  APPENDIX,  NO.   IX. 

26.  Wednesday :  loitering  all  y«.  forenoon :  a  little  thunder  shower ; 
and  we  moved  our  tents,  and  set  them  up  in  a  regular  form,  and  so 
camped. 

27.  Thursday ;  worked  all  day  making  breast  work ;  and  all  the  Regi- 
ments  move  under  arms  at  9  and  5.  that  forenoon  and  afternoon. 

28.  Friday  we  went  up  13  of  us  to  peal  bark  about  8  miles  toward  the 
Narrows,  and  we  got  a  considerable  quantity  for  to  make  camp.    And  in 
the  evening  there  came  news  that  the  Indians  had  killed  a  number  of 
teams  and  their  guard  below  ye.  Halfway  Brook ;  and  there  was  a  scout 
fitting  to  go  after  them,  and  that  made  a  great  confusion  in  the  minds  of 
men,  for  we  knew  not  what  was  the  reason  of  so  great  a  noise  in  y«. 
camp. 

29.  Saturday :    Flying  news  about  ye.  Scout  that  was  gone  out  after 
those  Indians  that  did  the  mischief:  and  in  the  night  there  came  in  a  Post 
from  Rogers. 

30.  Sunday,  before  day  they  did  muster,  and  sent  out  seventy  five  men 
out  of  our  Regiment,  eleven  out  of  our  Company,  who  went  a  little  after 
sunrise  down  the  Lake,  and  what  the  News  was,  we  could  not  tell ;  yet  all 
sorts  of  camp  news  was  brief*  about.    But  when  our  men  were  gone,  they 
set  [sent?]  eleven  more  at  one  minute's  warning,  with  3  days  provision,  as 
those  who  were  gone  before,  which  did  amount  to  75  more  out  of  our  Reg- 
iment, and  the  number  of  men  already  gone  is  guessed  to  be  nigh  1000 
men,  and  ye.  same  number  to  be  at  one  minute's  warning  with  3  days  pro- 
vision ;  yet  there  was  but  about  200  that  went  off  about  2  oclock.  80  in 
Col.  Nichols  Regiment. 

31.  Monday,  very  rainy,  and  nothing  but  camp  news  all  the  forenoon; 
but  fair  in  the  afternoon,  and  in  the  evening  there  came  in  some  of  the 
men  that  went  down  the  Lake. 

August  1.  [Tuesday].  Early  in  ye  morning  those  men  were  ordered 
right  down  the  Lake  again :  and  about  80  of  Col.  Nichols'  Regiment  were 
ordered  right  down  to  ye  Half  way  Brook,  and  I  among  the  rest,  and  the 
whole  number  was  about  800  men,  who  were  stationed  at  the  Half  way 
Brook  for  a  spell.  Took  3  days  provision :  bread,  pork. 

2.  Wednesday  at  the  Half  way  Brook,  a  Post  came  and  told  us  that 
Cape  Breton  was  taken ;  and  Gershom  Flegg  came  up,  and  brought  me  a 
letter  that  all  was  well  at  home,  which  caused  me  much  joy. 

3.  Thursday,  orders  that  no  man  should  ease  himself  in  ye.  Fort ;  and 
that  the  Roll  must  be  called  over,  morning  and  evening ;  and  a  Scout  of 
three  or  four  hundred  sent  out  after  the  Indians ;  and  the  duty  is  very  hard 
for  the  men. 

4.  Friday.    Took  out  2  days  stores,  and  divided  it  to  the  men :  pork, 
bread,  flour. 

5.  Saturday,  a  Scout  sent  out,  but  see  nothing ;  duty  very  hard :  and 
Colonel  Fitch  went  down  to  Fort  Edward  with  his  Regiment :  and  some 
of  our  men  were  on  duty  twice  in  a  day. 

•  "  Brief;"  "  a  provincialism,  in  the  sense  of  rife,  common,  or  prevalent,  in  England,  and 
the  United  States."  Worcester's  Dictionary. 


APPENWX,   NO.   IX.  553 

6.  Sunday :  took  out  3  days  stores  and  divided  it :  pork,  bisket,  butter, 
peas  :  and  the  rest  of  Col.  Fitch's  men  went  down  to  Fort  Edward. 

7.  Monday,  20  odd  men  came  from  ye  South  Bay  who  were  poor 
[poorly]  ;  and  said  that  Major  Rogers  will  come  away  in  a  day  or  two. 

8.  Tuesday :  all  our  men  and  [on  ?]  duty ;  and  news  came  from  Major 
Rogers,  and  we  sent  400  men  to  him,  and  200  from  above  Fort  Edward 
who  were  at  work,  600  in  all ;  and  Capt.  Brewer  came  down  from  ye  Lake 
about  10  o'clock  at  night  with  100  men. 

9.  Wednesday :  about  10  o'clock  we  had  more  men  come  from  Rogers, 
and  he  beat  the  enemy,  and  lost  about  men,  and  got  52  scalps,  and 
came  to  Fort  Edward,  and  brought  in  his  wounded  into  Fort  Edward. 

10.  Thursday :  not  much  news.     11.  Friday,  about  forty  teams  for  the 
Lake  from  Fort  Edward. 

12.  Saturday :  fixed  our  things,  and  marched  to  Lake  George,  and 
camped  there. 

18.  Sunday  :  2  fine  Sermons  :  and  at  noon  Order  for  a  Scout  to  go  to 
the  South  Bay,  and  our  men  that  were  in  the  height  [fight  ?]  with  Rogers, 
came  in  to  us  at  the  Lake  from  Fort  Edward. 

14.  Monday  :  a  large  Scout  of  five  or  six  hundred  men  sent  out  after  the 
enemy ;  some  say,  1000  men :  and  just  at  night,  a  picquet  guard  raised,  50 
men,  in  our  Regiment. 

15.  Tuesday :  I  was  on  the  picquet  guard,  and  went  to  Half  way  Brook, 
and  was  wet. 

16.  Wednesday :  a  cold  storm ;  and  I  worked  to  build  me  a  house ;  and 
nothing  remarkable. 

17.  Thursday;   nothing  remarkable.    18.    Friday,  we  sold  Beer;  and 
nothing  remarkable.    19.    Saturday  :  nothing  remarkable. 

20.  Sunday :  I  was  on  guard,  and  could  not  go  to  meeting :  and  it 
rained  almost  all  day.  21.  Monday :  nothing  remarkable. 

22.  Tuesday  :  the  Scout  came  in,  and  a  great  number  of  teams  just  at 
night. 

23.  Wednesday:  not  well;   nothing  remarkable.    24.    Thursday,  not 
well,  but  kept  about.    Our  Company  was  filled  out. 

25.  Friday.    A  party  drawed  up  to  send  out  to  the  Half  way  Brook,  and 
I  went  there,  and  was  stated  there ;  and  the  same  day  went  half  way  to 
Fort  Edward,  and  came  back  to  Half  way  Brook. 

26.  Saturday ;  on  guard  at  the  Half  way  Brook ;  14  men  went  up  to  y«. 
Lake  alone,  and  came  back  well,  all  of  them. 

27.  Sunday.    On  guard  till  8  oclock  in  the  morning ;  and  a  number  of 
teams,  about  20,  which  went  from  Fort  Edward  to  the  Lake. 

28.  Monday,  certified  that  Cape  Breton  was  taken,  and  63  cannon  shot 
at  Fort  Edward  and  small  arms.    In  joy  we  made  a  great  fire,  and  every 
soldier  had  a  j  ill  of  Rum  at  the  Half  way  Brook :  and  it  was  a  very  rainy 
night. 

29.  Tuesday :  140  of  us  went  and  made  a  breast  work ;  and  we  had  a 
jill  of  rum ;  and  we  had  a  remarkable  drink  of  flip  this  evening :  a  very 
cold  night.    30.    Wednesday :  nothing  remarkable. 

48 


554  APPENDIX,  NO.   IX. 

31.    Thursday :  full  of  camp  news  about  going  home. 

September  1.  Friday:  Quite  the  reverse  :  for  there  came  up  two  brass 
24  pounders,  and  21  teams  loaded  with  shot,  and  other  teams,  to  the  num- 
ber of  70  teams ;  and  all  the  news  is,  go  forward. 

2.  Saturday:  I  on  guard;  and  the  teams  went  up  from  here  to  the 
Lake ;  and  a  Scout  went  out  for  7  days  of  700  men. 

3.  Sunday :  on  guard  till  8  oclock  in  the  morning;  and  about  noon  Mr 
James  Wyman  came  here,  and  we  sent  letters  home  by  him :  and  there 
were  8  teams  went  up  to  the  Lake  this  day. 

4.  Monday :  nothing  extraordinary  only  camp  news,  that  the  French 
are  coming  to  take  us  :  rainy  night. 

5.  Tuesday  :  I  on  guard ;  and  we  earned  half  a  jill  of  rum  by  making  a 
great  many  bonfires. 

6.  Wednesday:   on  guard  till  8  o'clock:   news  of  a  great  scout  of 
Indians. 

7.  Thursday :  on  escort  down  towards  Fort  Edward ;  and  a  great  num- 
ber of  teams  up  to  the  Lake.    Joseph  Russel 9  died  yesterday. 

8.  Friday :  the  Scout  came  in,  and  we  were  relieved  from  the  Half  way 
Brook,  and  went  up  to  the  Lake,  and  came  [camped?]  there. 

9.  Saturday:  the  picquet  guard  went  to  meet  the  teams;  a  Sergeant 
and  four  men  went  forward  to  tell  Half  way  Brook  guard  that  the  picquet 
was  coming ;  and  the  Indians  shot  the  Sergeant  and  scalped  him  before 
one  man  got  to  him ;  and  then  the  Indians  ran  away. 

10.  Sunday :  on  guard  all  day,  the  Quarter  guard :  and  nothing  remark- 
able. 

11.  Monday:  on  guard  till  8  o'clock;  and  certified  that  Cateraguea  was 
taken ;  and  in  token  there  were  great  fires  made  upon  the  high  mountains 
round  ye.  Lake,  a  mile  or  two  distant  from  Fort  William  Henry,  and  there 
was  above  100  Cannon  fired,  and  all  the  army  fired  3  times  round  with 
small  arms,  and  huzza'd,  and  threw  up  their  hats ;  and  it  was  a  great  day 
in  ye.  army. 

12.  Tuesday,  we  built  up  our  chimney  and  ....  13.     Wednesday :  not 
very  well,  but  keep  about.  .  .  .  Abijah  is  poor. 

14.  Thursday :  both  of  us  not  well,  but  I  keep  about :  and  I  heard  it 
was  Thanksgiving  at  the  Bay.    It  was  a  rainy  night,  and  we  were  all  very 
poor  &c. 

15.  Friday:  I  was  very  poor,  but  just  keep  about,  and  I  took  physick: 
Abijah  was  poor,  and  Jesse  Wyman  was  poor,  and  Lieut.  Fassett  died  this 
night. 

16.  Saturday :  Lt.  Pearson,  and  his  brother,  and  Serjt.  Nichols  got  a 
pass  home ;  and  I  was  poorly.    Lt.  Fassett  was  buried :  and  this  night  I 
took  pills  for  physick. 

17.  Sunday :  not  well,  but  keep  about  a  little.    Mr  Morrill  came  up 
from  Albany,  and  preached  two  sermons  this  day. 

18.  Monday:  some  better:  pretty  cold  weather.     Camp  news  about 
going  home  in  3  weeks ;  but  all  uncertain. 

*  Joseph  Russell,  son  of  Joseph  and  Jane  Russell,  and  grandson  of  John,  Jr.,  and  Eliza- 
beth Russell,  born  at  Woburn,  22  September,  1713.  Woburn  Records. 


APPENDIX,  NO.   IX.  555 

19.  Tuesday :  walked  about  down  to  the  Lake,  and  see  'em  fit  up  the  bat- 
tows  ;  and  great  preparations,  and  what  it  will  amount  to  I  know  not : 
some  better. 

20.  Wednesday:  much  better;  and  our  Sutler  had  stores  come  up  for 
the  Regiment.    Camp  news. 

21.  Thursday  :    I  was  on  the  picquet  guard,  but  went  no  where,  and  no 
remarkables  :  pretty  warm  weather  for  the  season  of  the  year. 

22.  Friday.  Received  3  letters,  that  all  was  well  at  home  :  and  this  even- 
ing, two  of  Capt.  Parker's   [company)   died  very  sudden,  Mansfield  and 
Ebenr.  Knight :  and  the  Half  way  Brook  was  relieved  this  day. 

23.  Saturday.    I  was  on  guard  all  day.     Camp  news  brief.    70  or  80 
teams  come  up.    Jeremiah  Blanchard,  and  John  and  Moses  (Barns  ?)  came 
from  Fort  Edward  &c. 

24.  Sunday :  on  guard  till  8  o'clock ;  and  Mr.  Joshua  Tompson  set  out 
for  home.    Mr.  Morrill  preached  2  sermons  from  2.  Cor.  4  &  18  all  day : 
and  just  at  night  a  Scout  of  150  went  down  the  Lake. 

25.  Monday :  a  party  went  to  get  hay ;  but  we  did  not  know  where. 
John  Richardson,  James  Wright,  Salem  Scipio  10  went ;  but  we  heard  they 
went  about  4  miles  from  the  Lake ;  and  there  were  70  odd  teams  came  up. 
Sam.  Tidd  took  a  vomit. 

26.  Tuesday  :  I  on  the  picquet,  but  went  no  where. 

27.  Wednesday,  the  picquet  went  to  Half  way  Brook,  and  our  haying 
party  came  home.     Sam  Tidd  poor  &c  and  five  teams  and  7  or  8  wagons 
came  up. 

28.  Thursday.     I  sawed  some  boards  for  to  make  me  a  house;  and 
nothing  remarkable.     Camp  news  very  brief.     Sam.  Tidd  poor. 

29.  Friday :  yesterday  all  the  fires  in  the  Camps  ordered  out  of  the 
Breast  work  from  8  oclock  till  sun  down ;  and  obeyed  generally  yester- 
day :  and  at  night  the  Scout  came  in,  who  went  out  last  Sunday. 

30.  Saturday  :  on  the  main  guard  on  [L        ?]  Hill  all  day,  and  I  kept 
time  in  the  evening  till  1  o'clock,  and  the  Captain  &  the  other  Lieutenant 
the  rest  of  the  night;  and  a  number  of  our  men  that  were  sick  were 
viewed,  and  are  to  go  away. 

October  1.  Sunday:  on  the  main  guard  till  8  oclock:  and  Sam.  Tidd 
poor;  and  I  heard  Mr  Morrill  preach  in  the  afternoon  [from]  97  Psalm,  1st 
v,erse :  and  much  Camp  news ;  and  a  Flag  of  Truce  set  out  for  the  Nar- 
rows ;  and  a  number  of  our  sick  were  sent  off  to  day ;  and  Abijah  was 
something  poor. 

2.  Monday  :  Sam1.  Tidd  poor ;  and  a  rainy  afternoon ;  and  Camp  news 
very  brief  about  going  home  &c  and  Mr  Sam'.  Abbot  died. 

3.  Tuesday:  Mr  Abbot  buried;  and  Abijah  and  Sam.  Tidd  very  poor. 
I  worked  on  my  house. 

4.  Wednesday :  'bijah  and  Sam.  Tidd  poor :  I  worked  on  my  house :  and 
very  cold  weather. 

6.  Thursday:  very  cold  morning;  and  I  worked  on  my  house;  and 
much  Camp  news ;  and  a  party  detached  for  Half  way  Brook  to  morrow. 

»  A  slave,  often  mentioned  in  Woburn  Records  by  this  name ;  from  Salem,  I  suppose. 


556  APPENDIX,  NO.   IX. 

6.  Friday :  a  raw  day ;  and  our  men  went  to  relieve  those  at  Half  way 
Brook;   and  General  Amherst  came  up  yesterday,  and  our  army  was 
drawed  up  all  round  the  Breast  work  for  the  new  General  to  view  this  day, 
every  Regiment  by  themselves.     Sam.  Tidd  very  poor. 

7.  Saturday :  a  pleasant  day :  Sam11.  Tidd  very  bad,  and  myself  some 
poor  &  'bijah ;  and  some  wagons  came  up. 

8.  Sunday.     Samii.  Tidd  no  better ;  'bijah  and  I  some  better.     Mr.  Mor- 
rill  preached  this  day  [from]  John  8.  &  9  verse  forenoon,  and  2d  Peter,  3 
chapt.  10,  11,  12  verses  afternoon. 

9.  Monday :  Sam.  Tidd  very  bad,  and  some  of  our  men  viewed,  and 
Capt.  Osgood  and  Wn>.  Coggin  got  a  pass ;  and  Thomas  Blanchard  died  this 
evening. 

10.  Tuesday :    Capt.  Osgood  and  Bill  Coggin  set  out  for  home ;  and 
Sam.  Tidd11  died;    and  Thomas  Blanchard  and  Sam.  Tidd  buried :  a  rainy 
night :  on  duty  in  the  forenoon. 

11.  Wednesday :  some  poor  for  some  days  past,  but  I  kept  about :  noth- 
ing remarkable. 

12.  Thursday :  about  35  viewed,  and  got  a  pass  to  go  home :  and  no 
remarkables. 

13.  Friday :  on  the  main  guard  at  the  old  Picquet  Fort,  and  a  regular 
Captain,  both  of  us  fifty  men,  25  each :  a  rainy  night,  but  I  lay  dry  and 
warm  by  a  good  fire  at  night. 

14.  Saturday :  on  guard  till  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning :  much  camp 
news  about  going  home  next  week  &c. 

15.  Sunday  :  pretty  cold  weather.    Mr.  Mori-ill's  text,  1  Kings,  8  chapter, 
67,  58,  60  &  61  st.  verses  [in  the  forenoon]  26  Isaiah,  8,  9  verses,  afternoon : 
and  Mr.  James  Wyman  came  up  and  brought  letters,  that  all  was  well 
at  home. 

16.  Monday :  about  30  of  our  Regiment  got  a  pass  to  go  home,  and 
about  100  teams  came  up  this  day.      .     .     . 

17.  Tuesday :  the  teams  carried  the  artillery  down  to  Fort  Edward,  and 
a  great  number  of  waggons  came  up  to  carry  away  the  Battows. 

18.  Wednesday,  100  Battows  went  down  in  ye  morning,  and  Col.  Wor- 
cester's regiment  went  down,  and  the  teams  and  more  waggons  came  up 
and  loaded. 

19.  Thursday :  the  teams  and  waggons  went  down  again  loaded,  and 
seven  of  our  Company  and  Jesse  Wyman  went  home,  and  late  in  ye  night, 
the  waggons  come  and  loaded  again. 

20.  Friday :  on  the  main  guard,  and  a  number  of  battows  carried  down, 
and  teams  and  waggons  come  up  and  loaded. 

21.  Saturday :  the  teams  and  waggons  went  down :  we  drawed  4  days 
provision:  and  Lieut.  Joshua  Walker  &  Serj*  [McCord?]  set  out  forborne: 
and  they  were  unrigging  the  Sloop,  and  she  haled  up  about  30  or  40  whale 
boats  down  ye  Lake  to  sink  them ;  and  the  waggons  came  up  again. 


«  Samuel,  son  of  Samuel  and  Phebe  Tidd,  born  17  May,  1741 ;  died,  under  age,  in  the 
y  at  Lake  George,  October  10, 1758.    [See  State  Muster  Boll.] 


APPENDIX,   NO.    IX.  557 

22.  Sunday:  the  waggons  went  down  again  with  battows,  and  they 
haled  a  number  of  battows  down  the  Lake  to  sink  ;  and  they  knocked 
down  the  barracks  within  the  new  Picket  Fort,  and  they  bury  the  guns 
belonging  to  the  Sloop,  and  the  boards  of  the  barracks,  and  the  Sloop 
irons,  and  many  other  things  :   and  Mr.   Morrill  preached  ;    his  text,  1 
Thessalonians  2,  12  forenoon:  no  preaching  in  the  afternoon  ;  for  Orders 
came,  that  our  Regiment  with  2  more  Regiments,  and  every  20  men  to 
draw  battows  down  to  Fort  Edward  tomorrow. 

23.  Monday  :  we  drawed  out  a  number  of  battows  down  to  Fort  Edward, 
and  camped  94  [by  ?]  a  Store  house  :  very  cold  night. 

24.  Tuesday;  Set  out  from  Fort  Edward  in  a  battow,  and  we  had  a 
very  bad  spell  at  the  Falls  at  Fort  Miller.     We  haled  our  battow  out  on 
the  land  forty  rod,  and  put  it  in  the  River  again,  and  we  got  stuck  in  the 
Falls.     I  got  out  and  lifted  in  the  River  one  hour  in  ye.  dark,  and  we  got 
off,  and  went  on  shore,  and  set  up  three  tents,  and  put  our  Sick  in  one  ; 
and  it  was  a  rainy  night,  and  we  made  a  great  fire. 

25.  Wednesday,  I  went  on  land  part  of  the  day,  and  part  by  water  ; 
and  we  camped  three  miles  below  Stillwater  in  a  house  :  a  rainy  night, 
and  a  very  bad  snow  storm  all  the  fore  part  of  the  next  day. 

26.  Thursday  :  I  marched  all  day,  and  crossed  the  River  at  Half  Moon 
at  one  or  two  o'clock,  and  went  to  Flatbush,  and  lodged  in  a  house.    I 
bought  a  good  supper. 

27.  Friday  :  went  in  a  battow  to  Green  Bush,  and  got  into  a  barn  with 
our  Sick.    And  I  went  to  Albany  and  drawed  provision  for  ye  Company, 
and  lay  in  ye  barn  at  Green  Bush  ;  and  I  had  a  very  bad  cold. 

28.  Saturday  :  very  bad  cold  ;  and  Abijah  and  the  rest  of  our  Com- 
pany set  out  for  home  in  the  morning  ;  and  I  went  about  to  take  care  of 
the  Sick,  and  felt  pretty  poor.    Samii.  Hutchinson  and  Dani.  Holt  sick.    I 
put  SamU.  Hutchinson  into  Hospitall,  and  Camped  in  Barn. 

29.  Sunday  :  Set  out  from  Green  Bush  about  10  o'clock,  and  came  to 
half  way  house  about  noon,  and  rid  in  a  waggon  to  Canterhook1*  mills 
before  sundown,  and  Camped  in  a  barn. 

30.  Monday  :  Set  out  from  Kenderhook  before  sun  rise,  and  went  to 
Goodaneers,  and  eat  chocolate,  and  went  to  Stone  house  11  o'clock.     Set 
out  from  thence  to  Lovejoy's,  and  eat  beef  and  turnips,  and  paid  for  it; 
and  went  to  Roberts',  and  lodged  in  his  barn,  &c. 

31.  Tuesday  :  eat  -  and  milk  at  Roberts'  ;  paid  for  it,  and  set  out 
from  thence,  and  came  to  Sheffield  about  10  o'clock  at  ye  meeting  house  we 
marched  to  Davis's,  and  I  eat  beef  and  potatoes  about  2  oclock  :  then  we 
set  out  from  thence,  and  went  to  Mr.  Brewer's  about  3  o'clock,  where 
we  eat  supper  and  breakfast  on  Province  cost,  and  I  lodged  in  a  bed. 

November  1.  Wednesday  set  out  from  Brewer's,  sun  i  hour  high  ;  went 
into  Green  woods  to  a  house  11  miles  from  Brewer's  :  eat  a  dinner  on  the 
Province  cost.  Set  out  from  thence  about  noon,  and  came  to  Glascow 
meeting  house  at  3  o'clock.  Stopped  there  a  few  minutes,  and  went  one 


48* 


558  APPENDIX,   NO.   X. 

mile  to  a  tavern  and  lodged  in  a  barn.    I  see  Mr.  Zorobabel  Snow  at  this 
place.    I  eat  on  the  Province  cost. 

2.  Thursday :  Set  out  from  the  tavern  at  break  of  day,  and  came  to 
Westfleld;  Sun  hour  high.    I  eat  chocolate  at  my  own  cost.     Set  out  from 
there,  and  came  to  Springfield  about  2  oclock  to  the  River,  and  went  over 
to  a  tavern  one  mile  this  side,  and  eat  on  the  Province  cost.    Then  I  went 
6  mile  further,  and  lodged  in  a  barn ;  eat  supper  on  the  Province  cost. 

3.  Friday :  Set  out  before  sunrise,  and  went  ten  mile,  before  breakfast 
to  Graves's ;  eat  on  the  Province  cost,  and  then  went  to  Brimfleld  to  uncle 
James  Tompson's,13  and  got  there  4  oclock,  and  lodged  there  in  a  bed. 

4.  Saturday :  stayed  at  uncle  James  Tompson's  till  3  oclock,  and  set 
out  and  went  4  mile :    met  Daniel u  and  went  back  to  uncle's,  and  lay 
there  and  Daniel. 

6.  Sunday.  Set  out  from  uncle's,  and  got  lost ;  but  we  came  to  uncle 
Hartwell's  about  1  oclock,  and  eat  a  good  dinner.  Set  out  from  thence, 
Sun  i  hour  high,  and  rode  to  Worcester  to  Brown's,  and  lodged  there. 

6.  Monday.  Set  out  from  Brown's,  and  came  to  Agar's  [Hagar's  ?]  and 
went  to  breakfast ;  poor  chocolate :  then  rode  as  far  as  Deacon  Rice's ; 
went  to  dinner;  poor  beef:  then  rode  to  Roes  [Munroe's?]  of  Concord; 
drinked  some  cherry,  and  then  rode  home  to  my  own  house,  where  I  found 
them  all  well,  &c.,  on  Monday  night,  about  9  oclock  the  6th  of  November 
seventeen  hundred  fifty-eight. 


APPENDIX,   No.   X. 

FRENCH  NEUTRALS. 

During  the  war,  which  commenced  in  1755,  between  England 
and  France,  frequent  references  are  made  in  the  Woburn  Trea- 
surer's Records  to  the  Neutral  French.  These  originally  were 
inhabitants  of  Nova  Scotia,  about  seven  thousand  in  number, 
"mild,  frugal,  industrious  and  pious"  in  their  character;  Colo- 
nists of  France,  but  who,  upon  the  cession  of  that  Province  by 
France  to  England,  at  the  treaty  of  Utrecht,  in  1713,  became  right- 
fully subjects  of  Great  Britain.  But  such  was  their  attachment  to 
their  native  country,  its  government  and  religion,  that  though  they 
were  allowed  to  hold  their  lands  upon  condition  of  taking  the  oath  of 
allegiance  to  the  Sovereign  of  England,  yet  they  refused  to  do  this, 
except  with  this  qualification,  that  they  should  not  be  obliged,  in  case 

"  James,  son  of  Jonathan  and  Frances  Thompson,  born  H  November,  1696 ;  a  brother  of 
Esquire  Samuel  Thompson's  father. 

"  Daniel  Thompson,  brother  of  Esquire  Samuel ;  killed  eventually  at  Concord  flght, 
April  19, 1775. 


APPENDIX,  NO.    X.  559 

of  any  future  war  between  France  and  England,  to  take  up  arms  in 
defence  of  the  British  Province  they  now  inhabited,  against  their 
own  countrymen.  By  this  qualification  to  their  oath  of  allegiance, 
these  French  Colonists  took  the  position,  and  acquired  the  name  of 
Neutrals  between  the  French  and  English :  and  had  their  conduct 
afterwards  been  always  answerable  to  the  name  and  position  they 
had  so  assumed,  they  would,  not  improbably,  have  been  suffered 
to  remain  unmolested,  both  as  to  their  property  and  their  persons. 
But  during  the  war  between  France  and  England,  which  commenced 
in  1755,  it  was  alleged  against  them  by  the  English,  that  they  had 
abandoned  their  neutral  character  and  position  ;  that  they  "  fur- 
nished the  French  and  Indians  with  intelligence,  quarters,  pro- 
visions, and  assistance  in  annoying  the  government  of  the  Province  ; 
that  three  hundred  of  them  were  actually  found  in  arms  at  the  tak- 
ing of  Fort  Beau-sejour ;  and  that  notwithstanding  an  offer  was 
made  to  such  of  them  as  had  not  been  openly  in  arms  to  be 
allowed  to  continue  in  possession  of  their  land,  if  they  would  take 
the  oath  of  allegiance  without  any  qualification,  they  unanimously 
refused  it."  l 

In  view  of  these  charges  (which  were  probably  just,  as  to  many 
individuals  among  them) ,  the  Lieut.-Governor  of  the  Province  and 
his  Council,  when  met  together  to  consider  what  was  best  to  be 
done  with  this  people,  decided  that  it  would  not  be  consistent  with 
the  public  safety  that  they  should  remain  any  longer  in  the  Pro- 
vince ;  and  that  if  they  were  allowed  to  remove  to  Canada,  the 
result  would  be,  to  replenish  the  armies  of  France.  Hence  they 
resolved  to  remove  them  all  by  force,  and  to  distribute  them  among 
the  several  British  Colonies,  "  where  they  could  not  unite  in  any 
offensive  measures,  and  where  they  might  be  naturalized  to  the 
government  and  country."  l 

The  execution  of  this  plan  was  intrusted  principally  to  the  Mas- 
sachusetts forces,  headed  by  Lieut.-Colonel  Winslow.  2  A  conve- 
nient time  having  arrived,  the  inhabitants,  who  had  hitherto  been 
kept  in  entire  ignorance  of  their  destiny,  "  were  called  into  the  dif- 
ferent ports  to  hear  the  King's  orders,  as  they  were  termed.  At 
Grand  Pre,  where  Col.  Winslow  had  the  immediate  command,  four 
hundred  and  eighteen  of  their  best  men  assembled.  These  being 
shut  into  the  church  (for  that  too  had  become  an  arsenal)  he  placed 

1  Minot'B  History  of  Massachusetts,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  220,  221,  222. 
*  Lieut.-Colonel  John  Winslow  of  Marshfield. 


560  APPENDIX,  NO.   X. 

himself  with  his  officers  in  the  centre,  and  addressed  them  thus : 
*  Gentlemen :  I  have  received  from  his  Excellency,  Governor 
Lawrence,  the  King's  commission  which  I  have  in  my  hand ;  and 
by  his  orders  you  are  convened  together,  to  manifest  to  you  his 
Majesty's  final  resolution  to  the  French  inhabitants  of  this  his  Pro- 
vince of  Nova  Scotia ;  who  for  almost  half  a  century  have  had 
more  indulgence  granted  them,  than  any  of  his  subjects  in  any  part 
of  his  dominions.  What  use  you  have  made  of  it,  you  yourselves 
best  know. 

"  *  The  part  of  duty  I  am  now  upon,  though  necessary,  is  very 
disagreeable  to  my  natural  make  and  temper,  as  I  know  it  must  be 
grievous  to  you,  who  are  of  the  same  species. 

" '  But  it  is  not  my  business  to  animadvert,  but  to  obey  such 
orders  as  I  receive  ;  and  therefore,  without  hesitation,  shall  deliver 
you  his  Majesty's  orders  and  instructions  ;  namely , 

" '  That  your  land  and  tenements,  cattle  of  all  kinds,  and  live 
stock  of  all  sorts,  are  forfeited  to  the  crown,  with  all  other  your 
effects,  saving  your  money  and  household  goods ;  and  you  your- 
selves to  be  removed  from  this  his  Province.' 

"  Thus  it  is  peremptorily  his  Majesty's  orders,  that  the  whole 
French  inhabitants  of  these  districts  be  removed ;  and  I  am, 
through  his  Majesty's  goodness,  directed  to  allow  you  liberty  to 
carry  off  your  money  and  household  goods,  as  many  as  you  can 
without  discommoding  the  vessels  you  go  in.  I  shall  do  every- 
thing in  my  power,  that  all  those  goods  be  secured  to  you,  and 
that  you  are  not  molested  in  carrying  them  off;  also,  that  whole 
families  shall  go  in  the  same  vessel ;  and  make  this  remove,  which 
I  am  sensible  must  give  you  a  great  deal  of  trouble,  as  easy  as  his 
Majesty's  service  will  admit ;  and  hope  that  in  whatever  part  of 
the  world  you  may  fall,  you  may  be  faithful  subjects,  a  peaceable 
and  happy  people. 

"  I  must  also  inform  you,  that  it  is  his  Majesty's  pleasure  that  you 
remain  in  security,  under  the  inspection  and  direction  of  the  troops 
that  I  have  the  honor  to  command."  "  And  he  then  declared  them 
the  King's  prisoners." 

"  The  whole  number  of  persons  collected  at  Grand  Pre  finally 
amounted  to  483  men  and  337  women,  heads  of  families,  and  their 
sons  and  daughters  to  527  of  the  former,  and  576  of  the  latter, 
making  in  the  whole  1,927  souls.  Their  stock  was  upwards  of 
5,000  horned  cattle,  493  horses,  and  12,887  sheep  and  swine. 


APPENDIX,   NO.   X.  561 

"  As  some  of  these  wretched  inhabitants  escaped  to  the  woods, 
all  possible  measures  were  adopted  to  force  them  back  to  captivity. 
The  country  was  laid  waste  to  prevent  their  subsistence.  In  the 
district  of  Minas  alone,  there  were  destroyed  255  houses,  276 
barns,  155  out-houses,  11  mills,  and  1  church;  and  the  friends  of 
those  who  refused  to  come  in  were  threatened,  as  the  victims  of 
their  obstinacy.  In  short,  so  operative  were  the  terrors  that  sur- 
rounded them,  that  of  twenty-four  young  men  who  deserted  from  a 
transport,  twenty-two  were  glad  to -return  of  themselves,  the  others 
being  shot  by  sentinels,  and  one  of  their  friends,  who  was  supposed 
to  have  been  accessary  to  their  escape,  having  been  carried  on 
shore  to  behold  the  destruction  of  his  house  and  effects,  which 
were  burned  in  his  presence,  as  a  punishment  for  his  temerity,  and 
perfidious  aid  to  his  comrades.  Being  embarked  by  force  of  the 
musquetry,  they  were  dispersed,  according  to  the  original  plan, 
among  the  several  British  Colonies.  One  thousand  arrived  in 
Massachusetts  Bay,  and  became  a  public  expense,  owing  in  a 
great  degree  to  an  unchangeable  antipathy  to  their  situation, 
which  prompted  them  to  reject  the  usual  beneficiary  but  humiliating 
establishment  of  paupers  for  their  children."  3 

Of  the  thousand  French  Neutrals  brought  to  Massachusetts,  to 
be  distributed  among  its  towns,  we  learn  from  Gage's  History  of 
Rowley,  that  "  Rowley  had  fourteen  to  provide  for  &  ....  that 
Bradford  had  eleven  as  their  proportion.  Boxford  had  fifteen  a 
part  of  the  time,  but  in  March  (1758)  six  of  them  were  removed 
to  Middleton." 4  "  The  selectmen  of  the  several  towns  were 
authorized  by  law  to  bind  them  out  to  service.  It  is  not  known 
that  any  of  those  in  Rowley  were  bound  out.  The  Province  was 
charged  with  the  expense  of  their  board.  After  the  peace  of  1763, 
the  town  [Rowley]  March  17,  1767,  made  a  grant  of  £13  6s.  8d.  to 
aid  them  in  returning  to  the  place  of  their  nativity."  4 

From  the  following  Memoranda  in  the  Records  of  the  Treasurer  of 
"Woburn  of  that  day,  it  appears  that  a  number  of  these  unfortunate 
people  were  placed  in  this  town,  under  the  care  of  different  fam- 
ilies : 

1756  May  10.     "Paid  to   Benjan.  Wyman  for  provisions  for 

the  French  family  now  maintained  by  the  Town  .        .          £1.3.0." 
"    June  20.    Paid  to  Dr.  John  Prince  for  his  doctoring  the 

French  in  this  town  to  this  day 1.16.8." 

»  Minot's  History,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  224,  227.  «  Gage's  Rowley,  p.  208. 


562 


APPENDIX,   NO.    X. 


1766  July  15.    Paid  to  Mr.  Thomas  Reed  for  beef,  pork,  meal, 

wood,  and  sundries  for  the  French  family  in  Woburn    .        £3.09.0." 
"  Deer.  29.     Paid    to   Mr.  Isaac  Snow  for  provisions  to 

the  French  People  in  our  town  in  full  to  this  day  .        .          3.02.0." 
1757  March  4.     "  There  is  a  Note  in  the  Hands  of  Josiah  John- 
son Esqr.  of  about  twenty  six  Pounds  from  the  Prov- 
ince, to  pay  this  Town  for  keeping  the  French  people 
„        taken  from  Menis  and  sent  here."  p.  122 
"  June  1.     Paid   to  James  Thompson  for  three  loads  of 

wood  he  found  for  the  French 0:10 :0." 

"  July  29.    Paid  to  Dea.  Timothy  Winn  for  provisions  for 

the  French  people  in  our  town 0:10:11." 

"  Aug.  17.     Paid  to  Oliver  Richardson  for  beans  for  ye. 

French  family  .        .         0:2:l£." 

1758.    Feby.  23.     "Paid  to  Dea.  Timothy  Winn  for  keeping 

the  French  ye.  fore  part  of  ye.  year.          .        .        .        .        0 :10 :8." 
"  March  9.     "Paid  to  Dea.  Timothy  Winn  for  service  done 

ye.  Town  respecting  the  French 0  -A  :0." 

"  May  23.    "Paid  to  Benjn.  Richardson  for  taking  care  of 

the  French 0:4:0:" 

"  Deer.  4.     "  Paid  to  Joseph  Wright  for  time  and  trouble 

spent  about  ye.  French 0:4:0:" 

"        "      "  Paid  to  Benjn.  Flagg  for  Clothing  for  the  French 

Nuters 1:4 :0." 

1760  Jany.  13.    "Paid  to  Mr.  Benjn.  Flagg  in  full  of  an  Order 
of  sixteen  shillings  for  keeping  the  French  in  the  year 

1758 0:16:0." 

-  "   Oct.  13.     "Paid  to  Mr.  Benjn.  Brooks  in  full  for  keeping 

the  French  Family  one  year 28  :5  :7.1" 

"      "         "  Paid  to  Benjn.  Brooks  in  part  of  an  Order  for 

keeping  the  French  family 0:19:8:3." 

1761.  Jany.  16.     "Paid  to  Mr.  Isaac  Snow  [for]  a  Coffin  for 

Abraham  French  [for  Ab™.  a  Frenchman?  see  March  30]       0 :7  :4 :0." 
"  March  30.     "  Paid  to  Mr.  Isaac  Brooks  for  digging  a 

grave  for  the  Frenchman,  and  keeping  a  woman  stranger         0 :8.0.0" 
"  March  30.     "  Paid  to  Dr.  John  Prince  in  full  for  doctoring 

the  French  family  in  the  years  1758  &  1759.     .        .        .          0 :9  :6 :0 

"  Aug.  29.  Received  of  Mr.  James  Fowle,  which  he 
received  of  ye  Province  Treasurer  for  keeping  the 
French  in  Woburn 5  :13  :4 :0." 

"  July  6.  "  Paid  to  Mr.  Joshua  Walker  in  full  for  going  to 
Wilmington  to  divide  the  french  family  [to  carry  part 
of  them  there?]  .  . 0:4:0:0'' 

"  Oct.  4.  "  Paid  to  Mr.  Joshua  Harnden  in  full  for  moving 

the  French  family  from  Wilmington  to  Charlestown  0 :8  :0 :0." 

«  «  "Paid  to  Mr.  Joseph  Harnden  in  part  of  an  Order 

for  house  rent  for  the  French  family  in  Wilmington  0 :16  :0 :0." 


APPENDIX,  NO.   XL  563 

1764.  Oct.  12.    "  Paid  Capt.  Zach*  Flagg  in  full  for  a  part  of  a 

load  of  wood  he  found  for  the  French     .        .        .        .       0:2:0:0. 

1764.  Deer  29.  "  Paid  John  Lappidore  in  full  for  what  the 
Selectmen  agreed  to  give  him  for  maintaining  the 
French  for  one  year 1 :12 :0 :0" 

1766  Jany.  8.     "  Paid  to  John  Labedore  for  him  and  his  family 

(Was  not  Lappidore  himself  one  of  the  French?)  .     1 :12  :0.0." 

"  August  28.    "Paid  to  John  Labedore8       ....     1:12:0:0." 


APPENDIX,   No.  XI. 

BOUNTY  FOR  KILLING  BLACKBIRDS  AND  SQUIRRELS  IN  1741,  ETC. 

About  1740,  the  fields  in  Woburn  appear  to  have  been  greatly 
infested,  in  planting  and  harvest  time,  with  blackbirds  and  squir- 
rels. To  get  rid  of  these  pests,  the  inhabitants  in  town  meeting 
March  30,  1741,  passed  the  following  vote  : 

"  Voted,  that  the  Town  Treasurer  is  directed  to  pay  unto  the 
Fathers  and  Masters  of  Children  and  Servants  three  pence  per 
head  for  Crow  Black-birds,  Jebirds  [Jaybirds  ?]  and  Mouse  Squir- 
rels that  they  their  Children  or  Servants  shall  or  may  kill  and 
destroy  within  the  said  Town  of  Woburn  from  the  twelfth  day  of 
April  next  to  the  last  day  of  June  next,  provided  that  the  heads  of 
said  birds  and  squirrels  be  brought  into  the  Treasury  by  said 
Fathers  and  Masters  on  the  General  Town  meeting  in  May  next, 
or  on  the  first  Monday  of  July  next  ensuing,  which  are  the  times 
appointed  by  the  Town  for  the  Treasurer  to  receive  and  pay  for 
the  same :  Always  provided  that  the  General  Court  does  not 
make  an  Act  of  Law  upon  that  account."  l 

And  now  all  the  boys  in  "Woburn,  stimulated  by  the  promise  of 
a  bounty  to  a  work  of  destruction,  which  they  are  always  ready 
enough  from  mere  wantonness  to  perform,  entered  with  alacrity 
into  the  warfare  which  they  had  now  been  encouraged  to  under- 
take. Through  a  large  portion  of  the  years  1741,  1742  and  1743, 
they  were  employed  in  this  business :  nor  did  they  confine  them- 
selves to  the  times  for  their  bloody  work  to  which  the  vote  of  the 
town  restricted  them,  but  readily  engaged  in  it  whenever  the 

*  The  last  entry  in  the  treasurer's  book  that  I  find,  respecting  the  French.  I  have  ob- 
served no  mention  there  of  any  money  given  them,  to  aid  them  to  return  to  their  own 
country,  aa  was  done  in  1767  at  Rowley. 

•    »  Town  Records,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  363. 


564  APPENDIX,  NO.   XI. 

prospect  of  success  invited  them  to  stir  in  it.  Nor  did  the  Trea- 
surer himself  appear  to  feel  limited  in  the  bounty  he  paid  them, 
but  increased  it  as  he  pleased,  as  though  the  amount  of  it  were  a 
matter  left  to  his  own  discretion  to  determine  ;  and  hence  we  find 
him  giving  four  pence  instead  of  three  pence  for  every  squirrel's 
head  that  was  brought  to  him,  three  pence  for  every  old  blackbird's 
head,  and  a  penny  for  the  head  of  every  young  one. 

The  results  of  the  crusade  against  these  little  mischievous  crea- 
tures, which  the  above  vote  of  the  town  initiated,  may  well  fill  us 
of  the  present  day  with  surprise,  now  that  their  number  is  so  vastly 
diminished.  Within  a  twelvemonth  from  April  28,  1741,  the 
treasurer  paid  bounty  upon  5,200  squirrels'  heads  that  were  brought 
to  him,  and  upon  2,015  blackbirds'  heads,  young  and  old.2  And 
the  expense  incurred  by  the  town  for  this  purpose  was  reimbursed 
from  the  State  Treasury,  as  appears  by  the  annexed  Certificate  of 
the  treasurer  of  Woburn : 

"  March  ye.  13th.  1741-2.  Received  from  the  Country  Treasurer, 
of  the  bounty  we  paid  for  birds  and  squirrels  last  year,  the  sum  of 
one  hundred  and  twenty  seven  Pound  and  five  Shillings  and  three 
Pence.  £127  :5  :3."  3 

Subjoined  are  a  few  specimens  of  the  activity  and  diligence  of 
the  boys  in  their  work  of  destruction,  as  are  recorded  in  the  Trea- 
surer's book  of  accounts : 

"  May  ye.  4.  1741.  Paid  Mr.  Zachariah  Snow  for  29  Black 

Birds  heads £0:7:  3." 

"  May  ye.  25.  1741.    Paid  Amos  Kendall  for  one  hundred  and 

two  Black  birds  heads  and  twenty  eight  Squirrels.     .        .1. 14.  10.'* 
"  June  ye.  6.  1741    Paid    Jedidiah  Leathe  for  one  hundred 

and  four  Squirrels,  and  three  old  Black  Birds,  and  twelve 

young  Black  Birds  Heads.  1 :  16 : 5." 

"  June  ye.  8.  1741.    Paid  Joshua  Jones  for  fifty  eight  Black 

Birds  and  thirty  Squirrels  heads 1:4:  6." 

"  June  ye.  16.  1741.    Paid  Jonathan  Proctor  for  75  old  and  5 

young  Black  Birds  heads,  and  44  Squirrels  heads.      .        .      1. 13 : 10." 
"  August  ye.  5.  1741.    Paid  John  Tottingham  for  94  Squirrels, 

and  6  old  and  4  young  Blackbirds  heads     .        .        .        .      1 :  13 :  2." 
"  August  ye.  5.  1741.    Paid  Amos  Kendall  for  114  Squirrels', 

and  15  old  Blackbirds  and  4  young  ones  heads    .        .        .      2:  2:  1. 
"  December  ye.  25.  1741.     Paid  Farrar  [for]  73  Squirrels' 

Heads          . 1.    4.  4." 

»  Treasurer's  Book  of  Accounts,  from  1739  to  1772,  pp.  14-24,  and  p.  31. 
»  Treasurer's  Book,  p.  32. 


APPENDIX,  NO.   XII.  565 

February  1.  1741-2.  "  Paid  Samii.  Nevers  for  33  old  and  13 
young  black  birds'  and  58  Squirrels'  heads.  .  .  .  1.  8.  8" 

"  February  26.  1741-2.  Paid  Jacob  Peirce  for  318  Squirrels 
and  4  old  and  one  young  blackbirds'  heads  .  .  .  5.  7.  1." 

"                              Paid  Joshua  Kendall  for  150  Squirrels 
heads     .        .        . '  .      2.  10.  0" 

"  February  27.  1741-2.  Paid  Jacob  Richardson  y*.  3d.  for 
189  squirrels  and  12  old  black  birds  and  7  young  ones 
[heads] 3.  6.  7." 

In  the  Treasurer's  Book,  there  are  registered  upon  7  folio  pages,  173 
entries  of  payments  made  by  him  for  the  heads  of  blackbirds  and 
squirrels  killed  between  1741  and  1742,  and  brought  to  him,  and  amounting 
severally  from  four  pence  to  upwards  of  five  pounds.*  Nor  did  this  work 
of  destruction  then  cease.  It  was  resumed  in  August  1 742 ;  four  pages 
more  of  the  Treasurer's  Book  are  occupied  with  recording  its  results 5  ; 
and  November  30,  1743  there  was  paid  out  of  the  Province  Treasury 
£103 :  9s.  lOd.  for  what  had  been  done  in  Woburn-in  this  way.6 


APPENDIX,  No.   XII. 

LIST  OP  MEN,  WHO  SERVED  FOB  WOBURN  IN  THE  WAR  OF  THE 
REVOLUTION  : 

Comprehending : 

(1.)  Known  Citizens  of  Woburn,  and  others,  who  on  plausible 
grounds  are  presumed  to  have  been  Inhabitants  of  the  town  when 
the  "War  began,  or  soon  after ;  and  all  of  whom,  being  drafted, 
rendered  personal  service  in  it,  or  procured  others  who  did  it  in 
their  stead.* 

(2.)  Strangers  from  a  distance,  and  persons  belonging  to  other 
towns,  who  were  hired  from  time  to  time  by  Woburn  to  fill  up  its 
quota,  or  by  private  individuals  to  act  for  them  as  substitutes. 
Soldiers  of  this  latter  class  are  distinguished  by  prefixing  a  (|)  to 
their  names  in  the  List ;  and  though  originating  elsewhere,  yet 
several  of  them,  it  is  to  be  observed,  made  Woburn  eventually 
their  permanent  place  of  residence. 

*  Treasurer's  Book,  pp.  14-21.  B  Treasurer's  Book,  pp.  31,  38-41. 

•  Treasurer's  Book,  p.  44. 
49, 


566  APPENDIX,   NO.    XII. 

Documents  in  the  Archives  of  the  Town  or  State,  referred  to  in  the 
List  as  Authorities,  or  /Sources  of  Information. 

I.     Orders  for  the  payment  of  individual  Soldiers. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  there  were  in 
Woburn  three  companies  of  militia  commanded  respectively  by 
Capts.  Samuel  Belknap,  Jesse  Wyman,  and  Joshua  Walker  of  the 
Precinct.  Original  Muster  Rolls  or  Lists  of  these  companies 
are  still  preserved.  They  each  give  the  names  of  the  soldiers 
belonging  to  it ;  and  annexed  to  their  names,  in  appropriate  col- 
umns, is  the  valuation  of  the  services  respectively  assigned  them 
during  the  first  two  years  of  the  war,  1775,  1776. 

When  the  terms  of  their  enlistments  had  expired,  at  the  end 
of  1776,  compensation  was  made  them  by  Orders  on  the  town 
treasurer  for  the  payment  of  the  bounties  which  the  town  had 
voted  to  give  for  each  service  performed  by  them  respectively. 
These  Orders,  which  are  (most  of  them)  still  preserved,  and  are 
very  numerous,  generally  bear  date  from  March  20,  1777  ;  they 
have  all  been  numbered ;  the  number  of  each  of  them  is  set  in  the 
List  here  presented  against  the  name  of  the  person  in  favor  of 
whom  it  was  drawn ;  and  they  all  (with  scarcely  an  exception)  are 
receipted  on  the  back  by  the  persons  who  severally  took  from  the 
treasurer  the  amount  of  them,  in  their  own  proper  hand.  They  do 
not  specify,  however,  on  the  face  of  them  the  particular  services 
for  which  payment  is  directed  in  them  to  be  made,  but  only  sig- 
nify in  general,  that  they  were  given  for  "  Service  in  the  present 
War"  ;  or  for  "  Service  done  in  the  present  War  before  1777  ,"  or 
"January  1st,  1777." 

To  these  Orders  may  properly  be  added  selections  from  returns 
made  at  stated  times  of  drafts  or  enlistments  for  special  services, 
by  Samuel  Nevers,  sworn  clerk  of  the  Precinct  Company,  under 
Capt.  Walker. 

II.  Town  Reports  and  Orders  (numbered  on  the  Town  Files  of 
Documents  by  V.,  VI.,  VII.,  etc.  to  XX.),  respecting  the  payment 
of  whole  companies  of  men  (or  of  the  several  individuals  compos- 
ing them),  which  were  sent  out  subsequently  to  1776  on  various 
military  expeditions,  or  "  tours  of  duty  ;  "  and  which  are  distin- 
guished on  the  following  List  by  the  names  of  their  respective  com- 
manders, and  by  the  times  and  places  of  their  mission. 

III.  Names  of  the  "  Eight  months'  Men,"  in  the  Continental 


APPENDIX,   NO.    XII.  567 

army  in  1775,  obtained  from  the  original  Muster  Rolls  in  Woburn, 
or  from  the  Register  of  the  same  in  the  State  House,  Boston. 

IV.  Names  of  the  men  who  enlisted  for  Woburn,  1777,  for  three 
years,  or  "  during  the  War,"  in  the  Continental  service,  as  exhib- 
ited in  the  Town  Document  No.  XIX.,  or  in  the  State  House 
Records,  or  in  both. 

V.  Names  of  the  men  belonging  to  Woburn,  or  serving  for  it, 
in  the  37th,  afterwards  the  26th  Regiment  in  the  United  States 
service,  commanded  by  Col.  Loammi  Baldwin,  of  Woburn,  col- 
lected from  his  numerous  manuscript  papers  ;  which  papers  having 
been  deposited  by  his  heirs  in  the  Archives  of  the  State,  have  there 
been  bound  up  together  in  a  large  folio  volume,  known  as  the 
Baldwin  Volume. 

VI.  Names  of  the  men  who  constituted  a  reinforcement  of  the 
United  States  troops  required  of  Woburn  to  furnish  for  six  mouths 
in  1780  ;  and  which  have  been  preserved  in  Orders  for  the  payment 
of  their  respective  bounties,  and  other  authentic  papers  belonging 
to  the  town. 

VII.  Worcester  Rolls,  so  called  ;  viz  :  one  or  more  manuscript 
volumes  preserved  in  the  State  House,  and  containing  soldiers' 
names,  etc.,  etc. 

Abbreviations  used  in  the  following  List : 

(1.)  "  S."  for  "  Service."  (2.)  "  S.  p.  W."  ;  Service  in  the 
present  war  ;  that  is,  before  1777.  (3.)  "  St.  H.  L."  ;  the  State 
House  List  of  the  persons  or  soldiers  referred  to.  (4.)  "  C.  A."  ; 
Continental  Army.  (5.)  "  Bn's  Regt."  ;  the  regiment  commanded 
by  Col.  Baldwin,  of  Woburn.  (6.)  "  Bu.  Vol."  ;  Volume  of  Bald- 
win papers,  correspondence,  etc.,  etc.  (7.)  "  Woods  Co."  ;  The 
company  in  the  Baldwin  Regiment,  commanded  by  Capt.  John 
Wood,  of  Woburn  Precinct,  and  consisting  principally  of  Woburu 
men.  (8.)  I.,  II.,  III.,  IV.,  to  XIX.,  XX.,  inclusively,  denote 
Documents  distinguished  by  one  or  other  of  those  numbers  in  the 
Town  Files.  (9.)  No.  of  Order  for  payment  preserved  by  the  Trea- 
surer, and  signined  by  1,  2,  30,  100,  400,  etc.,  etc.,  etc. 


568 


APPENDIX,  NO.   XII. 


WOBURN  MEN  IN  THE  REVOLUTIONARY  WAR. 
1775-1783. 


Abbot :    William.     C.  A.  Bn's.  Regt. 

Pettingell's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

fAdams :  John.     C.  A.  1777,  3  years, 

xix. 

Alexander :  Abra.  C.  A.  8  mos.  1775. 

St.  H.  L. 

Alexander :  Abram.    C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 

Wood's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Alexander:    Abram.      Expedition  to 

Ticonderoga,1  July  1776. 

Nevers'  Returns. 
Alexander:    Giles.     S.  p.  W.  March 

28,  1777  :  date  of  Order.  373. 

Alexander:    John.     S.  p.    W.  before 

Jan.  1777.  140,  265. 

Alexander:   John,  jun.  C.  A.  6  mos. 

for  Wob.  1780.  286,  310,  320. 

357,  361, 431. 

Alexander:   Philip.     C.    A.    3  years, 

1777-1779.  xix.  St.  H.  L. 

Alexander:    William.     At    the    lines 

fifteen  dayp,  guarding  prisoners  of 

Convention.  475. 

Alexander :    William.     C.   A.  6  mos. 

1780.  224. 

fAllen :  Ezekiel.    C.  A.  8  mos.  1775. 

for  Woburn.  St.  H.  L. 

Allen :    Ezekiel.     C.  A.    8  mos.   Bn's 

Regt.  Wood's  Co.  1775.        Bn.  Vol. 
Andrews :   Lt.  Abm.  C.  A.  Whitney's 

Regt.  for  Wob.  Wore.  Rolls. 

fAustin :  David.     C.  A.  1777.  3  years. 

xix. 

fBachelor :  Wm.     C.  A.  1777.  3  years 

enlisted  for.  xix. 

fBarbadoes:    Isaac.    C.    A.   1777.    3 

years.  xix. 

Baldwin:   Cyrus.     S.    p.    W.    Order 

dated  March  20,  1777.  207. 

Baldwin:    James.     S.    p.   W.  March 

20,  1777.  36. 

Baldwin :  Col.  Loammi.    S.  p.  W.  be- 
fore Jan.  1777.  260. 
fBeard:  Abel.      C.  A.   6  mos.    1780. 
232,  437. 
Belknap:     Josiah.       Rhode     Island. 

Capt.  Wyman,  1777.      360,  423,  453. 
Belknap:    Capt.   Samuel.      S.  p.  W. 

Order  dated  March  20,  1777.         57. 


Belknap:  Capt.  Samuel.  C.  A. 
Brooks's  Regt.  Wore.  Rolls. 

Bennett :  James.  C.  A.  3  years. 
1777-79.  xix.  St.  H.  L. 

Bennett:  James.  C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 
Wood's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Bennett:  John.  C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 
Wood's  Co.  1776.  Bn.  Vol. 

Bennett :  John.  C.  A.  6  mos.  1780.  241. 

Bennett:  Sergt.  C.  A.  8  mos.  1775. 
St.  H.  L. 

Stephen:  C.  A.  Bn's  Regt.  Wood's 
Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Bennett :  Thomas.  C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 
Wood's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Bennett :  Thomas.  Capt.  Wm.  Green, 
R.  I.  3  mos.  1780.  ix.  313. 

fBiscoe  :  Sergt.  George.  C.  A.  8  mos. 
1775,  for  Woburn.  St.  H.  L. 

Biscoe  :  Sergt.George.  C.  A.  Baldwin's 
Regt.  Wood's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Blackman:  Reiner.  C.  A.  for  Wo- 
burn. Wore.  Rolls. 

Blanchard :  Dea.  David.  S.  p.  W.  be- 
fore Jan.  1777.  20. 

Blanch. :  David,  jun.  Lt.  Jos.  John- 
son, Cambridge,  1777.  v.  viii,  64. 

Blanch. :  David,  jun.  Guarding  pris- 
oners of  Convention,  1778.  309. 

Blanchard:  Benj.  Bunker  Hill,  5 
weeks,  1779.  290. 

Blanchard:  Benj.  C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 
Wood's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Blanchard:  Josiah.  C.  A.  6  mos. 
1780,  for  Woburn.  219,422. 

Blogget :  Amos.  R.  I.  6  mos.  1779,  for 
Woburn.  454. 

Blogget :  Dr.  Samuel.  S.  p.  W.  be- 
fore 1777.  10. 

Blogget :  Mr.  Thomas.  S.  p.  W.  be- 
fore 1777.  £01. 

Brewster :  William.  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  47. 

Brooks:  Jabez.  C.  A.  3  years  1777 
enlisted  for ;  but  died  before  end  of 
engagement.  222. 

Brooks :  John.  Lt.  Dix,  near  Cam- 
bridge, 3  mos.  1778,  guarding  pris- 
oners, vii.  viii. 


Where  he  died  in  the  autumn  of  1776.    Rev.  Mr.  Marrett's  List  of  Deaths  in  1776. 


APPENDIX,   NO.   XII. 


569 


Brooks :  Jonathan.  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  147. 

Brooks  :  Joseph.     Cont.  Army. 

Wore.  Rolls. 

Brooks  :  Lt.  Nathaniel.  S.  p.  W.  be- 
fore 1777.  316. 

Brooks  :  Ens.  Timothy,  jun.  S.  p.  W. 
before  1777.  5. 

Brooks :  Timothy,  3d.  S.  p.  W.  be- 
fore 1777.  379. 

Brooks  :  Lt.  Zachariah.  S.  p.  W.  be- 
fore 1777.  84. 

Brown  :  Dan.  Green.  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  102. 

Brown :  Joseph.  Lt.  Jos.  Johnson, 
Cambridge,  1777.  v.  viii.  124,  257. 

Brown  :  Josiah.  S.  p.  W.  before  Jan. 
1777.  189,  290. 

Bruce :  Mr.  John.  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  166. 

Bruce :  John,  jun.  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  41. 

Bruce  :  Lewis.    C.  A.  6  mos.  1780. 

439,457. 

Bruce:  Thomas.  S.  P.  W.  before  Jan. 
1777.  27,  327,  384. 

Bruce  :  Thomas,  jun.  S.  p.  W.  before 
Jan.  1777.  271. 

Bucknam :  Jacob.  Capt.  Ford,  Cam- 
bridge, 1777-78.  vi.  viii. 

Burton:  Lt.  Isaac.  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  254. 

Burton  :  Lt.  Isaac.  Exped.  to  Ticon- 
deroga,  5  mos.  1776.  Nevers'  List. 

Caldwell:  Jacob.  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  99. 

Caldwell :  John.  C.  A.  at  the  North : 
a  recruit  for  1777.  xi. 

fCarrel:  [Caryl?]  John.  C.  A.  1777 
for  3  years.  xix. 

Carter :  Jonas.  Lt.  Jas.  Johnson,  at 
Carab.  2  mos.  1777.  v.  viii. 

Carter:  Jonathan.  Capt.  Ford,  at 
Camb.  5  mos.  1777-8.  vi.  viii.  171. 

Carter:  Samuel.  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  315. 

Carter :  Simon.    S.  p.  W.  before  1777. 
44. 

Carter:  William.  Capt.  Foster,  at 
the  Northward,  against  Burgoyne. 
1777.  155. 

Center:  Bill.      S.  p.  W.  before  1777. 
353. 

Cheever :  John.  C.  A.  at  the  North, 
a  recruit  for,  1777.  xi. 


fCheney :  Samuel.  C.  A.  1777,  for  3 
years.  xix. 

Convers  :  Benjamin.  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  145. 

Convers  :  Josiah,  jun.  S.  p.  W.  be- 
fore 1777.  177. 

Conrers  :  Josiah.  Capt.  Foster,  at  the 
Northward,  1777,  against  Bur- 
goyne. 274. 

Convers  :  Robert.  S.  P.  W.  before 
1777.  200. 

fCornell :  John.  C.  A.  1777,  for  3 
years.  xix. 

Cummings:  David.  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  93,  336. 

Cummings  :  Ebenezer.  Lt.  Jos.  John- 
son, Cambridge,  2  mos.  1777. 

v.  viii. 

Cutler:  Nathaniel.  S.  p.  W.  before 
Jan.  1777.  402. 

Cutler :  Nath.  jun.  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  355. 

Cutler :  Nath.  Capt.  Wyman,  Bunker 
Hill,  1778.  viii.  xvi.  106. 

Cutler:  Samuel.  Capt.  Ford,  Camb. 
1777-78.  vi.  vii.  108,  382. 

Cutter:  John,  jun.  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  76. 

Cutter:  Seth,  jun.  Capt.  Wyman, 
Bunker  Hill,  1778.  viii.  xvi.  406. 

Dean:  Jesse.8     C.  A.  8  mos.   1775. 
St.  H.  L. 

Dean:  Jesse.  C. A. Bn's Regt. Wood's 
Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Dean:  Lemuel.  Capt.  Ford,  Cam- 
bridge, 1777-78.  vi.  viii.  107. 

Dean  :  Samuel.     S.  p.  W.  before  1777. 
103. 

Dean :  Supply.     S.  p.  W.  before  1777. 
159,  389. 

Dean:  Thomas.     C.  A.  8  mos.  1775. 
St.  H.  L. 

Dean:  Thomas.  C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 
Wood's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Dean  :  Sergt.  Thomas.  S.  p.  W.  be- 
fore 1777.  206. 

fDitson  :  Samuel.    C.  A.  8  mos.  1775. 
St.  H.  L. 

Dix :  Lt.  Nathan.     C.  A.   Bn's  Regt. 

Wood's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

S.  p.  W.  before  1777.     199. 

Douglas :  Barnard.  Capt.  Green,  R. 
I.  3  mos.  1780.  ix.  72. 

Douglas  :  John.  C.  A.  3  years,  1777-79. 
St.  H.  L. 


*  Jesse  Dean  was  in  Woburn  In  1775,  and  was  taxed  there  in  the  province  tax  for  that  year. 
In  1776, 1777,  he  was  taxed  in  Woburn  among  the  non-residents  of  Wilmington.    But,  eventu- 
ally, he  became  a  constant  inhabitant  of  Woburn  Precinct. 
49* 


570 


APPENDIX,   NO.   XII. 


Douglas:  Kobert.     S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  210. 

Douglas:  Robert.      Capt.  Foster,   at 

the  Northward,  1777.  242. 

Dodge:  Andrew.     S.  p.  W.    before 

1777.  125. 

Dodge :  Andrew.  Capt.  Foster,  at  the 

Northward,  1777.  112. 

fDow :  Nathan.  C.  A.  1777,  for  3  years ; 

discharged.  xix.  St.  H.  L. 

Eames:   Jacob.      S.    p.    W.    before 

1777.  63. 

Eames :  Samuel.    C.  A.  6  mos.  1780. 

318,  456. 

Eaton :  Jonathan.    Capt.  Ford,  Cam- 
bridge, 1777-78.  vi.  viii.  62. 
Eaton :  Noah.      S.  p.  "W.  before  1777. 
284. 
Edgell:  Capt.  Benjamin.     S.  p.   W. 

before  1777.  37. 

Edgell :  Capt.  Benjamin.      R.  I.  1778. 

351. 

fEdwards:  John.     C.  A.  1777,  for  3 

years.  xix. 

Evans:    Andrew.      S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  294,  328. 

Evans:  Andrew,  jun.    C.  A.  6  mos. 

1780.  247,  369. 

Evans :  Andrew,  3d.    Lt.  Dix,   Cam- 
bridge, 1778.  vii.  viii. 
Evans  :  Jonas.     S.  p.  W.  before  Jan. 

1777.  296,  329. 

Ev;  ns  :  Silas.    C.  A.  1777,  for  3  years. 

St.  H.  L.  xix. 

fFairfleld :  Elijah.   C.  A.  for  Woburn. 

Wore.  Rolls. 

Farmer:  Thomas.    S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  338. 

Farrington:    Matthew.      C.   A.   Bn's 

Regt.  Wood's  Co.  1775.        Bu.  Vol. 
fFinch:  Simeon.    C.  A.   1777,   for  3 

years  for  Woburn.  xix. 

Finch : 
Fisk :  Robert.    C.  A.  Bn's  Regt.  Pet- 

tingell's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Fisk :  Robert.     C.  A.  1777,  during  the 

War.  xix.  St.  H.  L. 

fFitzgerald :  John.    C.  A.  8  mos.  1775, 

for  Woburn.  St.  H.  L. 

fFlagg:  Gershom.3      C.    A.    6    mos. 

1780,  for  Wobum.  408. 

Flagg :  Hiram.     Capt.  Green,  R.  I.  3 

mos.  1780.  ix.  313,  352. 

Flagg:  John.     Capt.  Foster,  at  the 

Northward,  1777.  297. 


fForbes :  John.    C.  A.  1777,  3  years, 

for  Woburn.  xix. 

fFoam :  Abijah.  C.  A.  1777,  3  years, 

for  Woburn.  xix. 

Fowle:  Benjamin.  S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  137,  314. 

Fowle :  James,  jun.  S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  184,  196. 

Fowle :  James,  3d.  S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  270. 

Fowle :  James,  4th.  C.  A.  1777,  for 

3  years.  xix. 

Fowle:  John  [3d?].  Capt.  Wyman, 

Bunker  Hill,  1778.  viii.  xvi. 

Fowle  :  Josiah.     S.  p.  W.  before  1777. 

31. 

Fowle  :  Josiah,  jun.    S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  -^  28. 

Fowle:  Leonard.  S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  266. 

Fowle  Leonard,  Capt.  Foster,  at  the 

Northward,  1777.  377. 

Fowle  :  William.  Capt.  Green,  R.  I. 

3  mos.  1780.  ix.  252,  367. 

Fox :  Adj.  William.  Lt.  Jos.  John- 
son, Cambridge,  1777.  v.  viii.  404. 
Fuller:  Silas.  Capt.  Foster,  at  the 

Northward,  1777.  212. 

fGardner  :  James.4  C.  A.  6  mos. 

1780.  221,  302,  456. 

Giddings :  Joseph.  S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  98,  194. 

Gleason:  Benjamin.  Capt.  Wyman, 

Bunker  Hill,  1778.  xvi.  viii.  121. 
Gleason:  Thomas.  S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  33,  398,  445. 

Gleason:  Thomas.     C. A. 3 years. 419. 

Gloyd :  Benjamin.    C.  A.  8  mos.  1775. 

St.  H.  L. 

Gloyd:  Benjamin.      S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  378. 

Goodwin:  Uriah.    Continental  Army. 

Wore.  Rolls. 

fGreaton :  Col.  Robert.      C.  A.  1777, 

during  the  War.  xix.  St.  H.  L. 

fHadley:  Benjamin.  C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 

Wood's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Hadley  :  Benjamin.  Capt.  Green,  R. 

I.  3  mos.  1780.         ix.  230,  272,  462. 

}  S.  p.  W.  before 

HardeeortAshpr         1777.  325. 

Hardy:     fAsher'     C.  A.  1777,  for  3 

years.         xix. 

Hay:    Dr.   John.      S.   p.   W.  before 

1777.  283. 


8  Gershom  Flagg  is  the  name  of  a  noted  inhabitant  of  Woburn  in  former  times.  But  the 
person  here  referred  to,  though  a  descendant  of  his,  lived  and  died  in  Wilmington. 

4  James  Gardner  was  not  taxed  in  Woburn ;  and  is  presumed  to  have  been  an  inhabitant  of 
"  Gardner  Row,"  just  within  the  bounds  of  "  Charlestown  End." 


APPENDIX,   NO.   XII. 


571 


Heywood:  Jonathan.       Capt.    Ford, 

Cambridge,  1777-78.  vi.  viii. 

fHodge :  Ebenezer.  C.  A.  1777,  for  3 

years,  for  Woburn.  xix.  St.  H.  L. 
Holden :  Jonathan.  S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  16. 

fHopkins:  Jesse.  C.  A.  Bn's  Reg. 

Wood's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Ingraham :  Elijah.  C.  A.  1777,  for  3 

years,  for  Woburn.  St.  H.  L. 

Jaquith:  Isaac.  S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  259. 

Johnson :  Abijah.    C.  A.  8  mos.  1776. 

St.  H.  L. 

Johnson:   Abijah.     Capt.  Edgell.   R. 

I.  6  weeks.  1778.  354. 

Johnson:  Azel.  Capt.  Foster  at  the 

Northward,  1777.  113. 

Johnson :  Azel.    C.  A.  6  mos.   1780. 

251. 

Johnson:  Daniel.     S.  p.    W.  before 

1777.  347. 

Johnson:  Francis.  Capt.  Foster  at 

the  Northward,  1777.  132 

Johnson :  Ichabod.  C.  A.  8  mos. 

1775.  St.  H.  L. 

Johnson :  Ichabod.  Capt.  Ford,  Cam- 
bridge, 1777-78.  vi.  viii. 
Johnson:  Ichabod.  C.  A.  6  mos. 

1780.  244,  415. 

Johnson :  Isaac.  Capt.  Edgell,  R.  I. 

6  weeks.  1778.  348. 

Johnson :  James.  S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  198,  300,  442. 

Johnson:  James.  Lieut.  Dix,  Cam- 
bridge, 1778.  vii.  viii. 
Johnson :  John.  C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 

Wood's  Co.  1776.  Bn.  Vol. 

Johnson :  Jonathan.  S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  264,  267. 

Johnson :  Lt.  Joseph.  At  Cambridge 

2  mos.  1777.  v.  viii.  25. 

Johnson :  Jotham.  S.  p.  W.  before 

Jan.  1777.  176,  278. 

Johnson :  Reuben.  S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  149. 

Johnson:  Samuel.  S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  324. 

Johnson:  Ensign  Seth.  S.  p.  W. 

before  1777.  146. 

Johnson :  Shubael.  S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  158,  337. 

Johnson:  William,  jun.  S.  p.  W. 

before  1777.  169. 

Johnson :  William.  Capt.  Ford,  Cam- 
bridge, 1777-78.  vi.  viii. 
fJones:  Sergt.  John.  C.  A.  1777.  3 

years.  xix.  St.  H.  L. 

Jones :  Jonathan.  Capt.  Wyman.  R. 

I.  1777.  249. 


Jones:  Jonathan.     Capt.  Ford,  Cam- 
bridge, 1777-78.  vi.  viii. 
Jones :  Jonathan.    C.  A.  6  mos.  1780. 
331,  413. 
Jones:    Joshua.      S.    p.    W.    before 

1777.  400. 
Kendall:   Benjamin.     C.   A.    8    mos. 

1775.  St.  H.  L. 

Kendall :  Benjamin.  C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 
Wood's  Co.  1775-76.  Bn.  Vol. 

Kendall:  Benjamin.  C.  A.  1777,  for 
3  years.  St.  H.  L. 

Kendall:  Jonathan.  Lt.  Jos.  John- 
son, Camb.  1777.  v.  viii.  133. 

Kendall:  Joseph.  Capt.  Foster  at 
the  Northward,  1777. 

Kendall:    Joseph.    Capt.   Dix,   R.  I. 

1778.  463. 
Kendall:    Joshua.    S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  8. 

Kendall:  Nathan.  S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  '  9,  388. 

Kendall:  Nathan.  Capt.  Wyraan, 

Bunker  Hill,  1778.  viii.  xvi. 

Kendall:  Obadiah.  S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  92. 

Kendall :  Obadiah.  Lt.  Jos.  Johnson, 

Cambridge,  1777.  v.  viii.  323. 

Kendall:  Oliver.  C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 

Woods'  Co.  1776.  Bn.  Vol. 

Kendall:  Oliver.  C.  A.  1777  for  3 

years.  St.  H.  L. 

fKillgore:  Trueworthy.  C.  A.  1777. 

3  years.  xix.  St.  H.  L. 

Kimball:  John.  S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  101. 

Kimball:  John.  Capt.  Foster  at 

Northw.  1777.  151. 

Kimball:  Joseph.  S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  181. 

Kimball:  Lt.  Reuben.  Capt.  Foster 

at  Northward,  1777.  114. 

Kimball:  Reuben.  C.  A.  1777.  3 

years.  xix. 

fKnox:  James.     C.   A.  8  mos.    1775. 

St.  H.  L. 

Knox :  James.     Col.   Greaton's  Regt. 

Knox's  Artificers.  Wore.  Rolls. 
Larrabee  or  Leatherby :  Thomas. 

Capt.  Foster  at  Northw.  1777.  317. 
Lawrence:  Ebenezer.  Capt.  Ford, 

Cambridge,  1777-78.  vi.  viii.  115. 
Lawrence:  Jonathan  [jun.].  Capt. 

Foster  at  Northward,  1777.  61. 
Lawrence :  Joseph.  S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  2. 

Leathe  :  Elijah.  S.  p.  W.  before  Jan. 

1777.  97,  248. 

Leathe  :  Elijah,  jun.  Capt.  Foster  at 

Northw.  1777.  122,  370. 


572 


APPENDIX,   NO.   XII. 


Leathe:  James.    Capt.  Dix,  R.  I.  6 

weeks,  1778.  375. 

Lenox:  Cornelius.     [A  Mulatto.]    C. 

A.  8  mos.  1775.  St.  H.  L. 

Lenox :  Cornelius.     C.  A.  Bn's  Ilegt. 

Wood's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Lock :  Benjamin.     C.  A.  8  mos.  1775. 

335, 434. 

Lock :  Ebenezer.      C.  A.  8  mos.  1775. 

St.  H.  L. 

Lock:  Ebenezer.      C.  A.   Bn's  Regt. 

Wood's  Co.  1775-76.  Bn.  Vol. 

Lock :  Ebenezer.     C.  A.  1777.  3  years 

enlisted  for.  xix.  St.  H.  L. 

Lock :    Ebenezer,  jun.      C.    A.    Bn's 

Regt.  Wood's  Co.  1775-6.     Bn.  Vol. 
Lock :  Jonathan.       S.  p.  W.   before 

1777.  230. 

Lock :  Jonathan.      Capt.  Green,  R.  I. 

3  mos.  1780.  ix.  417,435. 

Lock :  Josiah.     S.  p.  W.  "  since  1774." 

458. 

Lock:    Thomas,   Capt.      C.   A.   Bn's 

Regt.  Wood's  Co.  1775-76.  Bn.  Vol. 
Lock :  Thomas,  jun.     Capt.  Foster  at 

Northward,  1777.  195. 

Lock:  Thomas,  jun.    Lt.   Dix,  near 

Camb.  3  mos.  1778.  vii.  viii. 

Lock:  William.      Expedition  to  Ti- 

conderoga,  July,  1776.5 
fMcDowell:  William.     C.  A.  1777.  3 

years.  xix. 

McGill:   Robert.       Capt.  Foster    at 

Northward,  1777.  60,  120. 

McLean :  Uriah.     C.  A.  1777.  3  years. 

St.  H.  L. 

Mallet:     Isaac.      Capt.   Ford,    Cam- 
bridge, 1777-78.  vi.  viii.  298. 
Marion  :  Ebenezer.     C.  A.  8  mos.  1775. 
St.  H.  L. 
Marion :  Ebenezer.     C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 

Wood's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Marion  :  Ebenezer.  C.  A.  1777 :  enlisted 

for  3  years,  but  died.  St.  H.  L. 

Marion  :  Isaac.     S.  p.  W.  before  Jan. 

1,  1777.  64,  344 

Marion :    Isaac.      Capt.  Ford,   Cam- 
bridge, 1777-78.  vi.  viii.  5. 
Mason :  Aaron.     C.  A.  1777.  3  years. 

xix.  St.  H.  L.  460. 
Mason :  Charles.     C.  A.  1777.  3  years. 

[died].  xix.  St.  H.  L. 

fMerow:  Prince,     [a  Mulatto  serv- 
ant.]    C.  A.  1777.  3  years.  xix. 


Miller :  Job.      C.  A.  6  mos.  1780.  for 

Woburn.  220,  438. 

Munroe :  Andrew.6  C.  A.  1777.  3 

years.  St.  H.  L. 

Munroe  :  Andrew.  C.  A.  6  mos.  1780. 

for  Woburn.  234. 

fNeal :  Edward.  C.  A.  1777.  3  years. 

[an  Invalid.]  St.  H.  L. 

Nevers  :  Samuel,  jun.  Capt.  Foster 

at  Northward,  1777.  105. 

Newman:  Ebenezer.  C.  A.  8  mos. 

1775.  St.  H.  L. 

Newman  :  Ebenezer.  C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 

Wood's,  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Newman :  Josiah.  Lt.  Jos.  Johnson  at 

Cambridge,  1777.  v.  viii. 

Newman:  Josiah.  Bunker  Hill,  5 

weeks  from  Jan.  25,  1779.  441. 

Newman :  Josiah.  Capt.  Green,  R.  I. 

3  mos.  1780.  ix.  416,  470. 

Newman :  Thomas.  S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  89. 

Newman:  Thomas.  C.  A.  1777.  3 

years.  xix. 

JOrgan :  f  al.  Morgan]  Thomas.  C.  A. 

1777.  3  years.  xix.  St.  H.  L. 

fOsburn  :  James.     C.  A.  1777.  3  years. 

xix.  St.  H.  L. 

Osburn:  Fife  Major.      C.  A.   1780.  6 

mos.  Col  Greaton's  Regt.  421,  474. 
Parker :  Edmund.  Capt.  Green,  R.  I. 

3  mos.  1780.  ix.  430. 

Parker :  Josiah.  Capt.  Wyman,  Bun- 
ker Hill,  1778.  viii.  xvi.  130. 
Parker:  Josiah.  Lt.  Jos.  Johnson, 

Cambridge,  1777.  v.  viii.  134. 

Peirce:  Benjamin.   Continental  Army. 

Wore.  Kolls. 

Peirce  :  Joshua.  C.  A.  8  mos.  1775. 
255. 

Peirce  :  Josiah.     S.  p.  W.  before  1777. 

32. 

Perry :  John.  C.  A.  Bn's  Regt.  Wood's 

Co.  1776.  Bn.  Vol. 

Perry :  John.  Capt.  Edgell,  R.  I.  6 

weeks.  1778.  468. 

Perry :  Jonathan.     C.  A.  6  mos.  .  780. 

Wore.  Rolls. 

Perry:  Lt.  Joseph.       Lt.   Dix,   near 

Cambridge  Lines,  1778.  vii.  viii. 
Perry :  Lt.  Joseph.  Capt.  Green,  R. 

I.  3  mos.  1780.  ix.  49,  165. 

Peters  :  Philip.  S.  p.  W.  before  Jan. 

1777.  51. 


» In  Rev.  Mr.  Marrett's  List  of  Deaths,  1776,  William  Lock  is  said  to  have  died  at  Ticon- 
deroga  in  the  autumn  of  that  year. 

«  Andrew  Monroe.,  a  native  of  Lexington,  but  taxed  as  an  inhabitant  of  Woburn  in  the  State 
tax  for  1780,  '81,  '82. 


APPENDIX,   NO.   XII. 


573 


fPhipps  :  Elijah.     Capt.  Green,  R.  1. 3 

mos.  1780.  ix.  414. 

fPike  :  Ebenezer.     C.  A.  8  mos.  1775. 

for  Woburn.  St.  H.  L. 

fPitts  :  Michael.      C.  A.  8  mos.  1775. 

for  Woburn.  St.  H.  L. 

Pomp  :  Blackman.    C.  A.  8  mos.  1775. 

St.  H.  L. 

Pomp :  Blackman.     C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 

Pettingill's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Pomp  :  Blackman.    Capt.  Green,  R.  I. 

3  mos.  1780.  ix.  292,  319,  430. 

Poole  :  Eleazar  Flagg.    S.  p.  W.  1776. 

3,  192. 

Pool :  Eleazar  F.  jun.       C.  A.  6  mos. 

1780.  214. 

Porter:  Dudley.     S.  p.  W.  before  Jan. 

777.  80,  346. 

Porter :  Lt.  Jonathan.    C.  A.  3  years. 

1777-9.  xix.  St.  H.  L. 

Porter:  Josiah.      Continental  Army. 

Wore.  Rolls. 

Porter:  William.      S.  p.   W.  before 

1777.  42. 

Porter :  William,  jun.    Capt.  Wyman, 

Bunker  Hill,  1778.        viii.  xvi.  135. 
Phillips  :  Thomas.    Exped.  to  Ticon- 

deroga  1776.         S.  Nevers'  Return. 
Rainger :  Nehemiah.     S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  341. 

fRand:  Jack.      C.   A.  1777.  3  years. 

xix.  St.  H.  L. 

Rand  :  Jack.     C.  A.  6  mos.  1780.    461. 
Randall:  Josiah.      C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 

Wood's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Reed :  Amos.     S.  p.  W.  before  1777. 

301. 

Reed:  Daniel.   Capt.  Foster  at  North- 
ward, 1777.  383. 
Reed:  Ebenezer.       S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  40, 70. 

Reed :  Ezekiel.       Continental  Army. 

Wore.  Rolls. 

Reed :  George.     S.  p.  W.  before  1777. 
394. 

Reed:  George,  jun.7 
Reed:  Isaac.    Capt.  Ford,  Cambridge, 

1777-78.  vi.  viii. 

Reed:  Israel.      C.   A.    8  mos.    1775. 

St.  H.  L. 

Reed  :  Jacob.    S.  p.  W.  "  before  Jan. 

1777."  35,  403. 

Reed  :  James,  jun.    C.  A.  8  mos.  1775. 

St.  H.  L. 


Reed :  James  jun.     Capt.  Green,  R.  I. 

3  mos.  1780.  ix.  410,  465. 

Reed :  Lt.  James.  Capt.  Ford,  Cam- 
bridge, 1777-78.  vi.  viii.  172. 
Reed :  Joel.  C.  A.  Bn's  Regt.  Woods' 

Co.  1776.  Bn.  Vol. 

Reed:    Joel.    C.    A.    1777.   3  years. 

St.  H.  L. 

Reed:    John.     C.    A.   8  mos.    1775. 

St.  H.  L. 

Reed:     Jonas.       Capt.     Foster,    at 

Northward,  1777.  163. 

Reed :  Capt.  Joshua.  S.  p.  W.  before 

Jan.  1777.  17,  349. 

Reed:  Joshua  [jun.?].  S.  p.  W. 

before  1777.  90,  256. 

Reed:  Joshua,  jun.  C.  A.  1777,  3 

years.  xix. 

Reed:    Joshua.      C.     A.    Drummer. 

Wore.  Rolls. 

Reed :  Micah.     S.  p.  W.  before  1777. 

342. 

Reed:      Micah.       Capt.     Foster     at 

Northward,  1777.  109. 

Reed:  Micah.  Capt.  Ford,  Camb. 

1777-78.  vi.  viii.  161. 

Reed:  Newhall.  S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  127,  197. 

Reed:   Newhall.    C.  A.  8  mos.  1775. 

St.  H.  L. 

Reed :  Reuben.    C.  A.   1777.  3  years. 

St.  H.  L. 

Reed  :  Dea.  Samuel.     S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  45. 

Reed:  Swithin.  S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  50. 

Reed:  Thomas.     C.  A.  8  mos.  1775. 

St.  H.  L. 

Reed:  Ward.    Capt.  Green,  R.  I.  3 

mos.  1780.  ix.  436. 

Richarson:  Abel,  jun.  S.  p.  W. 

before  Jan.  1777.  46,  126,  128. 

Richarson :  Abijah.  Lt.  Jos.  John- 
son, Cambridge,  1777.  v.  viii. 
Richarson :  Alford.  Capt.  Wyman, 

R.  I.  1777.  433. 

Richardson:  Barnabas.  Capt.  Wy- 
man, R.  I.  2  mos.  1777.  330. 
Richardson  :  Barnabas.  Lt.  Joseph 

Johnson,  Camb.  2  mos.  1777.  v.  341. 
Richardson  :  Bartholomew.  S.  p.  W. 

before  1777.  162. 

Richardson:  Earth,  jun.  S.  p.  W. 

before  1777.  208. 


i  "  June  26, 1776.  Attended  the  funeral  of  George  Reed,  jun.  who  died  of  a  fever,  which  was 
occasioned  by  a  surfeit  or  heat  he  got  In  Charlestown  fight,  the  17th  Inst."  Rev.  Mr.  Marrett'i 
Interleaved  Almanac  for  1775. 


574 


APPENDIX,   NO.   XII. 


Kichardson:  Charles.  Capt.  Green, 
R.  I.  3  raos.  1780.  ix.  426,  455. 

Richardson:  Ebenezer.  S.  p.  W. 
before  1777.  261. 

Richardson :  Ebenezer,  jun.  S.  p.  W. 
before  1777.  407. 

Richardson:  Edmund.  S.  p.  "W.  be- 
fore 1777.  48. 

Richardson :  Edmund.  C.  A.  8  mos. 
1775.  St.  H.  L. 

Richardson :  Edward.  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  238. 

Richardson :  Eleazer.  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  285. 

Richardson:  Jacob.  C.  A.  8  mos. 
1775.  St.  H.  L. 

Richardson:  Jacob.8  C.  A.  6  mos. 
1780.  215,  226,  227,  472. 

Richardson :  James.  C.  A.  8  mos. 
1775.  St.  H.  L. 

Richardson :  Lt.  Jeduthun.  S.  p.  W. 
before  1777.  321. 

Richardson :  Lt. Jeduthun.  Capt.  Ford, 
Camb.  1777-78.  vi.  viii.  104. 

Richardson:    Lt.     Jeduthun.     Fifer. 

Capt.Green,  R.  I.  3  mos.  1780.      ix. 

425. 

Richardson :  Jesse.  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  55,  278. 

Richardson :  Jesse,  jun.  Capt.  Green, 
R.  I.  3  mos.  1780.  ix.  427. 

Richardson  :  Jesse,  [son  of  Zechariah] 
Guarding  prisoners  of  Conven- 
tion 15  days  in  July  1778.  73. 

Richardson:  Gideon.  C.  A.  8  mos. 
1775.  St.  H.  L. 

Richardson:  Gideon.  C.  A.  1777.  3 
years.  xix.  St.  H.  L. 

Richardson:  Ichabod.  C.  A.  8  mos. 
1775.  St.  H.  L. 

Richardson :  Lt.  John.  S.  p.  W.  be- 
fore 1777.  448. 

Richardson :  John,  jun.  C.  A.  8  mos. 
1775.  St.  H.  L. 

Richardson :  Capt.  Jonas.  S.  p.  W. 
in  1775. 

Richardson :  Jonas.  C.  A.  1777,  dur- 
ing the  War.  St.  H.  L. 


Richardson :  Jonathan.     S.  p.  W.  be- 
fore 1777.  391. 

Richardson :  Jonathan.     Capt.  Ford, 
Cambridge,  1777-78.      vi.  viii.  172. 

Richardson :  Josiah.     S.  p.  W.  before 
Jan.  1777.  157. 

Richardson:    Sergt.  Luke.      Captain 
Green,  R.  I.  3  mos.  1780. 

ix.  275,  362. 

Richardson :  Leonard.     C.  A.  1777,  3 
years.  xix. 

Richardson :  Matthew.     C.  A.  8  mos. 
1775.  St.  H.  L. 

Richardson:  Matthew.     Capt.   Ford, 
Cambridge,  1777-78.  vi.  viii. 

Richardson :  Nathan.     S.  p.  "W.  "  be- 
fore Jan.  1777."  17,  349. 

Richardson :  Partridge.      Lt.   Joseph 
Johnson,  Cambridge,  1777.     v.  viii. 

Richardson:    Paul.      Lt.    Dix,   Cam- 
bridge, 1778.  vii.  viii.  x.  xviii. 

Richardson  :  Peter.      Capt.  Green,  R. 
I.  3  mos.  1780.  ix.  424. 

Richardson:  Reuben,  Ensign.     S.  p. 
W.  before  1777.  85. 

Richardson :  Samuel.     S.  p.  W.   be- 
fore 1777.  24. 

Richardson:  Samuel.     Capt.  Foster, 
at  Northward,  1777.  xi.  312. 

Richardson:  Silas.    S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  386. 

Richardson:   Silas,   Sergt.     Lt.  Jos. 
Johnson,  Cambridge,  1777. 

v.  viii.  178,  179. 

Richardson:  Stephen.     S.  p.  W.  be- 
fore 1777.  26. 

Richardson:  Stephen.     C.  A.  1777.  3 
years.  xix.  Wore.  Rolls. 

Richardson :  Stephen,  Lieut.  S.  p.  W. 
before  1777.  185. 

Richardson :  Mr.  Zachariah.S.  "p.  W. 
before  Jan.  1777."  12,  187. 

Richardson :  Zachariah,  jun.    S.  p.  W. 
before  1777.  245. 

Richardson  :  Zadok.    S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  29. 

Richardson:     Zadok.       Capt.    Ford, 
Camb.  5  mos.  1777-78.  vi.  viii. 


»  "  The  Bearer  hereof,  Jacob  Richardson,  a  Soldier  in  the  Seventh  Massachusetts  Regiment, 
having  served  as  a  faithful  good  Soldier  in  the  said  Regiment,  the  Term  of  Six  Months,  being 
the  full  Term  for  which  he  inlisted,  is  hereby  discharged  from  the  same. 

"  Given  under  my  hand  at  West  Point  this  Ninth  Day  of  January,  1781. 

Moses  Knap,  Maj'  Comt. 

"  Agreeable  to  General  Orders,  the  Commissaries  are  directed  to  issue  Provisions  sufficient 
to  carry  the  Bearer  to  Oborn  in  the  Massachusetts  Bay  State.  Moses  Knap,  Major  Com1." 

Other  discharges  like  the  above  are  on  the  Town  Files. 


APPENDIX,  NO.    XII. 


575 


Richardson  :  Zebulon.  S.  p.  W. "  be- 
fore Jan.  1777."  175,  299. 

Richardson  :  Zebulon.  Guarding  pris- 
oners of  Convention  15  days  in  Ju- 
ly 1778.  381. 

Robbins:  Jonathan.  S.  p.  TV.  "be- 
fore 1777."  420. 

Robbius  :  Jonathan.  Capt.  Wyman, 
Bunker  Hill,  1778.  viii.  246. 

Ross:  Alexander  McLean.  C.  A.  Bn's 
Regt.  Wood's  Co.  1776.  Bn.  Vol. 

Russell:  Bill.  Capt.  Green,  R.  I.  3 
mos.  1780.  ix.  22,  430,  444. 

Russell :  Jesse, jun.  Capt.  Ford,  Camb. 
1777-78.  vi.  viii. 

Russell :  Samuel.     C.  A.  8  mos.  1775 ; 

killed  at  Bunker  Hill,  June  17, 1775. 

St.  H.  L. 

Scott :  Mr.  William.  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  142. 

Scottow:  John.  Capt.  Wm.  Green, 
R.  I.  1780.  ix.  446,  471. 

Scottow:  John.  Continental  Army. 
Wore.  Rolls. 

fSergeaut:  Reuben.  C.  A.  1777,  3 
years.  xix. 

Simonds :  Caleb,  jun.  C.  A.  8  mos. 
1775.  St.  H.  L. 

Simonds  :  Caleb,  jun.  C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 
Wood's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Simonds  :  Caleb,  jun.  C.  A.  6  mos. 
1780. 

Simouds  :  Calvin.  S.  p.  W.  "  before 
Jan.  1,  1777."  150,  277. 

Simouds :  Jesse.  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  86. 

Simonds  :  Jonathan.  S.  p  W.  before 
1777.  139,  345. 

Simonds :  Jonathan.  Capt.  Ford, 
Cambridge,  1777-78.  vi.  viii. 

Simonds:  Luther.  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  269. 

Simonds :  Silas.  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  182. 

Skelton :  Daize.  S.  p.  W.  "before  Jan. 
1777."  278,  289,  363. 

Skelton:  Daize.  Capt.  Foster  at 
Northward,  1777.  174. 

Skelton  :  Matthew.  S.  p.  W.  "before 
Jan.  1,  1777."  281,  306. 

Skelton  :  Thomas,  jun.  S.  p.  W.  be- 
fore 1777.  163. 

Skelton  :  Thomas,  jun.  Lt.  Dix,  Cam- 
bridge, 1778.  vii.  viii.  152. 

Skinner :  Abraham.  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  350. 

Skinner:  Abraham.  Capt. Ford, Cam- 
bridge, 1777-78.  vi.  viii.  123. 


Skinner :  John.    S.  p.  W.  before  1777. 

23. 
Skinner:  Joseph.      S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  237. 

Smith :  Abijah.    S.  p.  W.  before  1777. 

358. 
fSmith :  Edward.    C.  A.  1777.  3  years 

for  Woburn.  xix. 

fSmith  :  James.      C.  A.  1777.  3  years 

for  Woburn.  xix. 

Smith:  Jonathan.     S.  p.   W.  before 

1777.  279. 

Smith :  Snow  James.      C.  A.  3  years. 

1777-79.  xix.  St.  H.  L. 

Smith :  Jesse.   S.  p.  W.  1776.        340. 

Smith :  Jonathan.   C.  A.  1777.  3years. 

xix.  St.  H.  L. 

Sutton:  Prince  [a  black?].      C.  A.  8 

mos.  1775.  St.  H.  L. 

Sutton :  Prince.      C.    A.  Bn's  Regt. 

Wood's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Sutton :  Prince.     C.  A.  1777.  3  years. 

xix. 

Sutton :  Prince.    Capt.  Green,  R.  I.  3 

mos.  1780.  ix.  365. 

fSwett:   Cicero,     [a  black  or  mulat- 
to?] C.  A.  1777.  3  years.     St.  H.  L. 
Symmes :  Samuel.      S.  p.   W.  before 

1777.  205. 

Symmes  :  William.    Capt.  Ford,  Cam- 
bridge, 1777-78.  vi.  viii. 
Symmes  :  William.    Cont.  Army. 

Wore.  Rolls. 
Symmes  :  Zachariah.     S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  56. 

Stratton  :  William.    Exped.  to  Ticon- 

deroga9  1776.  Nevers'  List. 

Tay :  Aaron.    S.  p.  W.  before  1777. 

303. 

Tay :  John.     S.  p.  W.  before   1777. 
18. 

Tay:  John,  jun.     C.  A.  6  mos.  1780. 

240. 

Tay :  William,  sen.      S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  393,397. 

Tay:     William,   jun.  Lieut.       Capt. 

Foster  at  Northw.  1777.      ["  by  his 

servant."]  117. 

Tay :  William,  3d.      S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  77. 

Tay:   William,    3d.      Capt.  Wyman, 

Bunker  Hill,  1778.        viii.  xvi.  116. 
Tay:  Samuel.    Capt.     S.  p.   W.  be- 
fore 1777.  34,193. 
Thompson:  Abijah.      Capt.  Foster  at 

Northward,  1777.  250. 

Thompson  :  Jabez.      S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  76. 


•  Where  he  died  in  the  autumn  of  that  year.    Rev.  Mr.  Marrett's  List  of  Deaths  in  1776. 


576 


APPENDIX,  NO.   XII. 


Thompson :  Jonathan.   ["  Musician."] 
C.  A.  8  mos.  1775.  St.  H.  L. 

Thompson:    Jonathan.     C.    A.  Bn's 
Regt.  Pettingell's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Thompson :   Samuel,  Esq.      S  p.  W. 
before  Jan.  1777.  34,  193. 

Tidd :  Benjamin.    Lt.  Jos.  Johnson, 
Cambridge,  1777.  v.  via. 

Tidd:    Benjamin.      Bunker    Hill,    5 
weeks  from  Jan.  25,  1778-9.        440. 

Tidd :  Jonathan,  jun.    Lt.  Jos.  John- 
son,  Cambridge,   1777.    v.  viii. 

295. 

Tidd:  Lt.  Jonathan.    C.    A.  8    mos. 
1775.  St.  H.  L. 

Tidd:  Lt.  Jonathan.    C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 
Wood's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Tidd :  Samuel.    S.  p.  W.  before  1777. 
343. 

Tidd:    Samuel.     Lt.   Jos.    Johnson, 
Cambridge,  1777.  118. 

Tottingham  :  David.       Capt.   Green, 
R.  I.  1780.  ix.  364. 

Tottingham  :  Elisha.     S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  129. 

Tottingham :  Ephraim.    S.  p.  W.  be- 
fore 1777.  96. 

Tottingham :  Jonathan.  S.  p.  W.  "  be- 
fore Jan.  1777."  334. 

Trask  :  David.    C.  A.  8  mos.  1775. 

St.  H.  L. 

Trask :  David.     C.  A.  6  mos.  1780. 

218,  411. 

Trask:  John.    S.  p.  W.  "before  Jan. 
1777."  13, 100,  180. 

Trask:    John.     C.  A.   1777,   3  years. 
St.  H.  L. 

Trask :  Jonathan.     C.  A.  8  mos.  1775. 
St.  H.  L. 

Trask:    Jonathan.      C.    A.    1777,    3 
years.  St.  H.  L. 

Trask :    Joseph.    Lt.    Jos.  Johnson, 
Cambridge,  1777.  119,  262. 

Trask :  Joseph.     Capt.  Wyman,  Bun- 
ker Hill,  1778.  viii.  xvi. 

Trask  :  Nathaniel.     C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 
Wood's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

fTufts:    Ebenezer.      C.    A.    8    mos. 
1775.  for  Woburn.  St.  H.  L. 

fTufts  :  Zachary.      C.  A.  8  mos.  1775. 
for  Woburn.  St.  H.L. 

Tweed :  David.    C.  A.  6  mos.   1780. 
218,411. 

Tweed  :  James.    Exped.  to  Ticonde- 
roga,  1776.  Never's  Returns. 

Twiss:  Edward,  jun.    S.p.W.  before 
1777.  190,  287. 

Twiss:  James.     Cont.  Army. 

Wore.  Rolls. 


Twiss :  Solomon.     C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 

Wood's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Twiss  :  Stephen.     C.  A.   8  mos.  1775. 

St.  H.  L. 

Twiss:    Stephen.    C.  A.   Bn's  Regt. 

Wood's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Twiss  :  Stephen.    C.  A.  1777.  3  years. 
St.  H.  L. 
•)  War  in  R.  I. 

Twiss:  Stephen.  I  Enlisted    for, 

Twiss :   Stephen,  jun.  f  July  6,  1781. 

J  469. 

Twiss:    Timothy.      S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  304,  395. 

Twiss:     Timothy.      Capt.    Wyman, 

Bunker  Hill,  1778.  viii.  xvi. 

Tyler :  Jeremiah.    C.  A.  1777. 3  years. 

xix.  St.  H.  L. 

Tyler :  Jeremiah.     Capt.  Green,  R.  I. 

3  mos.  1780.  ix.  366. 

Tyler :  Jonathan.     Capt.  Green,  R.  I. 

3  mos.  1780.  ix.  447,  459. 

Tyler:    Moses,  jun.     C.  A.   1777.   [3 

years?]  332,466. 

Tyler:  Moses,    jun.      C.   A.   6  mos. 

"1780.  333. 

Wade:   Ebenezer.    S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  211. 

Walker:  Edward.     C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 

Pettingell's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Walker :  James,  Corp.    C.  A.  8  mos. 

1775.  St.  H.  L. 

Walker:    James,   Corp.     C.  A.  Bu's 

Regt.  Wood's  Co.  1775.        Bn.  Vol. 
Walker :    James,  Corp.    Bunker  Hill, 

5  weeks  from  Jan.  25,  1779.        443. 
Walker :  John.     C.  A.  Bn's  Regt,  Pet- 

tingell's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Walker:    John.     C.  A.  6  mos.  1780. 

217. 

Walker :  Joshua,  Capt.     S.  p.  W.  be- 
fore 1777.  399. 
Walker :  Joshua,  Capt.    C.  A.  1777,  3 

years.  xix. 

Walker:  Joshua,  jun. 
Walker:  Joshua,  jun.    Lt.  Jos.  John- 
son, Camb.  2  mos.  1777.          v.  viii. 
Walker:    Joshua,    jun.    Capt.    Wy- 
man, Bunker  Hill,  1778.         viii,  67. 
Walker:    Josiah.    S.  p.    W.    before 

1777.  235. 

Walker:  Josiah    [jun?].    Lt.  Joseph 

Johnson,  Cambridge,  1777.    v.  viii. 

15. 

Walker :  Timothy?    C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 

Pettingell's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Watts :  Nathaniel.    S.  P.  W.  before 

1777. 


APPENDIX,   NO.    XII. 


577 


Watts:    Samuel.    S.    p.    W.    before 
1777.  156. 

fWhite  :  Luther.    C.  A.  8  mos.  1775. 
for  Woburn.  St.  H.  L. 

fWillis  :  John.     C.  A.  8  mos.  1775.  for 
Woburn.  St.  H.  L. 

Wilson:    Samuel    [jun?].    C.    A.    8 
mos.  1775.  St.  H.  L. 

Wilson:  Samuel,  [jun?].     C.  A.  Bn's 
Regt.  Pettingell's  Co.  1775. 

Bn.  Vol. 

Wilson:  Timothy.     S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  186. 

Wilson:  Timothy.      Capt.   Foster  at 
Northward,  1777.  305. 

Wilson  :  Timothy.    Capt.  Green,  R.  I. 
3  mos.  1780.  ix. 

Winn :  David.     Capt.  Edgell.  R.  I.  6 
weeks.  1778.  231. 

Winn :    Increase.       S.  p.   W.  before 
1777.  280. 

Winn  :  Jacob.    C.  A.  8  mos.  1775. 

St.  H.  L. 

Winn :  Jacob.    C.  A.  Bn's  Regt.  Pet- 
tingell's Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Winn :    Jacob.      Lt.    Jos.    Johnson, 
Cambridge,  1777.  v.  viii.  164. 

Winn :  Joseph,  Lt.     S.  p.  W.   before 
1777.  204. 

Winn  :  Joseph,  Lt.    Capt.  Ford,  Cam- 
bridge, 1777-78.  vi.  viii.  53. 

Winn :  Jeremiah.     C.  A.  8  mos.  1775. 
St.  H.  L. 

Winn  :  Jeremiah.     C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 
Pettingell's  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Winn :  Samuel.    S.  p.  W.  before  1777. 
94. 

Winn  :  Samuel.    Capt.  Wyman,  Bun- 
ker Hill,  1778.  viii.  xvi.  263. 

Winn :  Dea.  Timothy.    S.   p.  W.  be- 
fore 1777.  H8. 

Winn  :  Timothy,  jun.    Ensign :  S.  p. 
W.  before  1777.  78,371. 

Winn :  Timothy,  3d.    Capt.  Green,  R. 
I.  3  mos.  1780.  ix.  376,  380. 

Wood  :  Benjamin.     C.  A.  8  mos.  1775. 
St.  H.  L 

Wood  :  Edward.    C.  A.  8  mos.  1775. 
St.  H.  L. 

Wood :    Edward.     C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 
Wood  s  Co.  1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Wood :  Edward.   Capt.  Foster  at  the 
Korthw.  1777.  Ill,  385. 

Wood:  Edward.    C.  A.   6  mos.  1780. 
216. 


Wood :  Capt.  John.  S.  p.  W.  before 
Jan.  1,  1777.  191. 

Wood :  Capt.  John.  C.  A.  1777,  3 
years.  xix. 

Wood  :  Capt.  John.  C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 
1775.  Bn.  Vol. 

Wood :  Lt.  Silvanns.  C.  A.  8  mos. 
1775.  St.  H.  L. 

Wood:    Lt.     Silvanus.      C.  A.   Bn's 

Regt.  Wood's  Co.    1775,   Lt.    1776. 

Bn.  Vol.  308. 

Wood:  Solomon.19  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  141,188. 

Wright :  Jesse.  Capt.  Wyman,  Bun- 
ker Hill,  1778.  viii.  xvi. 

Wright :  Jonathan.  S.  p.  W.  "  before 
Jan.  1777."  356. 

Wright:  Jonathan.  Capt.  Wyman, 
Banker  Hill,  1778.  viii.  xvi. 

Wright:    Joseph.     S.  p.    W.    before 

1777.  83. 
Wright :  Josiah.     Capt.  Wyman,  Bun- 
ker Hill,  1778.                       viii.  xvi. 

Wright:  Philemon.  Capt.  Wyman, 
R.  I.  2  mos.  1777.  405. 

Wright :  Philemon.  C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 
Wood's  Co.  1776.  Bn.  Vol. 

Wright:  Thomas,  jun.    Lt.  Jos.  John- 
son,   Caiub.   2  mos.  1777.    v.  viii. 
131. 

Wright :  Thomas,  jun.  Guarding  pris- 
oners of  Convention,  15  days.  July 

1778.  39. 
Wright :  Timothy.     S.  p.  W.  "  before 

January  1,  1777."  339. 

Wyman  :  Abel.     Capt.  Jesse  Wyman, 

Bunker  Hill,  1778.  viii.  xvi. 

Wyman:    David.     Capt.  Ford,   Cam- 
bridge, 1777-78.  vi.  viii. 
Wyman:    Elijah.      S.  p.  W.  before 

1777. 
Wyman:    Eliphaz.    S.  p.   W.  before 

1777.  372. 

Wyman :     Eliphaz.    Capt.  Foster  at 

Northward,  1777.  110. 

Wyman :  Ezra.    S.  p.  W.  before  1777. 

293. 

Wyman  :  Ezra,   jun.     Capt.  Wyman, 

Bunker  Hill,  1778.  viii.  xvi. 

Wyman:   Francis.    C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 

Wood's  Co.  1776.  Bn.  Vol. 

Wyman  :  Hezekiah.      S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  167. 

Wyman :  Lt.  James.     S.  p.  W.  before 

1777.  288. 


»°  Solomon  Wood  "  died  of  the  small  pox  in  the  Army  at  the  Jerseys,  March  16, 1777."    Bev. 
Mr.  Marrett's  List  of  Deaths. 

50 


578 


APPENDIX,   NO.   XIII. 


Wyman,  James,  jun.  C.  A.  1777,  3 
years.  xix.  St.  H.  L. 

Wyraan :  James,  jun.  C.  A.  1780.  6 
mos.  233. 

Wyman :  Capt.  Jesse.  S.  p.  W.  be- 
fore 1777.  66. 

Wyman  :  Capt.  Jesse.  S.  in  R.  1. 1777. 
2  mos.  223. 

Wyman :  Capt.  Jesse.  S.  at  Bunker 
Hill,  3  mos.  1778.  viii.  xvi. 

Wyman :  Jesse,  jun.11 

Wyman:  Jonas.12  S. p.W.  [deceased] 
Order  paid  to  Administrator.  38. 

Wyman :  Jonathan.  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  95. 

Wj'man :  Joseph.  C.  A.  6  mos.  1780. 
6,  429,  464. 

Wyman :  Joseph,  [son  of  Sam.  Esq.] 
Bunker  Hill,  5  weeks  from  Jan.  25, 
1779.  225. 

Wyman :  Joshua.  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  19,  21. 

Wyman:  Nathan.  S.  p.  W.  before 
Jan.  1777.  136,  148. 


Wyman  :  Nathan,  jun.  C.  A.  8  mos. 
1775.  St.  H.  L. 

Wyman:  Nathan,  jun.  C.  A.  Bn's 
Regt.  PettingelFs  Co.  1775.  Bn-Vol. 

Wyman :  Nathan,  jun.  Lt.  Jos.  John- 
son, Cambridge,  1777.  v.  viii. 

Wyman:  Nathan,  jun.  Capt.  Green, 
R.  I.  3  mos.  1780.  ix.  428. 

Wyman :  Nathaniel.  Capt.  Foster  at 
Northward,  1777.  183. 

Wyman:  Nathaniel,  jun.  S.  p.  W. 
before  1777.  203. 

Wymau :  Paul.  S.  p.  W.  before  1777. 
30. 

Wyman  :  Samuel,  Esq.  S.  p.  W.  be- 
fore 1777.  326. 

Wyman :  Stephen.  C.  A.  Bn's  Regt. 
Wood's  Co.  1776.  Bn.  Vol. 

Wyman :  Thomas.  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  11. 

Wyman :  Zebadiah.  S.  p.  W.  before 
1777.  68. 

fYew,  [Yow?]  Oliver.  C.  A.  1777, 
Z  the  War. 


during  the 


St.  H.  L. 


The  Compiler  of  the  above  List  has  spared  no  pains  to  make  it  as 
correct  and  complete  as  possible.  But  he  dares  not  flatter  himself 
that  there  are  no  deficiencies  in  it,  no  errors  in  its  details. 

By  counting  the  individuals  in  the  foregoing  list,  it  will  be  found, 
that  there  were  376  inhabitants  of  Woburn  who  enlisted  in  the  War 
of  the  Revolution,  and  46  strangers  who  were  hired  by  it  for  the  same 
service ;  making  a  total  of  422  who  served  for  it  in  that  contest  with 
Great  Britain. 


APPENDIX,    No.    XIII. 

LISTS  OF  TOWN  AND  CHURCH  OFFICERS,  SCHOOL  TEACHERS,  &c. 

SELECTMEN. 
From  1644,  when  the  first  choice  was  made,  to  1860. 


Edward  Johnson,  1644,  5,  6,  7,  9,  50, 

51,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8. 
Edward  Convers,  1644,  5,  6,  7,  9,  50, 

51,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9. 
John  Mousall,  1644,  5,  6,  7,  9,  50,  51, 

2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9. 


William  Learned,  1644,  5. 
Ezekiel  Richardson,  1644,  5,  6,  7. 
Samuel  Richardson,  1644,  5,  6,  9,  50, 

51. 
James  Thompson,  1644,  6,  9,  50,  51, 

2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8. 


"  "  1775  Jnne  22.  Attended  the  funeral  of  Jesse  Wyman,  aged  21,  living  in  the  Old  Parish, 
mortally  wounded  in  the  hattle  at  Charlestown."  Rev.  Mr.  Marrett's  Interleaved  Almanac. 

"  Jonas  Wyman  died  in  the  autumn  of  1776,  in  the  army  at  New  York.  Rev.  Mr.  Marrett's 
List  of  Deaths  in  1776. 


APPENDIX,  NO.   XIII. 


579 


John  Wright,  1645,  6,  7,  9,  50,  51,  2, 

3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8. 

Miles  Nutt,  1647,  9,  50,  52,  3,  4,  5,  6. 
John  Tidd,  1647. 

No  Record  of  choice  for  1648. 
Ralph  Hill,  1651. 
John  Russell,  1652,  3,  4,  5,  6. 
Only  five  Selectmen  chosen  for  1657. 
Michael  Bacon,  1659. 
Francis  Kendall,  1(559. 
Edward  Convers,  1660,  1,  2,  3. 
John  Mousall,  1660,  1,  2,  3,  4. 
Thomas  Peirce,  1660,  1,  2. 
John  Wright,  1660,  1,  2,  3,  4. 
James  Thompson,  1660,  1,  2,  7,  9. 
Edward  Johnson,  1661,  7,  9. 
Thomas  Fuller,  1663-4. 
Francis  Kendall,  1663,  5,  6,  7,  8. 
Lieut.  John  Carter,  1664.    ' 
William  Johnson,  1664. 
Josiah  Convers,  1664. 
James  Convers,  1664. 
Michael  Bacon,  1665,  6,  8. 
Thomas  Peirce,  1665,  6. 
Bartholomew  Peirson,  1665,  6. 
Robert  Peirce,  1665. 
John  Wyman,  1666,  7,  8. 
John  Seirs,  1667,  8. 
John  Mousall,  jun.,  1668. 
Samuel  Walker,  1668. 
Henry  Brooks,  1669. 
Edward  Winn,  1 669. 
John  Wright,  1670. 
Francis  Kendall,  1670,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8. 
Michael  Bacon,  1670. 
Isaac  Cole,  1670. 
Joseph  Wright,  1670. 
Edward  Johnson,  1671. 
James  Thompson,  1671. 
Henry  Brooks,  1671,  2. 
John  Mousall,  jun.,  1671. 
Matthew  Johnson,  1671,  2,  6,  7,  8. 
John  Carter,  1(572,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9. 
Ensign  James  Convers,  1674,  5,  6  de- 
clined for  1676,  chosen  1677,  8,  9. 
William  Johnson,  1672,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8, 

9 ;  declined  serving  1676. 
Josiah  Convers,  1672;   declined;   and 

in  his  stead  was  chosen 
Serg.  James  Convers,  1672. 
John  Wyman,  1673. 
Joseph  Wright,  1673. 
Francis  Wyman,  1674,  5. 
Mr.  Samuel  Carter,  1679. 
Samuel  Walker,  jun.,  1679. 
Lt.  William  Johnson,  1680,  82,  83,  4, 

5,  6,  7,  8. 
Ens.  James  Couvers,  1680,  82,  3,  4,  5, 

6,8. 


Serg.  Matthew  Johnson,  1680,  81,  2, 

3,  4,  5,  6,  8. 

John  Wright,  1680,  81. 
Francis  Kendall,  1680,  82,  3,  7,  8. 
Henry  Baldwin,  1681. 
Mr.  Samuel  Carter,  1681,  2,  3. 
Samuel  Blogget,  1681. 
Serg.  James  Convers,  1684,  86. 
Corp.  Saml.   Walker,   1684,  85,  Sarg. 

1686,  7. 

Sarg.  Thos.  Fuller,  1685. 

William  Locke,  1687. 

Increase  Winn,  1687,  8. 

N.  B.  Only  4  Selectmen  chosen  in 
February,  1686-7.  The  same  re- 
chosen  in  March  7,  1686-7. 

P.  S.  Wm.   Johnson    Selectman    for 

1687,  beside  the  4  recorded. 

The  choice  by  the  people  at  the  usual 
time  in  Feb.  annulled,  and  a  new 
choice  ordered  by  Justices  of  the 
Peace. 

No  Meeting  for  choice  of  town  officers 
in  1689. 

Sarg.  Samuel  Walker,  1690. 

Samuel  Blogget,  sen.,  1690. 

Lt.  John  Richardson,  1690. 

John  Wright,  sen.,  1690. 

John  Peirce,  sen.,  1690. 

Capt.  William  Johnson,  1691. 

Lt.  James  Convers,  jun.,  1691. 

Ens.  Saml.  Walker,  1691. 

Sarg.  Matthew  Johnson,  1691. 

Saml.  Blogget,  sen.,  1691,  93,  95,  6,  7. 

Lieut.  John  Richardson,  1692. 

Ens.  Joseph  Winn,  sen.,  1692,  93. 

Joseph  Wright,  sen.,  1692. 

John  Burbean,  sen.,  1692. 

Lt.  Joseph  Peirce,  1692,  93,  95. 

Joseph  Richardson,  sen.,  1693,  4. 

James  Fowle,  1693,  4. 

James  Convers,  jun.,  [Capt.]  1694. 

Jonathan  Wyman,  1694. 

Joshua  Sawyer,  1694. 

Lt.  Josiah  Parker,  1695. 

Jacob  Wyman,  1695. 

James  Simonds,  1695. 

William  Locke,  sen.,  1696. 

Lt.  Matthew  Johnson,  1696. 

Sergt.  Israel  Walker,  1696. 

Benjamin  Simonds,  1696,  97. 

Ens.  John  Peirce,  1697. 

Lt.  Josiah  Convers,  1697.  8 ;  chosen 
1701,  but  did  not  accept. 

Sergt.  John  Tidd,  1697,  1701,  1709. 

Lt.  Joseph  Wright,  1698. 

James  Convers,  jun.,  1698,  99. 

Corp.  Benj.  Simonds,  1698,  9. 

Jacob  Wyraan,  1698. 


580 


APPENDIX,   NO.   XIII. 


Sergt.  Eben.  Johnson,  1699. 

Sergt.  Sam.  Blogget,  1699. 

Nath.  Kichardson,  sen.,  1699. 

Capt.  Edw.  Johnson,  1700,  01,  02,  03, 

04,  07, 08. 
Sergt.  James  Fowle,  1700,  01,  (1702, 

declined,)  08,  04,  05,  07,  08,  09. 
Lieut.  Joseph  Peirce,  1700. 
Lieut.  John  Carter,  1700,  1710. 
Sergt.  George  Reed,  1700,1705,  06. 
Thomas  Peirce,  1701. 
Jos.  Richardson,  sen.,  1702. 
Lt.  Josiah  Convers,  1702,  03,  04,  05, 

06,  Capt.  1707,  09. 
James  Simonds,  1702. 
•Samuel  Blogget,  sen.,  1703. 
Dea.  Sam.  Walker,  1703. 
William  Locke,  jun.,  1704. 
Joshua  Sawyer,  jun.,  1704,  sen.,  1707. 
Major  James  Convers,  1705,  06. 
Ens.  John  Peirce,  1705,  06,  08,  10. 
Sergt.  Saml.  Wilson,  1706. 
Corn.   Benj.   Simonds,    1707:    Lieut. 

1709, 1711. 

Capt.  Seth  Wyman,  1707. 
Saml.  Walker,  1708,  Dec.  Ull,  12, 14, 

15,  18. 

Sergt.  Eben.  Johnson,  1709,  13,  16. 
James  Fowle,    1710,   11,   12,  13,  14; 
.  died  March  19,  1714. 
John  Brooks,  1710. 
Josiah  Johnson,  1710. 
Joshua  Sawyer,  1711,  12. 
Capt.  Edw.  Johnson,  1711,  12,  13,  14, 

15;  Dea.  1718. 

Capt.  Josiah  Convers,  1712,  13,  15,  17. 
Ens.  Samuel  Blogget,  1713. 
Lt.   Eleazar  Flagg,    1714,   15;    Capt. 

1718,  19. 

Qr.  Mast.  Jos.  Richardson,  1714,  16. 
John  Fowle,  1714,  15,  16,  17,  18,  19. 
Jacob  Wyman,  1716. 
Sergt.  Benj.  Johnson,  1716. 
Sergt.  John  Tidd,  1717. 
Sergt.  Benj.  Peirce,  1717,  18. 
Samuel  Richardson,  1717. 
Sergt.  George  Reed,  1719. 
Capt.  John  Coggin,  1719. 
Corn.  Peirson  Richardson,  1719. 
Dea.  Edward  Johnson,  1720,  22,  23, 24. 
John  Fowle,  1720,  21, 22, 23,  24,  25,  26, 

27,  28,  29. 
Samuel  Richardson,  1720,   22,  23,  26, 

27,  28. 

Dea.  George  Reed,  1720,  22,  23,  29. 
Dea.  Saml.  Walker,  1720,  27,  28. 
James  Peirce,  sen.,  1721,  24;  Sergt. 

25. 
James  Thompson,  1721. 


Ens.  Stephen  Richardson,  1721. 
Joseph  Wright,  1721,  22,  24,  25,  27, 

28,  29. 

John  Brooks,  1723. 
Ens.  Josiah  Convers,  1724,  25. 
Col.  Eleazar  Flegg,  1725,  26. 
Josiah  Johnson,  1726. 
Dea.  James  Thompson,  1726. 
Capt.  Robert  Convers,  1727. 
Dea.  James  Thompson,  1728. 
Ens.  Samuel  Blogget,  1729. 
Jacob  Wyman,  1729. 
Josiah  Johnson,  1730,  31,  32,  33,  34, 

35,  36. 

John  Fowle,  1730,  31,  32,  33,  34,  35, 

36,  37,  38. 

Joseph  Wright,  1730,  32. 

Dea.  George  Reed,  1730,  31. 

Saml.  Richardson,  1730,  31,  32,  35,  36 

Jacob  Wyrnan,  1731. 

Dea.  William  Locke,  1732. 

Corp.  James  Simonds,  1733,  34,  35 

36,  Lieut.  1742,  49,  50. 
Lieut.  Joshua  Thompson,  1733. 
John  Russell,  1734,  35,  36,  37,  38,  39, 

40,  41,  42,  43,  45. 
Jacob  Richardson,  1734. 
Jona.  Poole,  Esq.  1737,  38,  39,  40,  44. 
Josiah  Peirce,  1737,  38,  39,  40. 
James  Proctor,  1737,  38,  39,  40,  41, 

Lieut.  44,  47,  48,  Capt.  49. 
Edward  Walker,  1739,  40,  45. 
Mr.  Roland  Cotton,  1741,  42,  43. 
Capt.  John  Fowle,  jun.,  1741. 
Dr.  Jonathan  Hey  wood,  1741. 
David  Wyman,  1742,  43,  45,  46,  47,  48, 

49,  50. 

Benj.  Richardson,  1742,  1744. 

Josiah  Johnson,  1743,  44,  46,  47,  48, 

50,  51. 

Ebenezer  Convers,  1743. 

William  Tay,  1744,  46,  47,  48,  50,  51. 

William  Locke,  1745. 

Nathan  Wyman,  1745,  49. 

Lt.  Samuel  Kendall,  1746,  47,  48. 

Joshua  Jones,  1746,  50. 

Francis  Johnson,  1749. 

Lieut.  Eben.  Thompson,  1751. 

Benjamin  Johnson,  1751. 

Capt.  John  Reed,  1751. 

Ebenezer  Thompson,  1752. 

David  Wyman,  1752. 

John  Reed, 1752. 

Oliver  Richardson,  1752,  53,  54,  55. 

James  Fowle,  1752,  53,  54,  55,  59,  60, 

61,  Esq.  62. 

Ebenezer  Convers,  1753. 
Joshua  Jones,  1753,  58,  59,  62,  63,  69, 

70,  71,  72. 


APPENDIX,  NO.   XIII. 


581 


Thomas  Reed,  1753,  54,  55. 
Samuel  Reed,  1754,  55. 
Samuel  Wyman,  jun.  1754,  55. 
Josiah  Johnson,  'Esq.  1756,  58,  66. 
Lieut.  William  Tay,  1756,  59,  60,  61, 

62,  63,  64,  65,  67,  70,  71. 
Deacon  Timothy  Winn,  1756,  57. 
Mr.  Isaac  Snow,  1756,  58. 
Mr.  Ichabod  Richardson,  1756. 
Capt.  Timothy  Brooks,  1757. 
Mr.  Benja.  Richardson,  1757,  64. 
Mr.  Joseph  Wright,  1757. 
Mr.  Jonathan  Fox,  1757,  Capt.  1763, 

64,  65,  67,  68,  69. 
Mr.  James  Baldwin,  1758,  59. 
Mr.  Jacob  Richardson,  jun.,  1758. 
Mr.  Nathan  Richardson,  1759,  60,  61, 

Dea.  62,  63. 
Mr.  Joshua  Walker,  1760, 61,  Lt.  1773, 

74,  75,  Capt.  1776,  77. 
Mr.  Samuel  Tidd,  1760,  61. 
Capt.  Benj.  Johnson,  1762,  64,  65,  66, 

67,  68. 

James  Fowle,  Esq.,  1763,  65,  66,  67, 

68,  69,  70,  71,  72,  73,  74,  75. 
Mr.  Ebenezer  Convers,  1764. 
Mr.  Jacob  Wright,  1765,  66. 

Dea.  Samuel  Wyman,  1766,  68,  69,  70, 

71,  72,  73,  74,  75,  80. 
Mr.  James  Wyman,  1767,  68,  69. 
Mr.  Oliver  Richardson,  1770,  71,  72. 
Lieut.  William  Tay,  1772,  73,  74,  75, 

76,  77,  78,  79. 

Dea.  Timothy  Winn,  1773,  74,  75. 
Mr.  Thomas  Wright,  1776,  77. 
Lt.  Samuel  Thompson,  1776,  77,  Dea. 

1778,  79. 

Dea.  David  Blanchard,  1776,  77. 
Capt.  Benjamin  Edgel,  1778,  79,  80, 

82,  83. 
Lt.  Jeduthun  Richardson,  1778,  79, 80, 

82,  83,  84,  85. 

Lt.  Jonathan  Tidd,  1778,  79. 
Nathan  Richardson,  1780. 
Ens.  Timothy  Winn,  1780,  82,  83,  84, 

88. 

Col.  Loammi  Baldwin,  1781. 
Paul  Wyman,  1781. 
Dea.  Joseph  Johnson,  1781,  89,  90. 
Zebadiah  Wyman,  1781,  82,  83,  84,  85, 

88,  89,  Dea.  1790,  91. 
Ezra  Wyman,  1781. 
Lieut.  Joseph  Wiun,  1782,  83,  91,  92, 

93. 
Mr.  Sam.  Wyman,  jun.  1784,  85,  87, 

88,  89. 

Mr.  James  Walker,  1784,  85,  87,  88. 
Capt.  John  Wood,  1785,  87. 
Major  Samuel  Tay,  1786. 

60* 


Mr.  Josiah  Johnson,  1786. 
Capt.  Reuben  Kimball,  1786. 
Mr.  Benjamin  Convers,  1786. 
Lieut.  James  Reed,  1786,  89,  90,  91. 
James  Fowle,  jun.,  1787. 
John  Flagg,  1787,  88,  89,  90. 
Daniel  Reed,  1790,  91. 
Isaac  Marion,  1791,  92,  93. 
Capt.  Joseph  Brown,  1792,  93. 
Ensign  John  Walker,  1792,  Col.  1793. 
Mr.  Josiah  Parker,  1792,  93. 
Abijah  Thompson,  1794,  95,  96, 97,  98, 

99.  1800. 

Benjamin  Simonds,  1794,  95,  96. 
Edward  Walker,  1794,  95,  96. 
Daniel  Wyman,  1794,  95,  96,  97,  98,  99.- 
Abel  Wyman,  1794,  Lt.  95. 
Jesse  Dean,  1796,  97,  98. 
Elijah  Leathe,  jun.,  1797,  98,  99. 
Samuel  Walker,  1797,  98. 
Nathan  Simonds,  1799,  1800,  1803,  04. 
Benjamin  Wyman,    1799,    1800,  1801, 

02,  Major,  03,  04. 
Bill  Russell,  1800,  1801,  02,   1805,  06, 

Col.  07. 

Reuben  Johnson,  1800. 
Abijah  Thompson,  1801,  02. 
Jacob  Pierce,  1802,  03,  04. 
John  Fowle,  1802,  03,  Dea.  1805,  06. 
Jacob  Richardson,  1803,  04. 
James  Leathe,  1804. 
Lt.  Jonathan  Tidd,  1805,  1806. 
Capt.  Nathan  Harrington,   1805,   06, 

07,  08,  09,  10. 
Joseph  W.  Beers,  1805,  06,  07,  08,  09, 

10,  11. 

Luke  Reed,  1807,  08,  09,  10,  11. 
John  Tidd,  1807. 

Nathan  Simonds,  1808,  09,  10,  11. 
Col.  Bill  Russell,  1808,  09,  10,  11. 
Capt.  William  Fox,  1811,  12,  13. 
Benj.  F.  Baldwin,  1812,  13. 
Jacob  Richardson,  1812,  13. 
John  Wade,  Esq.  1814,  15,  16,  17,  18, 

19,  20,  21,  22,  23,  24,  25. 
Josiah  Parker,  1814,  15,  16,  17,  18,  19. 
Capt.  Isaac  Richardson,  1814,  15,  16, 

17. 

Jonathan  Tidd,  jun.,  1818,  19,  20. 
Dr.  Sylvanus  Plympton,  1819. 
Marshall  Fowle,  1820,  21,  22,  23,  24, 

25,  26,  27. 

Joseph  Parker,  1821,  22. 
Samuel  Tidd,  1823,  24,  25. 
Joseph  Gardner,  1826,  27,  28,  29,  30. 
Samuel  T.  Richardson,  1826. 
Samuel  Abbot,  1827,  28,  29,  30,  31. 
Samuel  I  Richardson,  1828. 
Stephen  Nichols,  1829,  30,  31. 


582 


APPENDIX,   NO.   XIII. 


Abijah  Thompson,  1831,  32,  33. 

John  Tidd,  1832,  33. 

Jason  Richardson,  1832,  33. 

John  Wade,  1834,  35. 

Stephen  Nichols,  1834,  35,  36. 

Charles  Carter,  1834,  35,  38,  39. 

John  Eclgell,  1836. 

Augustus  Plympton,  1836,  38,  39. 

John  Cummings,  1837. 

Loring  Emerson,  1837,  42,  43. 

Earth.  Richardson,  jun.,  1837,  44. 

Leonard  Fowle,  1838,  39. 

Albert  Thompson,  1840,  41,  44. 

Oliver  Tay,  1840. 

Samuel  R.  Duren,  1840. 

Leonard  Thompson,  1841,  42,  43. 

Luke  Tidd,  1841,  42,  43,  44. 

Benjamin  F.  Thompson,  1845,  1846. 

James  Tweed,  jun.  1845,  46,  47,  48, 

49. 

Gen.  Abijah  Thompson,  1845. 
John  Tidd,  1846,  47,  48,  49. 
Cyrus  Thompson,  1847,  48,  49,  50. 
Nathan  B.  Johnson,  1850. 


Bowen  Buckman,  1850. 

Saml.  R.  Duren,  to  fill  a  vacancy  in 

the  board,  1850. 
Stephen  Nichols,  jun.,  1851,  52. 
Horace  Conn,  1851,  52,  53,  55. 
Samuel  R.  Duren,  1851. 
Horace  Collamore,  1852,  53. 
Alfred  G.  Carter,  1853. 
Joshua  E.  Littlefield,  1854. 
John  Johnson,  jun.,  1854. 
John  Flanders,  1854,  55. 
Moses  F.  Winn,  1855,  56. 
Albert  Thompson,  1856. 
Elisha  Burbank,  1856,  57,  58. 
Horace  Collamore,  1857. 
John  Cummings,  jun.,  1857. 
Parker  L.  Convers,  1858. 
F.  K.  Cragin,  1858. 
Horace  Conn,  1859. 
William  T.  Grammer,  1859. 
Joseph  Kelly,  1859. 
Ebenezer  N.  Blake,  1860. 
Horace  Conn,  1860. 
Joseph  Kelly,  1860. 


COMMISSIONERS  "  TO  END  SMALL  CAUSES." 


Edward  Johnson,  1649,  50,  1,  2,  3,  4, 

5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  1660,  64. 
Edward  Convers,  16i9,  50,  51,  2,  3,  4, 


6,  6,  7,  8,  9,  1660. 


John  Mousall,  1649,  50,  51,  2,  3,  4,  5, 

6,  7,  8,  9,  1660,  64. 
John  Carter,  1664,  1674. 


William  Johnson,  1674. 
James  Convers,  1674. 


COMMISSIONERS  "  OF  THE  RATE.' 


John  Wright,  1646. 

Ensign  John  Carter,  1653. 

John  Tidd,    "  Commissioner  for  the 

Country  Rate,"  1655. 
John    Wyman,    "  Commissioner   for 

the  Country  Rate,"  1656. 
John  Carter,  1658. 
William  Johnson,  1659. 
James  Convers,  1660. 
Edward  Johnson,  1661. 
Josiah  Convers,  1662. 
Edward  Johnson,  1663. 
Thomas  Peirce.  1664. 
Allen  Convers,  1666. 
James  Convers,  1667. 
John  Carter,  1668. 
William  Johnson,  1669. 
Thomas  Peirce,  1670. 
John  Wright,  1671. 
John  Wyman,  1672. 
Ensign  James  Convers,  1673. 


Josiah  Convers,  1674,  5,  6,  8. 

James  Convers,  [jun?]  1677. 

Mr.  Samuel  Carter,  1680. 

Joseph  Richardson,  1681. 

Lt.  John  Wyman,  1682. 

Capt.  Saml.  Walker,  1683. 

Dea.  Josiah  Convers,  1684. 

Sergt.  James  Convers,  1685. 

Mr  Samuel  Carter,  1686. 

Lt.  James  Convers,  (jun.?)  1688. 

Lt.  Gershom  Flagg,  1690. 

Sargt.  Matthew  Johnson,  Aug.  20, 
1690. 

Ensign  Joseph  Winn,  1691. 

Saml.  Blogget,  sen.,  1692. 

Joseph  Wright,  sen.,  1693. 

James  Fowle,  "  Comm."  1703,  to  aid 
in  making  the  Province  Tax,  ac- 
cording to  Act  of  Court,  March 
1703. 


APPENDIX,   NO.   XIII. 


583 


RECORDERS  OR  TOWN   CLERKS. 


Edward  Johnson,  chosen  in  1640. 
William  Johnson,  chosen  in  1672. 
Lt.  James  Convers,  jun.,  chosen  in 

1688. 

Mr.  Sam.  Carter,  chosen  in  1690. 
Capt.  James  Convers,  iun.,  chosen  in 

1691. 
Capt.  James  Convers,  jun.,  chosen  in 

1693,  94,  95,  96,  97,  98,  99,  1700. 
Serg.  James  Fowle,  chosen  in  1701, 

02,  03,  04,  05,  06,  07,  08,  09,  10. 
Serg.  James  Fowle,  chosen  in  1711,  12, 

13,  14  :  died  March  19,  1714. 
John  Fowle,  chosen  in  1714,  15, 16, 17, 

18,  19,  20,  21,  22,  23,  24,  25. 
John  Fowle,  chosen  in  1726, 27, 28,  29, 

30,  31,  32,  33,  34,  35,  36,  37,  38. 
John  Eussell,  chosen  in  1739,  40,  41, 

42,  43  :  declined  serving  1744. 
John  Fowle,  3d,  chosen  in  1744. 
John  Russell,  chosen  in  1745. 
James  Fowle,  chosen  in  1746,  7,  8,  9, 

1750,  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  1760. 
James  Fowle,  chosen  in  1760, 1, 2,  Esq. 

1763,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  1770. 


James  Fowle,  chosen  in  1771,  2,  3,  4, 

5,  6,  7,  8,  1779. 

James  Fowle,  jun.,  chosen  in  1779, 
Aug.  26,  1780,  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8, 
9,  1790. 

Zebadiah  Wyman,  chosen  in  1791, 
1792. 

Isaac  Brooks,  chosen  in  1793. 

Zebadiah  Wyman,  chosen  in  1794,  5, 

6,  7,  8,  9,  1800,  01,  02,  03,  04. 
Zebadiah  Wyman,  chosen  in  1805,  06, 

07,  08,  09,  1810,  11,  12,  13. 
Marshall  Fowle,  chosen  in  1814,  15, 

16,  17,  18,  19,  20,  21,  22,  23,  24. 
Marshall  Fowle,  chosen  in  1825,  26, 27, 

28,  29,  30,  31,  32,  33. 

Died  suddenly  June  14,  1833. 
Oliver  B.  Coolidge,  chosen  in  1833,  34, 

35,  36,  37,  38,  39. 
Martin  L.  Convers,  chosen  in  1840,  41, 

42,  43. 
Nathan  Wyman,  chosen  in  1844,  45, 46, 

47,  48,  49,  50,  51,  52,  53,  54. 
Nathan  Wyman,  chosen  in  1855,  56, 57, 

58,  59,  1860." 


TREASURERS. 


John  Tidd,  1695  :  no  one  chosen,  1696. 
The  Selectmen  supplied  the  Treasu- 
rer's place, 1697-1718. 
Sergt.    George     Reed,     1719;    Dea. 

George  Reed,  1720,  21,  22. 
John  Fowle,    1724,  25,  26,   27,  28,  29, 

1730. 
John  Fowle,  1731,  32,  33,  34,  35,  36, 

37,  39. 

John  Russell.  1738. 
Mr  Isaac  Snow,  1740,  41,  42,  43,  44. 
Mr.  Eleazar  Carter,  1745,  46, 47. 
Mr.  Benjamin  Wyman,  1748,  49. 
Mr.  Benjamin  Brooks,  1750,  51. 
Mr.    Benjamin  Wyman,  1752,  53,   64, 

65,  56,  57,  58. 

Mr.  Zebadiah  Wyman,  1759,  1760,  61. 
Eleazar  Flagg  Poole,  1762,  63,  64,  65, 

66;  Ensign,  1767. 
Eleazar  Flagg  Poole,  1768,   69,  1770, 

71,  72;  Lieut.  1773. 
Capt.  Benjamin  Wyman,  1774. 
Dea.  Samuel  Wyman,  1775,  76. 
Mr.  Jonathan  Lawrence,  1777,  78. 
Mr.  Zebadiah  Wyraan,  1779,   80,  81, 

82,  83,  84. 


Lt.  Joseph  Winn,  1785,  86,  87. 

Mr.  Zebadiah  Wyman,  1788,89;  Dea. 

1790,  91,  92. 
Mr.  Benjamin  Wyman,  1793,  94;  Lt. 

95,  96,  97 ;  Capt.  1798,  99. 
Joseph  Lawrence,  1800,  1801. 
Zebadiah  Wyman,  1802,  03,  04. 
Dr.  John  Page,  1805. 
Zebadiah   Wyman,   1806,  07,  08,  09, 

1810,  1811,  12,13. 
John  Wade,  Esq.,  1814,  15,  16,  17,  18, 

19,  20,  21,  22,  23. 
John  Wade,  Esq.,  1824,  25. 
John  Fowle,  3d,  1826,  27,  28,  31. 
Bowen  Buckman,  1829,  30,  32. 
John  Edgell,  1831,  35,  86,  38,  39. 
Joel  F.  Thayer,  1833,  34,  37. 
Joshua  V.  Pierce,  1840,  41 ;  resigned, 

and  removed  from  Town. 
William  Woodbury,  1841,  42,  43,  44, 

45,  46. 
Gawin  R.  Gage,  1847, 48,  49,  60, 51,62, 

53, 54,  55,  66. 

Gawin  R.  Gage,  1857,  1858,  59. 
Gawin  R.  Gage,  1860. 


584 


APPENDIX,   NO.    XIII. 


DEPUTIES  TO  GENERAL  COURT. 


Edward  Johnson,    1646,  47,  9,   1650, 

1,  2,3,  4,  5,  6,  8,9. 
Edward  Convers,  1660. 
Edward  Johnson,  1661,  2,  3,  7,  8,  9. 
Mr.  Humphrey  Davie,  )  1P7ft  71 
Capt.  Edw.  Johnson,    )  lt)/u' ' L' 
Mr.  Humphrey  Davie,     )  of  Boston, 
Capt.  Edw.  Hutchinson,  )      1672,  73. 
Mr.  Humphrey  Davie,  )  ,g7. 
William  Johnson,         5 
"Mr.  Humphrey  Davie   was   chosen 

Deputy  for  the  whole  yeare  1675." 

Mr.  Humphrey  Davie,  ?  De?UJieSe  the 
Lieut.  Wm.  Johnson,  l         ,g^x      ' 

Mr.  Humphrey  Davie,   >  .g77  7g  7g 

Lieut.  Wm.  Johnson,    )         '      ' 

Ensign  James  Convers,  deputy  in 
Feb.  Session,  1679-80. 

Lieut.  Wm.  Johnson,      >  ,  ,>80 

Ensign  James  Convers,  $ 

Lieut.  Wm.  Johnson,  1681,  82,  83, 
[chosen  "Assistant"  at  May  Ses- 
sion, 1684. 

Ens.  James  Convers,  Nov.  Session, 
1683  :  May  Session,  1G84,  85,  86. 

Sergt.  Matt.  Johnson,  1686. 

Ens.  James  Convers,  1689. 

Sargt.  Matt.  Johnson,  1689,90,  91,  92. 

Ens.  Saml.  Walker,  >       Members 

Sargt.  John  Peirce, 

Lt.  James  Convers,  1691,  92. 

Saml.  Blogget,  sen.,  1693. 

Dea.  Samuel  Walker,  1694. 

James  Convers,  jun.,  1695,  96,97,98, 

99. 

James  Wright,  1696  :  disallowed. 
Capt.  Edw.  Johnson,  1700. 
Major  James  Convers,  1701,  02,03,  04, 

05,  06. 
Ens.  John  Peirce,  1706,   Aug.  13,  in 

room  of  Major  Convers,  deceased. 
Ens.  John  Peirce,  1707,  08,  09,  12,  13, 

14,  16,  17,  1718. 

Joshua  Sawyer,  sen.,  1710,  1711. 
Capt.  Josiah  Convers,  1715. 
Dea.  Saml.  Walker,  1719,  20,  and  for 

Court,  June  13,  1720. 
Daniel  Peirce,     1721,  and  for  Court 

23d  Aug.,  1721. 

Daniel  Peirce,  1722,  23,  24,  25,  26. 
John  Fowle,  1727,  28,  30,  31,  35. 
Ens.  Samuel  Blogget,  1729. 
Samuel  Richardson,  1732,  33;  voted 

1734  to  choose,  but   name  not  re- 
corded. 


Mr.  Josiah  Peirce,  1736. 

M.  Roland  Cotton,  1737,  38,39,40,  41, 

42,  43;  Esq.  1744. 
Mr.  Edward  Walker,  1745. 
Dea.  Josiah  Peirce,  1746,  47, 48,  49. 

Voted  not  to  send,  1750. 
Mr.  Edward  Walker,  1751,  52,  53,  54; 

chosen  for  1756,  but  declined. 
Josiah   Johnson,  Esq.,   1756,   57,   58, 

1766. 
Mr.   James  Fowle,    1759,    1760,    61: 

Esq.  1762,  63,  64,  65,  67,  68. 
Mr.  Oliver  Richardson,  1769,  70,  71, 

72,  [1773?]. 
Dea.  Saml.   Wyman,  1773,?   74;   do. 

for  Court  at  Salem,  Oct.  5,  1774. 
Dea.   Saml.   Wyman,   for    Provincial 

Congress,  Feb.  1775. 
Josiah  Johnson,  Esq.,  1775;  May  31, 

at  Watertown. 
Josiah  Johnson,  Esq.,  to  Genl.  Court 

at  Watertown,  July  19, 1775. 
Samuel  Wyman,  Esq.,  at  Watertown, 

1776;  at  Boston,  1777. 
Col.  Loammi  Baldwin,  1778,  79,  1780. 
Capt.  Saml.  Belknap,  1781,  1783. 
Dea.  Joseph  Johnson,  1782. 
Saml.  Thompson,  Esq.   1785,  86,  89, 

90. 

Dea.  Timothy  Winn,  1787,  1788,  1791. 
Capt.  Timothy  Winn,  1790. 
Samuel  Thompson,  Esq.  1792,  93. 
Col.  John  Walker,  1794,  95,  96. 

1797,  Voted  not  to  send. 
Samuel  Thompson,  Esq.  1798. 

1799,  Voted  not  to  send. 
Hon.  Loammi  Baldwin,  Esq.  1800,  01, 

02,  03,  04. 

Samuel  Thompson,  Esq.  1805,  06. 
Col.  Bill  Russell,  1807,  1808. 
Dr.  Sylvanus  Plympton,  1809. 
Mr.  Luke  Reed,  1810,  11. 
Dr.  Sylvaims  Plympton,    ) 
Major  John  Wade,  $ 

Major  John  Wade,  )  1s,q 
Lieut.  Jona.  Tidd,  $181d- 
Major  John  Wade,  1814,  15,  16,  17,  18, 

19,  20,  21,  22. 

Dr.  Sylvanus  Plympton,  1816. 
John  Wade,  Esq.,  1823,  26. 
Marshall  Fowle,  1823,  1824,  25. 
John  Wade,  )  1Q07 

Joseph  Gardner,      $ 
Marshall  Fowle,  &  )  1fioa 
Joseph  Gardner,      $  i8' 
Marshall  Fowle,  &  >  ,  Q00 
John  Wade,  J  1829< 


1812. 


APPENDIX,   NO.   XIII. 


585 


Hon.  Wm.  C.  Jarvis,  1830. 

Marshall  Fowle,  ) 

John  Wade,          >  1831. 

Stephen  Nichols,  ) 

Stephen  Nichols, ) 

Samuel  Abbot,      VNov.  14,  1831. 

Joseph  Gardner,  > 

Marshall  Fowle,  ) 

Samuel  Abbot,     V  1832. 

Joseph  Gardner,  ) 

John  Wade,  ) 

Stephen  Nichols,     \  1833,  34. 

Oliver  B.  Coolidge,  ) 

Oliver  B.  Coolidge,  1835. 

John  Convers,  1835. 

William  Tidd,  1835. 

Stephen  Eames,  1836. 

Henry  Flagg,  1836. 

Leonard  Thompson,  1836. 

John  Cummings,  1837. 

Augustus  Plympton,  1837. 

Leonard  Fowle,  1838. 

William  Flanders,  1838. 


Calvin  A.  Wyman,  1838. 
Henry  Parker,  1839. 
Thomas  Poole,  1839. 
Bowen  Buckman,  1840. 
Nathaniel  A.  Richardson,  1841,  42,  43. 
1844,  Nov.  24.  Voted  not 

to  send  this  year. 
John  C.  Brackett,  1845. 
No  choice  1846,  none  1847,  no  choice 

1849. 

Nov.  27,  1848.    Voted  not  to  send. 
Nov.  11  &  Nov.  25,  1850,  no  choice. 
Timothy  Winn,  1851. 
Joseph  Dow,  1852. 
No  choice,  1853. 
Wm.  T.  Grammer,  1854. 
Ebenezer  N.  Blake,  1855. 
William  T.  Grammer,  1856. 
Charles  S.  Convers,  1857. 
Nathan  Wyman,  1858. 
Nathan  Wyman,  1859. 
Franklin  Smith,  i860. 


586  APPENDIX,   NO.    XIII. 

TEACHERS  OF  GRAMMAR  SCHOOL,  WOBURN,  TILL  1771. 


NAMES. 

When  engaged. 

For  how  long. 

Terms    per   annum,  or 
money  paid. 

Mr    Samuel  Carter   ........ 

1685 

1686 
1694 

A  year 
A  year 

1.10  only  paid,  having 
Nothing  promised,  appa- 

Mr John  Fox  

1699 
1700 

do. 

rently,  and  nothing  pd. 
£o  paid 

1701 

i  _.„__ 

u                                           . 

1702 

18  nor  innnm 

1704 

No  time  set 

*                       * 

1704 

Mr  Gerehom  Kawlins3 

1705 

1705 

Mr  Samuel  Mighlll*    

1706 

Mr  John  Tufta  6 

1707 
1708 

10  months 

20. 

1708 

7  10  paid 

n 

1709 

Mr.  Recompense  Wadsworth  7    .  * 

1710 
1710 
1711,  '12 

3  months 
6  months 
13  months 

7.16  paid. 
12  and  board  11  weeks. 

1713 

Mr.  John  Gardner10    

1714 
1715,  '16,  '17 
1718    '19 

1  year 
29  months 

21.15  paid  and  board. 
40  per  an.   96.13.8  paid. 

Mr  (Nathiniel  ')  Cotton  12         *  .  * 

1719 

50  per  an.  for  3  mos. 
21  16  3  paid 

1720 

Mr.  John  Hancock"     
Mr  Nathaniel  Hancock14  

1720,  '21,  '22 
1722    '23 

49.6.8  paid. 
51  1  4  paid 

Mr.  Josiah  Convers  15  
Mr.  Ebenezer  Flagg,  jun.  18  .   .   .   . 
Mr  Timothy  Walker  17   

1723,  '24,  '25 
1725 
1725 

4  months 

69.11.8  paid. 
12.5  paid. 

Mr.  Samuel  Jonnison18    
Mr   Habijah  Weld  l9    

1725 
17-25-26 

3  months 

11  paid. 

"  Mr.  (Nathaniel  ?)  Saltonstall  »  *>  . 
Mr  Isaic  Richardson21             .  .  . 

1727 
1727-28 

3  months 

12.10  paid. 
12  10  paid 

Mr  Jabez  Fox  **    

1728 

1  Mr.  Bradstreet  was  of  Andover,  a  grand- 
son of  Gov.  Bradstreet ;  H.  C.  1698 ;  came  to 
Woburn  at  the  time  ngreed  on :  stayed  there 
through  March  Court,  to  save  the  town  from  a 
presentment  by  the  grand  jury ;  but  having  no 
scholars,  he  then  withdrew,  having  expenses 
paid,  and  receiving  eighteen  shillings  as  "  a 
gratuity."  Town  Kecords,  IV.,  p.  255. 

*  Mr.  Burr  was  graduated  at  H.  C.,  1697. 

»  Mr.  Rawlins  was  a  graduate  of  H.  C.  1705. 

«  Mr.  Rawson  of  H.  C.,  1703. 

"Mr.  Mighill,  H.  C.,  1704;  kept  the  school 
only  part  of  the  time  agreed  on  in  1707,  and 
received  £6.00  in  full. 

«Mr.  Tufts  was  of  H.  C.,  1708;  and  after- 
wards ordained  over  Second  Church  in  New- 
bur  y. 

7  Mr.  Wadsworth,  born  in  Boston;  of  H.  C., 
1708. 

«  Mr.  Clark,  of  H.  C.,  1712;  minister  of  Dan- 
vers,  1717. 

•  A  son  of  Rev.  Samuel  Angier,  of  Reho- 
both,  and  a  grandson  of  Rev.  Urian  Oakcs, 
President  of  Harvard  College. 

10  Mr.  Gardner,  of  Charlestown  End,  H.  C., 
1715 ;  minister  of  Stow,  1718. 
"  Graduate  of  H.  C.,  1715. 


"  "  Mr.  Cotton  "  (if  Rev.  Nathaniel)  was  of 
H.  C.,  1717;  and  afterwards  minister  of  Bris- 
tol, R.  I. 

"Of  H.  C.,  1719;  minister  of  Braintree, 
1726 ;  father  of  Gov.  Hancock. 

"  Rev.  Nathaniel  Hancock,  H.  C.,  1721. 

18  A  native  of  Woburn,  H.  C.,  1723 ;  a  son  of 
Capt.  Josiah  Convers,  and  a  grandson  of  Dea- 
con Josiah. 

18  A  native  of  Woburn,  son  of  Ebenezer 
Flagg.  sen.,  H.  C.,  1725;  minister  of  Chester, 
N.  H.,  1736. 

IT  Mr.  Walker,  son  of  Dea.  Samuel  Walker, 
2d,  of  Woburn,  H.  C.,  1725;  minister  of  Con- 
cord, N.  H.,  1730. 

18  Mr.  Jennison  was  of  H:  C.,  1720;  after- 
ward a  preacher  and  settled  minister. 

19  Mr.  Weld,  H.  C.,  1723 ;  ordained  at  Attle- 
borough,  Mass.,  1727. 

»  "Mr.  (Nathaniel?)  Saltonstall,''  of  H.  C., 
1727. 

11  Mr.  Isaac  Richardson,  a  native  of  Wo- 
burn, of  H.  C.,  1726. 

28  Mr.  Fox,  son  of  Rev.  John  Fox,  of  H.  C., 
1727. 


APPENDIX,   NO.   XIII. 


587 


TEACHERS  OF  GRAMMAR  SCHOOL,  WOBURN,  TILL  1771. 
=-.-  (Continued.') 


NAMES. 

When  engaged. 

For  how  long. 

Terms  per  annum,  or 
money  paid. 

1729    '30    '31 

31  months 

£131  paid 

1732 

12  10  paid 

Mr.  Jabez  Richardson  *«     
Mr.  Thomas  Balch  »    

1732 
1732 

3  months 

12.10  paid. 
2  paid 

Mr  Ebenezer  Wyman  *• 

1732 

1733 

50  paid 

Mr.  James  Fowle  27 

1734 

1735 

38  10  paid 

Mr.  James  Fowle"  
Mr.  Ebenezer  Wyman  *•  

1736 
1736 

6^  months 
11  weeks 

26.18.6  paid. 
10  11  8  paid 

1737 

60  paid 

1737 

60   bills  of  credit 

1738 

12  mrvntha 

70  paid 

i<          K 

1739 

70  paid* 

it          (i 

1740    '41    '42 

Cl                 11 

1743    '44 

1Q             ill 

Mr.  Isaac  Richardson  »  

1745 

21  10  old  tenor  paid 

1746 

i<              it 

1747 

o             th 

100*  nlH  t   n    r*  ripr        * 

Mr  Adam  Richardson  M     . 

1747 

lf>     ,  ,               '      .» 

1748,  '49 

Mr  Jonathan  Sewall  *•    .  . 

1750 

Mr.  Ebenezer  Thompson  *•    .  .   .  . 
Mr  Jabez  Richardson81.  .  !  !  !  ! 

1752 
1753 
1754 

3  months 
3  months 

300,  old  tenor,  per  an. 
10,  law.  mon.,  p.  order. 

1754 

1C                          U 

1755 

1               th 

Mr  Jacob  Eliot32     •  . 

1756 

Mr  Jabez  Richardson83  .  .          .  . 

1757 

1759 

* 

4.19  9  paid 

Mr  John  Fowle  M     .  .  . 

1758 

622  paid 

1759 

«i         « 

1760,  '61 
1762 

Mr  Jacob  Coggin85  

1763,  '64,  '65 
1766,  '67,  '68 
1769 
1770    '71 

»  See  16. 

»  Mr.  Jabez  Richardson,  a  graduate  of  H.  C., 
1730. 

*o  Mr.  Balch,  of  H.  C.,  1733;  first  minister  of 
Second  Parish,  Dedham,  1736. 

88  Mr.  Wyman,  son  of  Jacob  Wyman,  Wo- 
burn; of  H.  C.,  1731;  and  minister  of  Union, 
Conn. 

**  Mr.  James  Fowle,  son  of  Capt.  John 
Fowle,  of  Woburn,  graduate  of  H.  C.,  1731, 
and  Town  Clerk  of  Woburn  from  1746  to  1779, 
inclusively. 

zs  Mr.  Adam  Richardson,  a  native  of  Wo- 
burn, and  graduate  of  H.  C.,  1730. 

»Mr.  Jonathan  Sewall,  a  graduate  of  H.  C., 
1748,  and  Attorney  General  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  revolutionary  war. 

»o  A  native  of  Woburn,  son  of  Ebenezer  and 
Hannah  (Convers)  Thompson,  and  graduated 
atH.C.,1752. 

»»  See  24.  A  school  teacher,  apparently,  by 
profession. 


n  Jacob  Eliot,  a  graduate  of  H.  C.,  1755. 

83  See  24.    Mr.  Jabez  Richardson  was  proba-  . 
hly  a  native,  certainly  an  inhabitant,  of  Wo- 
burn, in  1756.    See  Church  Records,  Vol.  I., 
page  3. 

"Mr.  John  Fowle,  or  "Master  Fowle"  as 
he  was  called  many  years,  was  a  native  of 
Woburn,  a  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Convers) 
Fowle,  and  a  graduate  of  H.  C.,  1747. 

88  Mr.  Jacob  Coggin,  a  native  of  Woburn, 
graduate  of  H.  C.,  1763,  a  schoolmaster  by  pro- 
fession, and  occasionally  preached. 

N.  B.  The  pay  per  annum  engaged  to  Mas- 
ter Fowle,  for  teaching,  is  not  stated  in  the 
Records,  except  in  1759  and  1762.  From  the 
sums  paid  by  the  Treasurer  at  divers  times  for 
his  services,  he  appears  to  have  had  a  little 
more,  some  year's,  than  £40  per  annum.  As 
the  town  voted  to  raise  £40  for  schooling  in 
1771, 1772,  (See  Town  Records,  Vol.  IX.,  pp. 
128, 165,)  it  is  inferred  that  that  sum  was  the 
annual  pay  of  Mr.  Coggin  in  those  years. 


588 


APPENDIX,  NO.   XIII. 


n  ordained, 
installed. 


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5        5 


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:  £  3  ^  :  I  I  •< 


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U    H    £^0    B    B    h    h"    ft 


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1  illSi'iiill 


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•35 

!f 


APPENDIX,   NO.    XIII. 


589 


DEACONS  OF  THE  FIRST  CHURCH,  WOBURN. 


NAMES. 

Cho.en.or  (t) 
atyled  beacon 
in  T.  Records. 

Resigned. 

Died. 

Age. 

Probably  in 

1663 

75 

John  Mousall  ....           ,              .       .  .  .  { 

1642 

1665 

70 

John  Wright  

t  Nov.  10  1664 

1688 

John  Russell  

t  Nov.  10,  1664 

1676 

Josiah   Convers  

1674 

1690 

7ft 

Henrv  Baldwin 

1686 

1698 

Samuel  Walker  2d 

1692 



1704 

61 

Joseph  Wright  

f!698 

1724 

8fi 

William  Locke  

1700 

1720 

91 

Samuel  Walker,  3d1  

1709 

'1735 

1744 

•  77 

William  Locke,  jun  

1709 

1738 

80 

1  1720 

1725 

67 

1719 

1735 

1756 

96 

1725 

1733 

1763 

84 

Josiah  Wright  

t  1736 

1747 

78 

1736 

1743 

63 

1742 



1759 

68 

1745 

1752 

79 

1745 

1775 

84 

John  Wriglit        

1768 

1763 

55 

John  Leathe  3  

1759 

1775 

80 

Nathan  Richardson  

1761 

1776 

74 

Samuel  Wvman  

1764 

1787 

70 

Obadiah  Kendall 

1777 

1811 

86 

1777 

1812 

1820 

89 

1789 

1793 

5ft 

1789 

1795 

48 

1796 

1812 

1815 

78 

Josiah  Wright  

1805 

1825 

1830 

80 

Ebenezer  Lawrence  

1812 

1828 

1842 

84 

1812 

1836 

68 

Calvin  Richardson 

1825 

1849 

1866 

89 

1828 

1837 

1862 

76 

1828 

1837 

60 

Nathan  B.  Johnson    

1828 

1840 

Luther  Fames  

1828 

1836 

1857 

55 

1836 

1840 

1863 

64 

1836 

Marshal  Wvman 

1838 

1840 

1838 

1849 

Ezekiel  Johnson   

1841 

1866 

84 

1841 

1842 

1841 

Jonas  Hale       

1843 

1858 

77 

Abner  Rice    

1853 

1852 

1849 

1862 

78 

Willard  J    Pearsons 

1862 

...    .... 

John  R    Kimball    .   .    . 

1858 

Eckley  Stearns  

1863 

1867 

Nathan  H.  Richardson   

1863 

1867 

Gawin  R.  Gage  

1863 

Ephraim  Cutter 

1864 

i  Samuel  Walker  and  George  Reed,  jun.,  being  chosen  deacons,  1735,  of  the  Church  of  the 
Second  Precinct,  where  they  lived,  they  transferred  to  it  their  relation  to  the  First  Church. 

*  James  Thompson  became  deacon  of  the  Church  of  Wilmington,  where  he  lived,  after  the  In- 
corporation of  the  town,  1730. 

»  John  Leathe  was  deacon  of  the  Third  Church,  Woburn,  till  the  reunion  of  the  Fir«t  and 
Third,  in  1759. 

51 


APPENDIX,  NO.   XIII. 


COLLEGE  GRADUATES  WHO  WERE  NATIVES  OF  "WOBURN. 


Baldwin,  Loammi,  Esq. ;  H.  U.  1800. 

Bennett,  Rev.  Joseph  L. 

Burbeen,  Mr.  Joseph;  H.  U.  1731. 

Burbeen,  Paul;  H.  U.  1743. 

Carter,  Mr.  Samuel;  H.  U.  1660. 

Checkering,   Rev.  John  White,  D.  D. 

Coggin,  Mr.  Jacob ;  H.  U.  1763. 

Coggin,  Rev.  Jacob ;  H.  U.  1803. 

Convers,  Josiah ;  H.  U.  .1723. 

Convers,  Joshua  P.  Esq. ;  B.  U. 

Convers,  Sherman;  Y.  C.  1813. 

Cutter,  Ephraim ;  Y.  C.  1852.  M.  D. 
H.  U.  1856.  M.  M.  S.  S. 

Fox,  Hon.  Jabez ;  H.  U.  1727. 

Flagg,  Rev.  Ebenezer ;  H.  U.  1725. 

Flagg,  John;  H.  U.  1761. 

Fowle,  James,  Esq. ;  H.  U.  1731. 

Fowle,  John,  Master ;  H.  U.  1747. 

Hayward,  Jonathan ;  H.  U.  1756.  He 
was  son  of  Dr.  Jona.Hayward,  (or 
"Hey wood,")  who  died  in  Wo- 
burn,  Aug.  13,  1749,  aged  "  45," 
[Gravestone].  This  son  of  his 
died  in  Woburn  a  pauper,  May  19, 
1812,  set  73. 

Kendall,  Rev.  Samuel;  H.  U.  1731. 

Lawrence,  Rev.  Nathaniel ;  H.  U. 
1787. 

Lock,  Samuel;  H.  U.  1755.  He  was 
son  of  Samuel  and  Rebekah  (Rich- 
ardson) Lock  of  Woburn ;  born  Nov. 
23,  1731 ;  settled  in  the  Ministry  at 
Sherborn;  was  made  President  of 
H.  U.  1770,  resigned  1773,  and  died 
at  Sherborn,  1778, 


Plympton,  Sylvanus,  M.  D.  H.  U. 
1818. 

Plympton,  Augustus,  M.  D.  at  H.  U. 
1824. 

Plympton,  Henry  Sylvanus,  M.  D. ;  at 
H.  U.  I860. 

Reed,  William;  H.  U.  1811. 

Richardson,  Adam ;  H.  U.  1730. 

Richardson,  Isaac ;  H.  U.  1726. 

Richardson,  Jabez ;  H.  U.  1730. 

Richardson,  Gideon;  H.  U.  1749. 

Richardson,  Luther,  Esq. ;  H.  U.  1799. 

Richardson,  Wyman,  Esq.;  H.  U. 
1804. 

Richardson,  John ;  H.  U.  1813. 

Thompson,  Ebenezer;  H.  U.  1752. 

Thompson,  Jonathan ;  H.  TJ.  1803. 

Thompson,  Rev.  Leander ;  was  sent  as 
Missionary  to  Syria  by  A.  B.  F.  M., 
in  and  since  his  return  from 
there  has  been  settled  in  the  minis- 
try at  West  Amesbury,  Mass. 

Wade,  John ;  Amherst  College,  1830. 
LL.  B.  1834,  at  H.  U. 

Walker,  Rev.  James,  D.  D. ;  H.  U. 
1814.  President  of  the  University 
from  1853  to  1860. 

Winn,  Timothy;  H.  U.  1795. 

Winn,  Abel  Theodore ;  H.  U.  1859. 

Wyman,  John;  H.  U.  1721. 

Wyman,  Rev.  Ebenezer;    H.  U.  1731. 

Wyman,  Rufus ;  H.  U.  1799,  M.  D. 

Add  to  the  above  Col.  Loammi  Bald- 
win, who  rec'd  1785  from  H.  U.  the 
Honorary  degree  of  M.  A« 


GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES 

OF    THE 

Earliest  Inhabitants  of  Woburn  and  their  Families, 

COMPREHENDING : 

I.    SUBSCRIBERS  AT  CHARLESTOWN,  DECEMBER  1,  1640,  TO  THE 
TOWN  ORDERS  INTENDED  FOR  WOBURN. 

II.    MEN  TAXED  IN  THE  FIRST  FOUB  TAXES  IN  WOBURN  UPON 
RECORD, 

VIZ: 

1.  THE  KATE  FOR  THE  COUNTRY,  8  SEPTEMBER,  1645. 

2.  THE  TOWN  KATE,  22  DECEMBER,  1646. 

3.  THE  COUNTRY  KATE,  26  AUGUST,  1666. 

4.  THE  KATE  FOR  THE  "  NEW  MEETING  HOUSE,"  1672, 

AND  FINAIJLT, 

IEL    THE  MEN  WHO  WERE  DEEMED,  IN  1668,  TO  HAVE  EXCLUSIVE 
RIGHT  IN  THE  COMMON  LANDS  OP  WOBURN. 


GENEALOGICAL    NOTICES. 


BACON.  7.  Michael,  son  of  Michael  Bacon,  of  Dedham,  1640,  who  is 
said  to  have  come  from  Ireland,  bringing  with  him  wife  and  four  children ; 
viz :  Michael,  Daniel,  John  and  Sarah.  These  children  are  named  in  their 
father's  will,  14  Apr.  1648.  His  wife,  their  mother,  died  1647.  [Savage's 
Genealogical  Diet.] 

Michael,  eldest  son  of  Michael  of  Dedham,  was  of  Charlestown,  1640, 
where  he  subscribed,  18  Dec.  1640,  " Town  Orders"  for  the  then  projected 
town  of  Woburn.  He  became,  shortly  after,  one  of  its  original  inhabitants ; 
and  had  born  to  him  there  two  daughters,  viz :  Elizabeth,  born  4  Jan.  1642 : 
and  Sarah,  b.  24  Aug.  1644.  His  wife  Mary  dying  26  Aug.  1655,  he  md.  Mary 
Richardson,  26  Oct.  1655 ;  and  after  her  death  19  May,  1670,  he  took  to  him 
a  third  wife,  Mary  Noyes,  28  Nov.  1670.  He  died  4  July,  1688. 

BACON.  77.  Michael,  jun.,  only  son  of  the  preceding,  born  probably  at 
Charlestown,  before  his  father  settled  in  Woburn,  md.  Sarah  Richardson, 
22  March,  1660,a  by  whom  he  had  three  daughters,  Mary,  Sarah  and 
Abigail ;  and  also  a  son  Michael,  whom  he  recognizes  in  a  deed,  dated  4 
Oct.  1696,  as  his  "loving  son,  Michael  Bacon,  jun.,  of  Billerica,  shoe- 
maker." (a)  [Wob.  Records  of  Births,  Marriages,  etc.  (a)  MSS.  of  Mr. 
John  A.  Boutelle,  Wob.] 

BACON.  Daniel,  son  of  Michael  of  Dedham,  born  in  Ireland,  and  another 
of  the  original  settlers  of  Woburn.  He  md.  Mary  Reed  of  Bridgewater,  by 
whom  he  had  six  sons,  Thomas,  John,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Daniel  and  John;  and 
two  daughters,  Rachel,  andLydia.  About  1669,  he  removed  to  Cambridge 
Village,  now  Newton ;  and  died  7  Sept.  1691.  [Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.] 

BAKER.  John,  was  of  Charlestown,  1636.&  His  name  appears  in 
the  Country  Rate  assessed  in  Woburu,  26  Aug.  1666.  He  md.  Susanna 
Martin,  28  May,  1654.  By  her,  he  had  (1)  John,  born  25  March,  1654.  (2) 
Mary,  b.  22  Feb.  1655-6  (3)  Joseph,  b.  15  June,  1657,  and  died  soon  after. 
(4)  Joseph,  b.  1  Feb.  1659-60.  (5)  Susanna,  b.  15  March,  1662,  and  died 
soon.  (6)  Susanna,  b.  12  April,  1663;  md.  to  John  Cutler,  1682.  (7)  a  son 
b.  8  March,  1664,  and  died  within  a  week.  (8)  Samuel,  b.  21  April,  1665. 
(9)  Benjamin,  b.  24  May,  1667.  (10)  James,  b.  10  June,  1670.  (11)  Jona- 
than, b.  2  Apr.  1674.  (12)  William,  b.  18  Aug.  1679. 

John  Baker  died  6  Nov.  1695.  "  Old  Goody  Baker  died  Dec.  3,  1714." 
[Woburn  Rec.  Woburn  Records  of  Births,  Deaths,  etc.a  Frothing- 
ham's  Charlestown,  p.  85.] 

•  Memoranda  of  Saml.  Thompson,  Esq. 


GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES.  593 

BALDWIN.  1,  Henry,  said  to  be  from  Devonshire,  England ;  a  sub- 
scriber in  Charlestown  to  the  "Town  Orders"  for  Woburn,  in  1640,  and 
after  that,  a  distinguished  citizen  of  the  latter  town,  and  freeman  of  the 
Colony,  1652.  His  place  of  residence  was  at  "New  Bridge,"  or  North 
Woburn,  where  some  of  his  descendants  in  each  succeeding  generation 
have  had  their  abode,  and  been  large  proprietors  of  land.  He  was  of  the 
Board  of  Selectmen  for  Woburn,  1681 ;  and  a  deacon  of  the  Church  from 
1686  to  his  death.  He  md.  1  Nov.  1649,  Phebe,  eldest  daughter  of  Ezekiel 
Richardson,  born  probably  on  che  other  side  of  the  Atlantic.  By  her,  he 
had  eleven  children  :  (1)  Susanna,  born  30  Aug.  1650,  and  died  soon.  (2) 
Susanna,  b.  25  July,  1652.  (3)  Phebe,  b.  7  Sept.  1654,  md.  to  Samuel 
Richardson,  7  Nov.  1676,  and  died  20  Oct.  1679.  (4)  John,  b.  28  Oct.  1656. 
(5)  Daniel,  15  March,  1659;  md.  to  Hannah,  probably  daughter  of  Joseph 
Richardson,  6  Jan.  1684-5.  (6)  Timothy,  b.  27  May,  1661.  (7)  Mary,  b. 
19  July,  1663,  and  died  soon.  (8)  Henry,  b.  15  Nov.  1664.  (9)  Abigail, 
b.  20  Aug.  1667;  md.  to  John  Reed,  1705?  (10)  Ruth,  b.  31  July,  1670. 
(11)  Benjamin,  b.  20  Jan.  1672-3.  [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.,  Savage's 
Geneal.  Diet.] 

Dea.  Henry  Baldwin  died  14  Feb.  1697-8.  Widow  Phebe  Baldwin  died 
13  Sept.  1716.  [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.] 

BALDWIN.  //.  Henry  Baldwin,  jun.,  md.  Abigail  Fisk,  4  May,  1692; 
and  had  8  children.  (1)  Henry,  b.  12  Jan.  1692-3.  (2)  David,  b.  9  Apl. 
1696.  (3)  Isaac,  b.  20  Feb.  1699-1700.  (4)  Abigail,  b.  13  Feb.  1701-2; 
died  4  Sept.  1704.  (5)  James,  b.  11  July,  1705;  died  12  June,  1709.  (6) 
Abigail,  b.  19  Nov.  1707.  (7)  James,  b.  19  Oct.  1710.  (8)  Samuel,  b.  31 
Aug.  1717. 

//.  Henry  Baldwin  died  7  July,  1739.     [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.] 

Isaac,  son  of//  Henry  Baldwin,  md.  Mary  Flegg,  (Flagg)  both  of  Woburn, 
24  March,  1726.  Their  children  were :  (1)  Luke,  b.  23  Dec.  1728.  (2) 
Jeduthan,  b.  13  Jan.  1731-2.  (3)  Nahum,  b.  3  May,  1734.  (4)  Isaac,  b. 
12  Dec.  1738. 

BALDWIN.  James,  son  of  //  Henry  Baldwin,  md.  Ruth  Richardson, 
29  May,  1739,  and  had  4  children.  (1)  Cyrus,  b.  5  Nov.  1740.  (2)  Reuel, 
b.  9  May,  1742 ;  died  21  Feb.  1745-6.  (3)  Loammi,  [Col.  Baldwin :  S  -e 
Chapt.  XII.,]  b.  10  Jan.  1744-5.  (4)  Reuel,  b.  30  June,  1747. 

James  Baldwin  died  28  June,  1791,  ®t.  81.  His  wife,  Ruth,  died  13  May, 
1791,  aged  78  years.* 

BLOGGET.  Samuel,  son  of  Thomas,  who  came  in  the  "Increase"  from 
London,  1635,  at  the  age  of  30  years,  with  his  wife  Susanna,  aged  37  years, 
and  two  sons,  Daniel  and  Samuel.  He  (Thomas  Bloggett)  was  a  glover  by 
occupation ;  settled  at  Cambridge,  where  he  had  a  daughter  Susanna  born 
to  him  in  June  1637 ;  and  a  son  Thomas,  who  died  7  Aug.  1639.  In  his 
will,  made  10  Aug.  1641,  and  proved  8  July  following,  he  provides  for  his 
wife  and  three  children,  viz :  Daniel,  Samuel  and  Susanna.  After  his  de- 
cease, his  widow  Susanna  was  md.  to  James  Thompson,  sen.,  of  Woburn, 
15  Feb.  1643-4 ;  and  his  daughter  Susanna  md.  Jonathan  Thompson,  son  of 
James  Thompson,  sen.,  and  Elizabeth,  his  first  wife,  28  Nov.  1655. 
51* 


594  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

BLOGGET.  7.  Samuel  Blogget  was  born  in  England ;  brought  by  his 
parents  to  this  country  when  li  year  old;  came  to  Woburn early  to  reside; 
md.  Ruth  Iggleden  ["  Eggledeu  "  County  Records]  of  Boston,  13  Dec.  1655 ; 
had  (1)  Ruth,  born  28  Dec.  1656.  (2)  Samuel,  b.  10  Dec.  1658.  (3)  Thomas, 

b.  26  Feb.  1661 ;  md.  Rebecca  Tidd,  11  Nov.  1685.  (4)  Susanna,  b md. 

to  James  Simonds,  29  Dec.  1685.  (5)  Sarah,  b.  17  Feb.  1668.  (6,  7) 
Martha  and  Mary,  twins,  b.  15  Sept.  1673.  Martha  md.  to  Joseph  Winn, 
1696. 

/.  Samuel  Blogget  died  3  July,  1687 :  Ms  widow  Ruth  died  14  Oct.  1703. 

BLOGGET.  //.  Samuel  Blogget,  son  of  /  Samuel,  married  Huldah, 
daughter  of  William  Simonds,  30  Apr.  1683 ;  and  had  (1)  Samuel,  born  21 
Dec.  1683;  (2)  Daniel,  b.  24  March,  1685.  (3)  William,  b.  11  Jan.  1686-7. 
(4)  Huldah,  b.  9  Feb.  1688-9;  md.  to  Ebenezer  Reed.  (5)  Caleb,  b.  11  Nov. 
1691.  (6)  Joshua,  b.  26  Feb.  1693-4.  (7)  Josiah,  b.  27  March,  1696.  (8) 
John,  b.  19  Apr.  1699.  (9)  Benjamin,  b.  4  March,  1701.  (10)  Nathan,  b.  15 
March,  1704.  The  following  records  of  his  and  of  his  wife's  death  are  from 
the  manuscripts  of  the  Simonds  family :  "  Ensign  Samuel  Blogget  de- 
ceased November  fifth  1743."  "  Widow  Huldah  Blogget  deceased  March 
the  fourteenth  1745-6."  N.  B.  //.  Samuel  Blogget  represented  Woburn 
in  the  General  Court,  1693.  [See  Woburn  Town  Records.  Records  of 
Births,  etc.  Savage's  Geneal.  Dictionary.] 

"  BRITTEN,"  ["  BRITTON,"  OR  "  BRITTAINE."]  James,  came  not 
improbably  in  the  "Increase"  from  London,  1635,  aged  27,  "  if  the  custom 
record  of  the  embarkation  of  James  Bitton  lost  a  single  letter,  which  is 
not  improbable."  He  subscribed  the  Town  Orders  for  Woburn,  in  1640,  at 
Charlestown ;  came  to  Woburn  to  dwell  soon  after ;  was  taxed  there,  1645, 
in  the  first  tax  upon  Record ;  and  died  3  May,  1655.  His  widow,  Jane, 
md.  Isaac  Cole,  1  Feb.  1658-9. 

[Savage  Geneal.  Diet. :  Town  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.] 

BROOKS.  Henry,  of  Woburn,  may  have  been  the  same  as  Henry 
Brooks  of  Concord,  made  freeman  14  March,  1639  ».  He  is  noticed  in  the 
Town  Records  as  an  inhabitant  of  Woburn,  and  a  proprietor  of  land  there, 
near  Horn  Pond,  10  Jan.  1652  t>.  He  was  one  of  the  Selectmen,  1669.  His 
wife,  Susanna,  dying  15  Sept.  1681,  he  married  Annis  Jaquith,  [a  sister  of 
Abraham  Jaquith?]  12  July,  1682;  and  died  12  April,  1683.  In  his  Will, 
dated  18  July,  1682,  he  names  wife  Annis,  and  children  John,  Timothy,  who 
was  of  Billerica,  Isaac,  and  Sarah,  wife  of  John  Mousall,  who  were  then 
livings. 

BROOKS.  John  Brooks  married  Eunice,  dr.  of  Dea.  John  Mousall, 
1  Nov.  1649.  Their  children  were :  (1)  John,  b.  23  Nov.  1650,  died  in 
1653.  (2)  Sarah,  b.  21  Nov.  1652;  md.  to  Ephraim  Buck.  (3)  Eunice,  b. 
10  Oct.  1655.  (4)  Joanna,  b.  22  March,  1659;  md.  to  David  Roberts, 
1678.  (5)  John,  b.  1  March,  1664.  (6)  Ebenezer,  b.  9  Dec.  1666.  (7) 
Deborah,  b.  20  March,  1669.  (8)  Jabez,  b.  17  July,  1673.  Eunice  Brooks 
dying  1  Jan.  1684,  John  Brooks  md.  Mary  Richardson,  [widow  of 

»  Savage's  Gkneal.  Dictionary.  b  T.  B.,  vol.  I.,  p.  17. 


GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES.  595 

Theophilus?]  25  Feb.  1683-4.  By  Inventory  of  Will,  he  died  29  Sept. 
1691.  His  widow  died  28  Aug.  1704.  * 

Timothy  Brooks  md.  Mary,  dr.  of  John  Russell,  sen.,  2  Dec.  1659. 
Their  children  were:  (1)  Timothy,  born  10  Nov.  1660,  and  died 
soon.  (2)  Timothy,  b.  9  Oct.  1661.  (3)  John,  b.  16  Oct.  1662.  e 
(4)  Mary,  born  ....  and  died  2  July,  1670,  at  Billerica,  *>  to  which  town, 
subsequently  to  her  birth,  her  parents  had  removed.  Other  daughters 

they  had  born  to  them  at  Billerica,  one  of  whom  married Mason  of 

Swansea. 

Mary,  wife  of  Timothy  Brooks,  died  at  Billerica,  15  Sept.  1680. 

BROOKS.  Isaac  Brooks  married  Miriam  Daniels,  10  Jan.  1665-6.  Their 
children  were  :  (1),  Sarah,  born  14  May,  1667;  died  soon.  (2)  Miriam,  b. 
29  May,  1668 ;  died  young.  (3)  Isaac,  b.  13  Aug.  1669.  (4)  Henry,  b.  4 
Oct.  1671.  (5)  Miriam,  b.  16  Dec.  1673.  Isaac  Brooks  died  8  Sept.  1686. 
Descendants  from  the  above  three  sons  oi  Henry  Brooks  have  been  nu- 
merous. [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births  etc.,  etc.]  • 

BRUSH  or  BRUCE.  George  Brush  (whose  descendants  have  long  since 
spelt  their  name  Bruce)  is  said  to  have  been  a  Scotchman.  He  married 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  William  Clark,  28  Dec.  1659 ;  and  had  by  her :  (1) 
William,  b.  21  Nov.  1660,  and  died  Jan.  following.  (2)  William,,  b.  20 
Oct.  1661,  and  died  3  Nov.  1661.  (3)  Elizabeth,  b.  26  Jan.  1663.  (4) 
Mary,  b.  15  June',  1665 ;  married  to  Walter  Cranston,  4  June,  1683.  (5) 
William,  b.  28  April,  1667.  (6)  John,  b.  18  June,  1670.  (7)  Elizabeth,  b. 
24  Aug.  1672.  (8)  George,  b.  18  Jan.  1674,  and  died  the  same  day.  (9) 
Joseph,  b.  11  Jan.  1674-5,  and  died  28  Feb.  1675-6.  (10)  Joseph,  b.  29 
Dec.  1676.  (11)  Samuel,  b.  28  March,  1680.  (12)  Margery,  b.  24  April, 
1684;  md.  to  Isaac  Walker,  1705.  (13)  Lydia,  b.  10  April,  1687.  George 
Brush  died  18  Aug.  1692.  "  Elizabeth  Bruce,  widow  of  George  Bruce," 
died  13  Aug.  1700.  [Savage's  Genl.  Diet.  Town  Recs.  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.] 

" BERBEANE "  or  BURBEEN.  John  came,  it  is  said,  from  Scotland; 
was  a  tailor  by  occupation;  and  married  Sarah  Gould,  16  April,  1660. 
Their  children  were :  (1)  Mary,  born  2  July,  1661 ;  died  20  July,  1733  ?  (2) 
John,  b.  9  Aug.  1663.  c  (3)  James,  born  15  May,  1668.  "Old  John 
Burbeen  died  8  Jan.  1713-14,  aged  about  86  years  [Gravestone].  Sarah, 
his  wife,  died  14  May,  1670."  [Wob.  Records  of  Births,  etc :  Gravestone.] 

BURBEEN.  /.  James,  son  of  John  Burbeen,  married  Mary .  Their 

children  were  :  (1,  2)  Mary  and  Sarah,  twins,  born  6  March,  1694 :  Sarah 
died  17  March,  1694.  (3)  James,  b.  21  Aug.  1696.  (4)  John,  b.  12  March, 
1699 ;  died  25  Aug.,  1700.  (5)  Sarah,  b.  17  June,  1701 ;  married  Rev.  Tim- 
othy Walker,  of  Concord,  N.  H.d  (6)  Ruth,  b.  28  March,  1708;  md.  to  Mr. 
Jonathan  Hey  wood,  1735.  (7)  Joseph,  b.  3  March,  1712. 

Mary,  wife  of  James  Burbeen,  died  14  Oct.  1724 :  "  Mr.  James  Ber- 
beane  "  died  4  September,  1729. 

•  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.  b  Rec.  of  Births  at  Billerica. 

c  John  Burbeen  slain  by  the  Indians  near  Dunstable,  with  B.  Carter,  and  D.  Baldwin,  6 
Sept.  1724.    Fox's  Hist.,  p.  108. 
d  Bunion's  Hist.  Concord. 


596  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

BITRBEEN.  II.  James,  son  of  James  and  Mary  Burbeen,  md.  Mary 
Richardson,  5  Sept.  1721.  Their  children  were :  (1)  James,  son  of  Mary 
(Richardson)  Burbeen,  born  11  July,  1722.  (2)  Paul,  b.  6  Apl.  1724.  (3) 
John,  b.  9  Feb.  1725-6.  (4)  Mary,  b.  6  July,  1729.  (5)  Sarah,  b.  7  March, 
1733. 

BURBEEN.  Mr.  Joseph,  son  of  /James  and  Mary  Burbeen,  was  grad- 
uated at  Harvard  College,  1731 ;  occasionally  preached,  but  was  never  set- 
tled in  the  Ministry;  by  his  wife  Esther  had  :  (1)  Esther,  born  29  May, 
1738 ;  md.  to  Jesse  Wyman,  1760.  (2)  Bridget,  b.  17  July,  1742.  (3)  Su- 
sanna, b.  11  Apr.  1746;  md.  to  Hon.  Timothy  Walker,  Judge,  Concord,  N. 
H.a  Mrs.  Esther  Burbeen  died  about  30  March,  1776.  b  Mr.  Joseph 
Burbeen  died  1794.  c 

BURBEEN.  Paul,  son  of  II  James  and  Mary  Burbeen,  was  graduated 
atH.  C.  1743:  died  1795.  c  [Wob.  Records  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.] 

BUCK.  Ephraim,  son  of  Roger  Buck  of  Cambridge,  who  came  to  this 
country  in  the  "Increase,"  1635,  aged  18  years,  settled  at  Cambridge,  and  had 
born  there,  by  his  wife  Susanna,  the  above  Ephraim,  with  five  other  chil- 
dren. His  wife  Susanna  dying  Sept.  10,  1685,  he  removed  to  Woburu,  and 
there  died  Nov.  10,  1693. 

BUCK.  His  son,  Ephraim  Buck,  was  born  at  Cambridge,  July  26,  1646 ; 
removed  to  Woburn,  and  was  taxed  there  in  the  Meeting  House  Rate,  1672  : 
married  at  Woburn,  Sarah,  daughter  of  John  Brooks,  Jan.  1,  1670-1,  and 
had  by  her:  (1)  Sarah,  b.  Jan.  11,  1673.  (2)  Ephraim,  b.  July  13,  1676.  (3) 
John,  b.  1678-9,  and  died  within  a  month  after.  (4)  John  again,  b.  Feb.  7, 
1679-80.  (5)  Samuel,  b.  Nov.  13,  1682.  (6)  Eunice,  b.  July  7,  1685.  (7) 
Ebenezer,  b.  May  20,  16?9.  (8)  Mary,  b.  Oct.  28,  1691.  Ephraim  Buck 

died  Jan 1720-21.  His  descendants  now  living  reside  principally  in 

Wilmington.  [Woburn  Records  of  Births,  Marriages,  etc.  Savage's 
Geneal.  Diet.] 

BUTTER  (OR  BUTTERS).  I.  William  was  an  inhabitant  of  Woburn, 
1666,  where  he  was  taxed  in  the  Country  Rate,  26  Aug.  of  that  year.  He 
appears  to  have  died  13  Nov.,  1692.  "  Widow  Butter  died  at  Watertown, 

1701."  //.  William  Butter  or  Butters,  his  son,  by  his  wife 

Rebekah,  had  (1)  William,  born  18  Sept.  1689 ;  died  soon.  (2)  William, 

b.  24  May,  1691;  died  1711.  (3)  Rebekah,  b.  10  Oct.  1693;  died . 

(4)  Lydia,  b.  11  June,  1695 ;  md.  to  Ebenezer  Carter,  1719.  (5)  Rebekah, 
b.  30  Aug.  1698 ;  md.  to  William  Hamblett,  1720.  (6)  Samuel,  b.  21  June, 
1703.  (7)  Mary,  b.  28  July,  1705 ;  md.  to  Samuel  Johnson,  Feb.  1725. 
(8)  John,  b.  22  Oct.  1708.  (9)  ....  daughter  of  William  and  Rebekah 
Butter,  died  1711.  (10)  William,  b.  8  April,  1713. 

Samuel,  son  of  II.  William  Butter,  married  Sarah  Jaquith,  25  Jan.  1726. 
Their  children  were :  (1)  Sarah,  b.  4  Nov.  1726.  (2)  Samuel,  born  3 
Nov.  1728. 

The  families  of  this  name  resided  principally  in  those  quarters  of 
Woburn  now  known  as  Wilmington  and  Burlington.  They  were  formerly 

»  Bouton's  Hist.  Concord.  c  Coll.  Catalogue, 

b  Memoranda  of  Samuel  Thompson,  Esq. 


GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES.  597 

considerably  numerous ;  and  many  descendants  still  remain  in  both  towns. 

BUTTERFIELD.  Benjamin,  a  subscriber  at  Charlestown  to  the  Town 
Orders  for  Woburn,  1640;  an  inhabitant  of  Woburn  shortly  after;  was 
taxed  there  in  1645 ;  and  by  his  wife,  Ann,  had  several  children  born  there ; 
as  (1)  Nathaniel,  b.  14  Feb.  1642-3.  (2)  Samuel,  b.  17  May,  1647.  (3) 
Joseph,  b.  15  Aug.  1649.  In  1654,  he  removed  to  Chelmsford,  where  his 
wife,  Ann,  died  19  May,  1660;  and  he  md.  a  second  time,  3  June,  1663, 
Hannah,  wid.  of  Thomas  Whittemore  of  Maiden.  [Wob.  Rec.,  Savage's 
Geneal.  Diet.] 

CARTER.    Rev.  Thomas.     See  Chap.  IV. 

CARTER.  Mr.  Samuel,  eldest  son  of  Rev.  Thomas  [see  Chap.  IV.]  mar- 
ried Eunice,  daughter  of  John  Brooks,  1672 ;  by  whom  he  had :  (1)  Mary,, 
born  24  July,  1673.  (2)  Samuel,  b.  27  Aug.  1675 ;  died  10  Sept.  1676.  (3) 
Samuel,  b.  7  Jan.  1677-8.  (4)  John,  b.  14  March,  1680.  (5)  Thomas,  b.  3 
Apr.  1682.  (6)  Nathaniel,  b.  7  Apr.  1685.  (7)  Eunice,  b.  29  March  1687. 
(8)  Abigail,  b.  May  1689.  (9)  Abigail,  again,  b.  30  May,  1690.  He  died 
1693.  His  widow  married  John  Kendall,  for  his  3d  wife,  subsequently  to 
1701.  [Woburn  Records  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.] 

CARTER.  Timothy,  third  son  of  Rev.  Thomas  Carter,  [See  Chap.  IV.] 
married,  3  May,  1680,  Anna  Fiske,  daughter  of  David  Fiske,  of  Cambridge 
Farms,  i.  e.  Lexington;  and  by  her  had:  (1)  David,  b.  17  Oct.  1681,  died  22 
May,  1736.  (2)  Timothy,  born  12  July,  1683,  and  died  the  same  year.  (3) 
Anna,  b.  17  July,  1684.  (4)  Timothy,  b.  17  Oct.  1686.  (5)  Theophilus,  b. 
20  Oct.  1688.  (6)  Thomas,  b.  14  Aug.  1690.  (7)  Abigail,  b.  18  March,  1692. 
(8)  Sarah,  b.  24  Nov.  1694.  (9)  Elizabeth,  b.  27  Aug.  1696 ;  died  26  June, 
1709.  (10)  Benjamin,  b.  22  March,  1699 ;  died  soon.  (11)  Mary,  b.  23  June, 
1700;  md.  to  Jasher  Wyman  1721.  (12)  Martha,  b.  22  July,  1702;  md.  to 
John  Bruce  1721  ?  (13)  Benjamin  again,  b.  8  Nov.  1704. 

Anna,  wife  of  Timothy  Carter,  died  27  Jan.  1715-16.  He  died  8  July, 
1727.  [Town  Records  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.] 

CARTER.  Thomas,  youngest  son  of  Rev.  Thomas  Carter,  married  1682,  , 
Margaret  or  Margery  Whitmore,  daughter  of  Francis  Whitmore,  of  Cam- 
bridge. Their  children  were:  (1)  Mary,  born  5  Oct.  1683;  md.  to  Joshua 
Sawyer,  jun.,  of  Charlestown,  22  May,  1706.  (2)  Thomas,  b.  13  June,  1686. 
(3)  Eleazar,  b.  20  Apr.  1689.  (4)  Daniel,  b.  10  Aug.  1691.  (5)  Ebenezer, 
b.  24  Sept.  1695.  (6)  Ezra,  b.  22  June,  1701. 

"  Margery,  wife  of  Thomas  Carter,  died  5  Oct.  1734." 

Descendants  of  Rev.  Thomas  Carter,  bearing  his  name,  were  formerly 
very  numerous,  particularly  in  Wilmington,  and  in  "Carter  Row,"  so  called, 
Burlington.  And  though,  in  the  towns  just  mentioned,  their  number  is 
now  considerably  diminished,  they  have  not  yet  become  extinct.  By  the 
following  account  of  the  family  of  the  minister's  grandson,  Ebenezer,  son 
of  Thomas,  and  of  the  family  of  his  great-great-grandson,  William,  son  of 
Ebenezer,  many,  probably,  in  Wilmington  and  Burlington  will  be  reminded 
of  individuals  of  his  posterity  of  whom  they  have  heard,  and  of  some 
whom  they  have  seen  and  known. 

Ebenezer  Carter  and  Lydia  "  Butter,"  both  of  Woburn,  married  15  Apr. 


598  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

1719.  Children  were :  (1)  Ebenezer,  born  25  May,  1720.  (2,  3)  Lydia  & 
Abigail,  twins,  b.  4  Jan.  1721-2.  (4)  Ezra,  b.  2  May,  1723.  (5)  William, 
b.  28  Apr.  1725.  (6)  Nathan,  b.  2  Jan.  1727-8. 

William  Carter  of  Woburn  entered  his  intentions  of  marriage  with 
Abigail  "Butter"  of  Wilmington,  18  Jan.  1754.  Children  were:  (1) 
William,  b.  11  Sept.  1754.  (2)  Benjamin,  born  2  May,  1756.  (3)  Jonas, 
b.  17  April,  1758.  (4)  David,  b.  20  May,  1761.  (5)  Jonathan,  b.  2  Nov. 
1763.  (6)  Joshua,  b.  22  Sept.  1765.  [Wob.  Records  of  Births,  etc.] 

CARTER.  /.  John  Carter,  usually  distinguished  in  Woburn  Town 
Book,  as  "  Captain  John,"  or  "the  Captain,"  was  an  early  inhabitant  of 
Woburn,  having  been  a  subscriber  to  the  "Town  Orders  "in  1640.  By 
his  wife,  Elizabeth,  he  had  children  as  follows  :  (1)  Elizabeth,  b.  8  Aug. 
1643,  and  died  20  Dec.  1653,  or  as  the  County  Records  have,  23  Feb.  1654. 
(2)  Mary,  born  8  March,  1646.  (3)  Abigail,  b.  21  Apr.  1648.  (4)  Han- 
nah, b.  19  Jan.  1650-51;  md.  to  James  Convers,  jun.  (5)  John,  b.  6  Feb. 
1652-3.  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Capt.  John  Carter,  died  7  May,  1691,  [aged  78 
years,  Gravestone.]  Capt.  John  Carter  and  Elizabeth  Groce  were  md. 
....  1691.  He  died  14  Sept.  1692." 

CARTER.  //.  John  Carter  and  Ruth  Burnham  md.  20  June,  1678. 
Their  children  were :  (1)  Elizabeth,  born  18  Sept.  1680 ;  md.  to  Ebe- 
nezer Flagg,  1700.  (2)  Ruth,  b.  18  Oct.  1681 ;  md.  to  Josiah  Wright, 
1700.  (3)  Mary,  b.  17  July,  1683.  (4)  John,  b.  8  Aug.  1685;  died  21 
May,  1705.  (5)  Thomas,  b.  3  July,  1687.  (6)  Abigail,  b.  30  March,  1689; 
md.  to  Ralph  Kendall,  1707?  (7)  Phebe,  b.  11  June,  1691.  (8)  Joseph,  b. 
16  Feb.  1692-3.  (9)  Samuel,  b.  31  Oct.  1694.  (10)  Esther,  b.  21  Aug. 
1696.  (11)  Josiah,  b.  3  Aug.  1698.  (12)  Jabez,  b.  17  Sept.,  1700.  (13, 14) 
Nathaniel  and  Benjamin,  twins,  b.  4  March,  1702.  Benjamin,  slain  by  the 
Indians  near  Dunstable,  N.  H.,  5  Sept.  1724.  (a) 

Ruth,  wife  of  Lieut.  John  Carter,  died  11  Jan.  1723-4,  (aged  55  years  : 
Gravestone.) 

Lieut.  John  Carter  died  13  April,  1727,  [aged  75  years :  Gravestone.] 
Descendants  in  the  male  line  of  Capt.  John  Carter,  once  a  numerous 
race,  living  in  Woburn  and  Burlington,  seem  now  to  be  almost  extinct  in 
both  these  towns.  One  of  the  7th  generation,  William,  a  grandson  of  the 
late  Mr.  Jonathan  Carter,  yet  lives  in  Burlington ;  and  there  may  be  one  or 
more  living  in  Woburn ;  but  if  any  remain  there,  it  is  apprehended  they 
must  be  very  few.  [Wob.  Records  of  Births,  etc.  (a)  Fox's  Dunstable, 
p.  108.] 

CARTER.  Joseph  Carter,  sen.,  was  of  Newbury,  1636;  removed  to 
Woburn,  as  Mr.  Savage  conjectures,  (a)  before  1659 ;  was  taxed  there  in 
the  Country  Rate,  26  Aug.  1666;  lived  with  his  son  Joseph,  jun.,  in  Wy- 
man's  Lane  (so  called),  Woburn,  on  the  old  Billerica  Road;  and  died  in 
Charlestown,  30  Dec.  1676.  (b) 
Joseph  Carter,  jun.,  of  Woburn,  son  of  the  preceding,  currier,  married 

Bethiah and  had  (1)  Bethiah,  b.  8  June,  1671;  md.  to  Roland  Jones, 

1695.     (2)  Susanna,  b.  24  Feb.  1672-3.     (3)  Joseph,  b.  28  Nov.  1674.     (4) 
John,  b.  26  Feb.  1676-7.     (5)  Abigail,  b.  1  Feb.  1678-9.     (6)  Henry,  b.  4 


GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES.  599 

Oct.  1683.  (7)  Faith,  b.  28  Apr.  1688.  (c)  Joseph  Carter,  jtra.,  of  Wo- 
burn,  currier,  was  deceased  29  May,  1706,  leaving  Bethiah,  his  widow,  (c) 
[(a)  Geneal.  Diet,  (b)  Charlestown  Records,  (c)  Wyman  Papers,  No.  66, 
Wob.  Records.] 

CHALKLEY.  Robert  Chalkley  was  of  Woburn,  1645,  where  he  was 
taxed  in  the  Country  Rate,  8  Sept.  of  that  year ;  but  as  his  name  is  not  on 
the  List  for  the  town  rate  assessed  22  Dec.  1646,  he  had  doubtless  before 
that  time  returned  to  Charlestown.  He  was  made  freeman  1647,  and  died 
in  Charlestown,  2  Sept.  1672.  By  his  Will,  made  27  Aug.  preceding,  he  gave 
all  his  estate  to  his  wife  Elizabeth,  who  died  at  Charlestown,  13  Oct.  1678. 

[Woburn  Rec.    Colony  Rec.     Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.] 

CHAMBERLAIN.  Thomas  Chamberlain,  freeman,  29  May,  1644 ;  taxed 
in  Woburn,  in  the  Country  Rate,  8  Sept.  1645.  By  wife,  Mary,  he  had 
borne  to  him :  (1)  Thomas,  born  elsewhere,  possibly  in  England.  (2)  Sam- 
uel, born  in  Woburn,  7  Oct.  1645.  (3)  Mary,  b.  30  Jan.  1649.  He  then 
removed  to  Chelmsford.  [Col.  Rec.,  Woburn  Rec.,  Savage's  Geneal. 
Diet.] 

CLARK.  William,  a  weaver  by  occupation,  was  of  Watertown,  1631 ; 
made  freeman,  1639 ;  removed  to  Woburn  not  far  from  1654,  reference 
being  made  there  by  the  Selectmen,  27  May,  1654,  to  a  grant  of  land  made 
to  him  by  the  town.  He  was  taxed  in  Woburn  in  the  Country  Rate  26 
Aug.  1666.  By  his  wife,  Margery,  who  accompanied  him  from  England,  he 
had  borne  to  him  in  Watertown : 

(1)  Mary,  born  Dec.  10,  1640 ;  md.  27  Dec.  1655  to  William  Locke,  of 
Woburn. 

(2)  Elizabeth,  b.  26  Nov.  1642 ;  md.  1659  to  George  Brush  [Bruce]  of 
Woburn. 

(3)  Hannah,  b.  13  Feb.  1646;  md.  1667  to  William  Frissell,  of  Concord, 
who  died  1684. 

(4)  Lydia,  married  and  left  a  widow  with  two  daughters. 

William  Clark  died  15  March,  1682,  aged  87 ;  and  his  widow  died  11  Oct. 
1694,  aged  95. 

[Bond's  Watertown,  p.  159,  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.,  Mass.  Colony  Rec., 
Woburn  Town  Rec.  Vol.  I.] 

CLEAVELAND.  I.  Moses  Cleaveland  (or  Cleveland,  as  the  name  is 
now  more  usually  spelled,  in  conformity,  it  is  understood,  to  the  mode  of 
spelling  it  in  England,)  came  to  this  country  (says  family  tradition)  with 
his  master,  a  joiner,  from  Ipswich,  in  the  county  of  Suffolk.  He  early  took 
up  his  permanent  abode  in  Woburn,  as  appears  by  the  Town  Records,  which, 
under  date  of  3  Feb.  1648-9,  mention  a  committee  appointed  to  lay  out  the 
portion  of  land  which  had  been  promised  him.  He  married  Ann,  daughter 
of  Edward  Winn  (born  in  England)  26  Sept.  1648 ;  and  had  by  her  the  fol- 
lowing children,  viz :  (1)  Moses,  born  1  Sept.  1651.  (2)  Hannah,  b.  4  Aug. 
1653;  married  to  Thomas  Henshaw  (pronounced  at  that  day  Hincher) 
1677.  (3)  Aaron,  b.  10  Jan.  1654-5.  (4)  Samuel,  b.  9  June,  1657.  (5) 
Miriam,  b.  10  July,  1659 ;  md.  a  Fosdick,  or  rather  Foskett,*  of  Charles- 

»  Savage,  in  Geneal.  Diet. 


600  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

town.  (6)  Joanna,  b.  19  Sept.  1661,  died  2  July,  1667.  (7)  Edward,  b.  20 
May,  1663.  (8)  Josiah,  b.  26  Feb.  1666-7.  (9)  Isaac,  b.  11  May,  1669.  (10) 
Joanna,  b.  5  Apr.  1670;  md.  a  Keyes,  of  Chelrasford.  (11)  Enoch,  b.  1 
Aug.  1671.  Moses  Cleaveland,  sen.,  died  9  Jan.  1701-2.  No  record  of  his 
wife's  death  has  been  observed. 

//.  Moses  Cleaveland  married  Ruth  Norton,  4  Oct.  1676 ,  and  had  by 
her:  (1)  "Annah"  [Anna,  or  Hannah?]  b.  7  Nov.  1677.  (2)  Joseph,  b. 
31  March,  1686. 

/.  Aaron  Cleaveland  md.  Dorcas  Wilson,  26  Sept.  1675.  Their  children 
were:  (1)  Dorcas,  b.  29  Oct.  1676;  md.  John  Knight,  12  March,  1699."  (2) 
Hannah,  b.  18  Dec.  1678,  died  13  June,  1679.  (3)  Aaron,  b.  9  July,  1680. 
(4)  Hannah,  b.  2  June,  1687;  md.  a  Beard.*  (5)  Moses,  b.  24  Feb. 
1689-90.  (6)  Sarah,  b.  5  March,  1692;  md.  to  Job  Richardson,  1718?  (7) 
Miriam,  b.  9  July,  1694.  (8)  Isabel,  b.  6  April,  1697;  died  7  Dec.  1714. 
(9)  Benjamin,  b.  16  May,  1701.°  (10)  Ann,  daughter  of  Aaron  and 
Dorcas,  b b 

Dorcas,  wife  of  Aaron  Cleaveland,  died  29  Nov.  1714.  Soon  after  her 

death,  he  md.  a  second  wife,  Prudence, b;  and  died  14  Sept.  1716, 

aged,  according  to  Gravestone,  62  years. 

CLEAVELAND.  77.  Aaron,  son  of  Aaron  and  Dorcas  Cleaveland,  a 

carpenter  by  trade,  md.  Abigail, and  resided  in  Woburn  till  after 

the  birth  of  his  second  child.  He  then  removed ;  and  took  up  his  resi- 
dence, first,  apparently,  in  Medford,  then  in  Cambridge,  after  that,  in 
Medford  again;  and  subsequently  in  Charlestown.  He  was  admitted  7 
Oct.  1711,  into  the  Church  at  Cambridge;  and  his  mother,  Dorcas,  dying 
in  his  house  there,  in  1714,  and  .his  eldest  son  in  1716,  they  were  both 
buried  in  Cambridge  Graveyard.  [See  epitaphs  on  mother  and  son  in  Har- 
ris's Collection.]  In  1720,  his  Church  relationship  was  transferred  from 
Cambridge  to  Medford  church.  But,  even  after  that,  he  had  one  child  at 
least,  baptized  in  the  church  at  Cambridge.  He  continued  to  reside  in 
Medford  or  Charlestown,  till  1738,  when  he  removed  with  his  family  to 
East  Haddam,  Ct.,  where  he  bore  the  title  of"  Captain"  and  traded  largely 
in  laud.  Whether  he  remained  there  or  not  till  his  decease  has  not  been 
ascertained. 

His  children  by  his  wife  Abigail  having  been  born  in  different  places, 
their  births  are  not  all  recorded  in  one  place.  These  were  (1)  Aaron, 
born  at  Woburu,  20  Oct.  1702,  died  at  Cambridge,  and  was  buried  there  in 
1716.  (2),  Samuel,  b.  at  Woburn,  17  May,  1704.  In  Vol.  XLIII.  p.  517, 
Registry  of  Deeds  [for  Suffolk?],  under  date  of  23  May,  1743,  is  a  deed 
from  "  Samuel  Cleaveland,"  of  Boston,  mariner,  in  which  he  calls  Aaron 
Cleaveland  his  father.  (3)  Abigail,  "daughter  of  Aaron  &  Abigail 
Cleavelaud,"  born  at  Medford,  10  May,  1706.  [Medford  Town  Records.] 
(4)  John,  "son  of  Aaron  &  Abigail  Cleaveland,"  was  baptized  7  Oct. 
1711,  in  the  First  church  of  Cambridge,  the  same  day  his  father  was  taken 

»  Cambridge  Records.  *  Rev.  O.  A.  Taylor,  from  papers  In  Probate  Office. 

•  Kemoved  from  Woburn,  1722.    Compare  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  V.    P.  138,  143, 155. 


GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES.  601 

into  that  church.  (5)  Josiah,  son  of  Aaron  Cleaveland  &  Abigail  his 
wife,  was  baptized  in  infancy,  at  Cambridge,  1  Nov.  1713.  [Cambridge 
Ch.  Records.]  He  md.  1  Jan.  1735  [1735-G?],  Joanna  Porter,  daughter  of 
Rev.  Aaron  Porter,  of  Medford ;  owned  the  Halfway  Covenant  in  1736 ; 
and  had  a  son  born  to  him  12  Dec.  1736,  whom  he  called  Aaron.  This 
Josiah  Cleaveland  removed  to  Haddam,  Ct.,  about  the  same  time  his  father 
did.  In  a  paper  in  the  Registry  of  Deeds,  dated  28  Nov.  1738,  he  styles 
himself  "  Josiah  Cleaveland,  now  of  Millenton,  in  East  Haddam,  in  the 
Colony  of  Connecticut  and  County  of  Hartford,  late  of  Charlestown,  in 
the  County  of  Middlesex,  Mass.,  Housewright,"  etc.,  etc.  As  late  as  10 
Feb.  1748-9,  he  had  removed  to  Boston.  (6)  Aaron,  born  at  Cambridge, 
29  Oct.  1715,  [Cambridge  Town  Records.]  Of  him,  see  more  below.  (7) 
John,  son  of  Aaron  and  Abigail  Cleaveland,  was  baptized  in  infancy,  18 
July,  1717.  (8)  "  Moses,  son  of  Aaron  and  Abigail  Cleaveland,  was  bap- 
tized, being  an  infant,  19  July,  1719."  (9)  "  7  Jan.  1724,  was  baptized 
in  infancy of  Aaron  &  Abigail  Cleaveland  his  wife."  [Cam- 
bridge Ch.  Records.]  The  child  then  baptized,  whose  name  was  not 
recorded,  may  have  been  his  daughter  Mary,  who  married  Elisha  Clark,  of 
Haddam,  17  Sept.  1741;  and  had  four  children  by  him,  viz:  (1)  "  Wate- 
rius,"  [Waters,  or  Waterhouse?],  b.  30  June,  1742.  (2)  Elisha,  b.  23  Apr. 
1744.  (3)  William,  b.  19  Aug.  1746.  (4)  Mary,  b.  4  Apr.  1749. 

Samuel,  3d  son,  4th  child  of  Moses  and  Ann  Cleaveland,  first  settlers  of 
the  name  in  Woburn,  married,  17  May,  1680,  Jane,  daughter  of  Solomon 
Keyes  of  Chelmsford,  and  this,  his  first  wife  dying  4  Nov.  1681,  he  md.  for 
his  2d  wife,  23  May,  1682,  Persis,  dr.  of  Richard  Hildreth  of  the  same  town. 
He  resided  there  several  years,  and  had  several  children  born  to  him.a 
About  1693,  he  seems  to  have  gone  back  to  Woburn,  where,  26  June,  1693, 
his  dr.  Elizabeth  was  born  ;b  and  very  soon  after,  he  removed  with  his 
family  to  Canterbury,  Connecticut,  and  there  had  other  children.  He  died 
probably  1736.« 

Josiah,  brother  of  the  above  Samuel  Cleaveland,  served  in  the  Indian 
War:  was  of  Chelmsford,  1691;  and  there,  by  his  wife,  Mary,  he  had  sev- 
eral children  born  to  him,  as  also  afterwards  at  Canterbury,  Ct.,  to  which 
he  removed.*  According  to  Mr.  Savage,  he  died  26  April,  1709.* 

In  1699,  Samuel  and  Josiah  Cleaveland,  sons  of  Moses  and  Ann,  were 
inhabitants  of  Plainfleld,  Ct.,  on  the  West  Side  of  Quinabaug  River,  now 
Canterbury.  Between  1699  and  1703,  they  were  joined  by  their  brother 
Isaac;  [and  doubtless,  too,  by  their  brother  Edward.]  In  1716,  there 
were  only  63  taxable  inhabitants  in  all  Canterbury,  and  of  these  63  nine 
were  Cleavelands ;  viz :  (1)  Samuel,  whose  property  was  estimated  at 
£84:  00.  (2)  Samuel,  jun.,  [son  of  Samuel?]  at  £48:  06.  (3)  Joseph 
[son  of  Samuel?]  at  £40  :  00.  (4)  Edward,  sen.,  [brother  of  Samuel  and 
Josiah  ?]  at  £35  :  00.  (5)  Edward,  jun.,  [son  of  Edward,  sen.,  ?]  at  £24  :  00. 
(6)  Widow  Cleaveland  [supposed  to  be  Isaac's  widow]  at  £100 :  00.  (7) 

•  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.  *  Woburn  Records  of  Birthu,  etc. 

52 


602  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

Josiah,  [son  of  Josiah,  then  deceased?]  at  £44:  00.  (8)  Joseph,  jun.,? 
[who?]  at  £36:10.  (9)  Moses  [son  of  Samuel,  born,  according  to  Mr. 
Savage,  in  1C95]  estimated  at  £22 :  00.  These  nine  made  one-seventh  of 
all  the  inhabitants  of  the  town,  and  owned  one-eighth  of  all  the  taxable 
property.* 

Enoch,  youngest  son  of  Moses  and  Ann  Cleaveland,  was  a  tailor  by 
trade ;  lived  successively  at  Sudbury,  Framingham,  and  Concord,  at  which 
last-mentioned  town  he  died,  1729,  leaving  a  widow  and  three  children. 
His  widow,  Elizabeth,  died  before  5  April,  1731 ;  and  his  eldest  son,  Jona- 
than, of  Acton,  a  tailor  by  occupation,  administered  on  his  father's  estate. 
[Letter  of  Rev.  Oliver  A.  Taylor,  Manchester,  Mass.] 

Many  have  been  the  descendants  of  "  Moyses  Cleaveland,"  who  came 
to  New  England,  the  humble  apprentice  of  a  joiner,  in  1635,  aud  estab- 
lished himself  in  Woburn  about  1648,  that  have  done  worthily  in  their 
day ;  have  been  distinguished  not  ouly  by  their  position  in  society,  but  by 
their  weight  of  character  and  influence,  and  by  the  usefulness  of  their  lives. 
And  although  a  place  cannot  be  claimed  for  them  here,  as  inhabitants  of 
Woburn ;  yet  it  will  be  gratifying,  it  is  presumed,  to  the  present  people 
of  the  town,  to  see  some  notice  taken  of  them  in  this  work,  as  descend- 
ants of  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  the  place.  f 

1.  Rev.  Aaron  Cleveland,  great  grandson  of  Moses  and  Ann,  and  son  of 
Aaron  and  Abigail  Cleveland,  successively  inhabitants  of  Woburn,  Med- 
ford,  Cambridge,  Medford  again,  and  Charlestown,  and  finally  of  East 
Haddam,  Ct.  was  born  29  October,  1715.  As  this  record  of  his  birth  is 
from  Cambridge  Town  Records,  and  as  the  record  of  his  baptism  the  next 
day,  30  Oct.  1715,  is  from  the  Records  of  the  Church  of  Cambridge,  it 
may  be  confidently  presumed  that  Cambridge  was  the  place  of  his  birth ; 
though  it  has  been  said  by  some  that  he  was  born  in  Medford.  He  entered 
Harvard  College  at  sixteen  years  of  age ;  was  graduated,  1735 ;  was  set- 
tled over  the  church  and  people  of  Haddam,  Ct.,  in  July  1739;  married,  4. 
Aug.  1739,  Susannah,  daughter  of  Rev.  Aaron  Porter,  of  Medford,  born 
1  March,  1716,  and  sister  of  Joanna  Porter,  born  22  March,  1719,  whom 
his  brother,  Josiah  Cleveland,  had  married,  1  Jan.  1735  [1735-6?].  Rev. 
Mr.  Cleveland  was  dismissed  from  Haddam,  1746;  installed  over  the  South 
Church  in  Maiden,  about  June  1747,  and  dismissed  about  Oct.  1750.  We 
next  hear  of  him  at  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia,  whence  he  sailed  for  England ; 
received  Orders  in  the  Church  of  England  at  London,  1755,  and  was  com- 
missioned, 1  July,  1757,  by  the  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  in  For- 
eign Parts,  to  take  charge  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  Newcastle,  Dela- 
ware, in  compliance  with  the  request  of  that  people.  On  his  way  to  Bos- 
ton, to  make  arrangements  for  conveying  his  family  to  Newcastle,  he 
stopped  at  the  house  of  Dr.  Franklin,  in  Philadelphia ;  was  there  taken 
sick,  and  died  11  Aug.  1757.  His  remains  were  interred  in  Christ's  Church, 
Philadelphia.  His  widow  died  at  Salem,  1788.  The  Pennsylvania  Gazette 
of  18  August,  1757  contained  an  obituary  notice,  in  which  was  a  warm 
eulogium  upon  him,  written  by  the  editor,  Dr.  Franklin. 

»  Letter  of  Silvester  Judd,  Esq.,  Northampton. 


GENEALOGICAL   NOTICES.  603 

2.  Rev.  Aaron  Cleveland  of  Norwich,  son  of  the  preceding,  was  born 
at  Haddam,  Ct.  3  Feb.  1744.     His  father  dying  when  he  was  only  thirteen 
years  of  age,  the  plan  for  giving  him  an  education  at  college  was  defeated ; 
and  he  was  put  by  his  friends  in  Connecticut  to  learn  the  hatter's  trade, 
and  followed  that  business  many  years.    In  1779,  he  was  a  member  of  the 
Legislature  of  Connecticut;  was  ordained  soon  after  to  the  Congrega- 
tional ministry ;  and  continued  to  perform  his  clerical  functions  in  various 
places  till  his  death.     He  was  for  some  time  resident  in  Norwich,  Weath- 
ersfleld,  and  West  Hartford ;  but  never  had  a  settlement  in  any  congrega- 
tion.   He  performed  missionary  services  in  Hartford  County  and  vicinity, 
and  preached  frequently  as  a  supply  in  almost  all  its  towns ;  and  long 
afterwards  was  spoken  of  with  profound  respect  by  those  who  had  heard 
him.     And  his  wit,  too,  and  agreeableness  in  company,  became  proverbial. 
He  published  in   1775,   a  "  Poem  against  Slavery ; "  and  two  sermons 
against  War,  preached  just  after  the  news  of  the  battle  of  Waterloo,  1815. 
In  the  "Poets  of  Connecticut,"  were  published  in  1844,  two  poems  of  his 
"  which  show  what  he  might  have  been  with  better  advantages."    He  died 
of  dysentery  in  New  Haven,  21  Sept.  1815,  at  the  house  of  a  relative, 
Mrs.  Porter;  and  lies  buried  in  New  Haven.     [Allen's  Biography;  Letters 
of  Professor  C.   D.   Cleveland,    1846;    and  of  Rev.  A.   Cleveland  Coxe, 
1847.] 

N.  B.  The  mother  of  Rev.  Mr.  Coxe,  just  referred  to,  was  Abiah  Hyde, 
daughter  of  Rev.  A.  Cleveland,  of  Norwich,  by  his  second  wif«,  a  Clement, 
of  Norwich.*  The  father  of  Professor  C.  D.  Cleveland  is  the  venerable 
Rev.  Charles  Cleveland  of  Boston,  son  of  Rev.  Mr.  Cleveland  of  Norwich, 
who,  people  of  Woburn  will  remember,  was  present  there  on  a  late  memo- 
rable occasion,  22d  February,  1867 ;  and  who,  though  upwards  of  95  years 
of  age,  still  paces  the  streets  of  Boston  in  his  pious  and  benevolent  labors. 

3.  Rev.  John  Cleveland  of  Chebacco.    He  was  a  great-grandson  of 
'  Moses  and  Ann  of  Woburn,  a  grandson  of  Samuel  and  Persis  Cleveland  of 

Chelmsford  and  Canterbury,  Ct.,  and  a  son  of  Josiah  Cleveland  of  Canter- 
bury, and  of  Abigail  (Paine)  Cleveland,  his  wife.  He  was  born  at  Canter- 
bury, 22  April,  1722 ;  was  graduated  at  Yale  College,  1745 ;  and  settled  over 
Chebacco  Parish  in  Ipswich,  now  the  town  of  Essex,  1747.  He  married 
for  his  first  wife  Mary  Dodge  (Choate?)  daughter  of  Parker  Dodge,  by 
whom  he  had  4  sons  and  3  daughters.  And  she  dying  in  1768,  he  next  md. 
widow  Mary  Neal  Forster,  of  Manchester,  with  whom  his  connection,  as 
also  that  with  his  first  wife,  was  eminently  happy. 

In  the  French  war,  1758,  he  went  as  Chaplain,  and  at  the  commencement 
of  the  Revolutionary  struggle  he  served  as  a  Chaplain  at  Cambridge ;  and 
with  him  at  that  time  were  two  of  his  brothers  and  all  four  of  his  sons. 
In  1763,  he  was  rejoiced  to  witness  a  powerful  revival  among  his  people. 
In  his  preaching,  he  was  not  confined  to  written  sermons.  It  was  said  ol 
him  by  Rev.  Dr.  Emmons  that  "he  was  a  pattern  of  piety,  and  an  orna- 
ment to  the  Christian  and  clerical  profession."  His  faithful  labors  were 

'Letter  of  Rev.  A.  Cleveland  Core,  1847. 


604  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

crowned  with  great  success ;  at  one  period  in  about  six  months,  one  hun- 
dred persons  were  added  to  his  church.  He  died  in  peace  and  hope,  22 
April,  1799,  on  his  seventy-seventh  birth-day. 

4.  Rev.  Ebenezer  Cleveland,   brother  of  the  preceding,  was  born  in 
Canterbury,  1725;  received  a  degree  at  Yale  College,  1748;  married  Abi- 
gail Stevens  of  Canterbury,  1746 ;  commenced  preaching  at  Sandy  Bay, 
Gloucester  (now  Rockport),  in  1751  or  1752,  and  was  ordained  their  first 
minister,  1755.     During  much  of  his  time  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  he 
was  absent  from  his  people,  as  a  chaplain  in  the  army.    In  1780,  he  left 
the  army,  and  removed  to  Coos,  N.  H.,  on  some  land  he  had  received,  and 
also  as  superintendent  of  the  Dartmouth  College  lands.    While  he  resided 
here,  his  daughter  Mary  was  married  to  Professor  John  Smith,  of  Dart- 
mouth College ;  and  he  spent  seven  or  eight  years,  preaching  as  he  could, 
part  of  the  time  in  a  barn.     Subsequently,  he  was  for  a  year  or  two 
employed  as  an  evangelist  in  Maine.     Returning  from  Maine,  he  was  set- 
tled in  the  ministry  at  Amesbury,  where  he  remained  four  or  five  years. 
He  then  went  back  to  Rockport,  and  there  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days. 
Rev.  Dr.  Allen  observes  of  him,  "  His  lot  was  cast  in  hard  places,  and  in 
hard  times ;  and  he  had  a  large  family  and  domestic  causes  of  uneasiness, 
so  that  his  life  was  that  of  a  worthy  man  struggling  with  adversity."     He 
died  4  July,  1805,  in  the  79th  year  of  his  age,  in  the  hope  of  immortal 
glory.     His  wife  deceased  25th  Dec.  1804,  set.  77.    A  monument  has  been 
erected  to  their  memory  in  Rockport,  upon  which  appropriate  epitaphs 
have  been  inscribed  to  them  both.     [Allen's  Biog.  Diet.,  Letter  from  Rev. 
O.  A.  Taylor,  23d  April,  1846.] 

5.  Rev.  John  Cleveland,  eldest  son  of  Rev.  John  Cleveland,  of  Chebacco, 
was  born  in  1750,  and  was  fitted  for  College,  but  prevented  by  ill  health 
from  entering.    At  the  commencement  of  the  Revolution,  he  enlisted  in 
the  army,  obtained  a  lieutenant's  commission,  and  continued  in  the  ser- 
vice during  the  war.     Having  had  from  his  youth  a  strong  inclination  for 
the  Christian  ministry,  his  wishes  in  this  respect  were  at  length  gratified. 
He  was  called  to  the  pastoral  office  in  Stoneham,  1785 ;  and  being  dis- 
missed from  there  in  1794,  he  was  re-rettled  in  1798,  over  the  North  Parish 
in  Wrentham,  where,  after  a  faithful  and  exemplary  discharge  of  ministe- 
rial duty,  he  died,  1818,  aged  68.     [Allen's  Biography.] 

6.  Parker  Cleveland,  M.  D.,  son  of  Rev.  John  Cleveland,  of  Chebacco, 
born  1751,  settled  as  a  physician  in  Byfield  at  the  age  of  19 ;  and  during  the 
first  year  of  the  war  of  the  Revolution  was  the  surgeon  of  a  regiment..    He 
was  skilful  as  a  physician ;  often  represented  Rowley  (to  which  Byfleld 
belonged)  in  the  Legislature ;  and  was  eminently  pious,  devout,  and  benev- 
olent, as  a  Christian.     He  married,  for  his  first  wife,  E.  Jackman,  in  1772, 
by  whom  he  had  Parker  Cleveland,  a  graduate  1799,  and  subsequently  a 
tutor  of  Harvard  College,  and  an  eminent  professor  of  natural  philosophy, 
chemistry,  etc.,  etc.,  for  many  years  in  Bowdoin  College.    For  his  second 
wife,  he  md.  Abigail  Cleveland  of  Canterbury,  Ct.,  by  whom  he  had  Rev. 
John  P.  Cleveland,  D.  D.,  successively  of  Salem,  Cincinnati,  Providence, 
Northampton,  Mass.,  and  Lowell. 


GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES.  605 

Dr.  Parker  Cleveland  died  in  Feb.  1826,  aged  74.  [Letter  of  Rev.  O.  A. 
Taylor.  Allen's  Biog.  Diet.] 

7.  Nehemiah  Cleveland,  youngest  son  of  Rev.  John  Cleveland,  of  Che- 
bacco,  was  born  17GO.  He  accompanied  his  father,  at  the  age  of  16,  dur- 
ing the  siege  of  Boston,  and  enlisted  in  the  army  for  about  a  year.  Hav- 
ing studied  medicine  with  his  brother,  and  with  Dr.  Manning,  of  Ipswich, 
he  entered  on  the  practice  in  Topsfleld,  1783.  He  was  also  much  employed 
in  his  day  in  various  honorable  public  offices.  For  his  first  wife,  he  md. 
Lucy,  daughter  of  Dr.  Manning,  of  Ipswich,  who  died  1791,  leaving  no 
children.  By  his  second  wife,  Experience  Lord,  daughter  of  Dr.  Elisha 
Lord,  of  Poinfret,  Ct.,  he  had  nine  children ;  (1)  Nehemiah,  who  died  soon. 
(2)  Experience,  who  died  young,  (3)  Nehemiah,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  late 
preceptor  of  Dummer  Academy,  Byfleld,  born  1796.  (4)  William,  b.  1798, 
now  [1846]  in  Topsfleld.  (5)  Lucy,  born  1800,  died  1838.  (6)  Mary,  born 
1802,  wife  of  Rev.  Oliver  Alden  Taylor,  of  Manchester,  Mass.  (7,  8)  twins, 
born  1804.  of  whom  one  died;  the  other,  John,  the  present  John  Cleveland, 
Esq.,  of  New  York  city.  (9)  Rev.  Elisha  Lord  Cleveland,  of  New  Haven, 
born  in  1806. 

Dr.  Nehemiah  Cleveland  died  26  Feb.  1837,  aged  76,  sustained  by  the 
consolations  of  the  religion  which  he  had  professed  and  adorned.  His 
widow,  Experience,  died  at  the  house  of  her  son-in-law,  in  Manchester, 
Rev.  Mr.  Taylor,  (who  has  himself  since  deceased)  21  Jan.  1845,  in  the 
81st  year  of  her  age.  [Allen's  Biog.  Diet.  Letter  of  Rev.  Mr.  Taylor,  23 
Apl.  1846.] 

COLE.  Isaac,  son  of  Isaac,  of  Charlestown,  who  came  to  this  country 
1635,  with  wife  Joanna  and  two  children,  in  the  Hercules,  from  Sandwich, 
County  of  Kent,  England.*  This  son  of  his  was  born  in  1637,  at  Charles- 
town,  came  to  Woburn  to  reside,  and  had  granted  him  by  the  town,  25 
April,  1662,  a  lot  of  land  in  the  centre,  50  poles,  bounded  by  the  high  way 
[High  Street]  on  the  east,  and  by  the  high  way  to  the  burying  place  on 
the  north.b  He  married  Jane,  widow  of  James  Britten,  or  Britton,  1  Feb. 
1659,  but  had  no  children.  He  was  one  of  those  eight  members  of 
Woburn  church  who  were  presented  by  the  grand  jury  in  Oct.  1671,  for 
refusing  to  commune  with  the  church  on  the  ground  of  certain  alleged 
scruples  of  conscience,  and  whose  case  was  commended  by  the  court  to 
the  consideration  of  a  council  of  neighboring  churches,  to  assemble  March, 
1672,  before  the  court  should  come  to  a  final  decision.  [See  Chapt.  V.] 
What  the  result  of  the  council  was,  and  what  the  decision  of  the  court,  is 
not  known. 

Isaac  Cole  died  10  June,  1674 :  his  widow,  Jane,  died  10  March,  1687.° 

CONVERS.    Edward,  Deacon.     See  Chapt.  II. 

CONVERS.    James,  Ensign.     See  Chapt.  V. 

CONVERS.  Josiah,  Deacon,  eldest  son  of  Dea.  Edward  Convers ;  born 
in  England;  came  with  his  father  to  New  England  in  1630;  abode  awhile  at 
Charlestown,  and  came  with  his  father  to  Woburn  to  dwell,  about  1641.  He 

•  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.  b  Town  Rec.  Vol.  I.,  p.  51.  «  Rec.  of  Deaths. 

52* 


606  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

married,  26  March  1651,  Esther  Champney,  daughter  of  Richard  Champney, 
of  Cambridge,  a  ruling  elder  of  the  church  there,  in  1658.*  By  his  wife 
Esther,  Dea.  Convers  had  a  son  Josiah,  born  15  March,  1660,  who  married, 
8  Oct.  1685,  Ruth  Marshall,  and  had  children  by  her.  In  after  times,  this 
son  of  his  was  much  employed  in  town  business,  was  familiarly  known  by 
the  title  of  "  Captain  Josiah,"  and  died  15  July,  1717,  aged  58.b 

Deacon  Josiah  Convers  was  a  deacon  of  the  Church  of  Woburn  in  1674, 
and  died  3  Feb.  1689-90,  aged  72  years.b  .[Woburn  Records  of  Births, 
Marriages  and  Deaths;  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.  »  Cambridge  Ch.  Records, 
b  Gravestone.] 

CONVERS.  Samuel,  Son  of  Dea.  Edward  Convers,  born  in  Charles- 
town;  baptized  in  the  church  there  12  March,  1637-8,"  settled  at  Woburn; 
made  freeman  1666 ;  married  Judith,  daughter  of  Rev.  Thomas  Carter,  8 
June,  (14  Oct.?)  1660;  by  whom  he  had  a  son  Samuel,  born  4  Apl.  1662. 
[Wob.  Rec.,  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.,*  Charlestown,  Ch.  Records.] 

CONVERS.  Allen  Convers,  called  by  Dea.  Edward  in  his  Will  a  "  kins- 
man," and  made  an  overseer  thereof.  He  is  supposed  on  his  arrival  in 
this  country  to  have  gone  first  to  Salem ;  and  is  said  by  Felt  to  have  had 
land  granted  him  there  in  1639.  He  was  in  Woburn  as  early  as  1642 ;  was 
taxed  there  in  the  Country  Rate  of  1645 ;  and  was  made  freeman  in  1644. 
He  was  appointed  Commissioner  of  the  Rate  in  Woburn,  1666 ;  and  taught 
school  there  in  1676.  By  his  wife,  Sarah,  he  had  borne  to  him  11  Oct. 
1642,  a  son  Zechariah ;  and  after  him  several  other  children.  He  died 

19  Apl.  1679.      His  wife  died  only  three  days  after  him,  (it  is  supposed)  of 
the  small-pox,  which  was  then  spread  in  the  town,  and  among  its  victims 
there  is   numbered    "Goodwife  Conuars."a      [Savage;    Town   Records. 
» Town  Rec.,  Vol.  II.,  inverted,  p.  163.] 

CONVERS.  James,  jun.,  Major.  See  Chapt.  V.  and  Woburn  Records 
of  Marriages  and  Deaths . 

Two  of  his  sons,  Robert  and  Josiah,  were  men  of  distinction  and  influ- 
ence in  their  day.  Robert,  born  29  Dec.  1677,  married  Mary  Sawyer,  19 
Dec.  1698,  and  bv  her  had  twelve  children;  but  his  male  posterity  in 
Woburn,  it  is  believed,  are  now  extinct.  "Capt.  Robert  Conuarse"  died 

20  July,  1736. 

Josiah,  his  son,  born  12  Sept.  1684,  md.  Hannah,  daughter  of  Joshua 
Sawyer  of  Woburn,  30  Dec.  1706 ;  and  by  her,  and  by  Dorothy,  a  second 
wife,  he  had  8  children. 

Josiah,  son  of  Josiah  and  Hannah  Convers,  born  2  March,  1710,  md. 
Sarah  Evans,  of  Reading,  about  1732,  had  4  children,  and  died  17  June, 
1748. 

Josiah,  son  of  Josiah  and  Sarah  Convers,  born  27  Jan.  1733,  [1733-4?] 
md.  Hephzibah  Brooks,  28  March,  1758,  and  had  issue  as  follows :  (1) 
Josiah,  born  14  March,  1759.  (2)  John,  b.  3  March,  1761.  (3)  Jesse, 
born  9  Feb.  1765.  (4)  Joshua,  born  20  Jan.  1767.  (5)  Luther,  born  26 
Jan.  1777,  died  11  March,  1861. 

Of  the  sons  of  Josiah  and  Hephzibah  Convers,  two  were  instances  of 
very  remarkable  longevity.  Jesse  died  in  1864,  when  he  lacked  but  a  few 


GENEALOGICAL   NOTICES.  607 

months  of  being  100  years  old.  Joshua  completed  his  century  of  exist- 
ence 20th  Jan.  1867 ;  and  there  were  highly  interesting  services  performed 
in  his  presence  (and  in  which  he  himself  took  part)  in  celebration  of  the 
event,  22d  Feb.  1867,  in  Lyceum  Hall,  Woburn. 

"  CRAGGIN,"  or  CRAGIN.  John,  was  taxed  in  the  Country  Rate,  made 
26  Aug.  1666 ;  and  is  numbered  3  April,  1668,  with  those  who  had  right  in 
the  common  lands  of  Woburn  ».  He  married  Sarah  Dawes,  4  Nov.  1661 ; 
and  by  her  had  8  children ;  two  of  whom,  twins,  Rachel  and  Leah,  were 
born  14  March,  1680,  and  both  died  4  days  after.  He  died  27  Oct.  1708; 
his  widow,  Sarah,  died  23  Dec.  1725. 

"  CRAGGIN,  or  CRAGIN.  John  Craggio,  jun.,  his  son,  entered  his 
intentions  of  marriage  with  Deborah  Skelton,  13  April,  1700:  and  to  them 
were  born  twins,  John  and  Anna,  25  March,  1701 ;  and,  secondly,  Benjamin, 
born  27  Nov.  1702.  John  Craggin,  jun.,  died  26  Jan.  1703-4.  [Woburn 
Records  of  Births,  &c.  «  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  43,  44.] 

CUTLER.  John  was  probably  one  of  three  brothers,  Robert,  James 
and  John,  who  are  supposed  to  have  emigrated  from  Hingham,  Norfolk 
County,  England ;  and  to  be  the  ancestors,  one  or  other  of  them,  of  all, 
or  most  of  their  name  in  New  England.  James,  dwelt  first  at  Watertown, 
then  at  "Cambridge  North  Farms,"  now  Lexington;  Robert,  was  of 
Charlestown,  a  deacon  of  the  church  there,  and  ancestor  of  that  distin- 
guished scholar  and  divine,  Rev.  Dr.  Timothy  Cutler,  President  of  Yale 
College,  1719;  and  afterwards,  becoming  an  Episcopalian,  Rector  of 
Christ's  Church,  Boston,  where  he  died,  17  Aug.  1765,  set.  82. 

John  Cutler  was  in  Woburn  1646,  being  taxed  there  for  the  first  time  in 
December  of  that  year.  He  married  in  Woburn,  3  Sept.  1650,  Olive 
Thompson,  born  probably  in  England,  a  daughter  of  James  Thompson, 
one  of  the  original  settlers  of  Woburn,  and  a  member  of  the  first  Board 
of  Selectmen,  chosen  in  1644.  His  first  wife  dying,  he  married  a  second, 
the  widow  of  Mr.  John  Lewis,  of  Lynn,  who  also  had  deceased  in  1666. 
In  the  mean  while,  becoming  providentially  deranged,  he  was,  by  order  of 
the  County  Court,  3  April,  1666,  put  under  the  guardianship  of  the  Select- 
men for  the  disposal  of  him  and  his  property  for  his  own  benefit  and  that 
of  his  children.  In  a  suit  at  law,  in  1678,  against  his  trustees,  judgment 
•was  obtained  in  favor  of  the  town,  in  satisfaction  of  the  expense  the  town 
had  been  at  for  his  maintenance  the  twelve  years  previous.  But  the 
Selectmen  agreed  to  give  up  by  deed  to  his  son  John,  a  large  portion  of 
the  lands  which  had  once  belonged  to  his  father,  for  a  very  moderate  con- 
sideration ;  he  promising  not  to  sell,  except  to  his  sisters  to  live  on,  or  to 
the  town ;  in  which  latter  case,  he  was  to  receive  back  from  the  town  as 
much  as  he  had  paid  for  them.  [Wob.  Records.] 

/.  John  Cutler  died  of  the  small-pox  in  1678-9.  The  dates  of  the  death 
of  his  two  wives  are  not  known.  His  children,  who  were  probably  all  by 
his  first  wife,  were :  (1)  Mary,  born  7  Aug.  1651 ;  died  3  May,  1655.  (2) 
Susanna,  b.  22  March,  1653-4.  (3)  John.  (4)  Mary  (or  "Marah,")  b.  5 
May,  1663 ;  married  to  Matthew  Smith  of  Woburn  as  his  second  wife, 
20  June,. 1684.  [Woburn  Town  Rec. ;  Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.] 


608  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

II.  John  Cutler,  only  son  of  John  &  Olive  (Thompson)  Cutler,  was 

born  about  1G56 ;  married  for  his  first  wife  Anna ,  who  died  24  July, 

1681,  having  borne  him  a  daughter,  Susanna,  who  seems  likewise  to  have 
died  young.  For  his  second  wife,  he  married  Susanna,  daughter  of  John 
and  Susanna  (Martin)  Baker,  in  1682,  by  whom  he  had :  (1)  John,  born  15 
Jan.  1682-3,  and  died  the  2d  day  from  his  birth.  (2)  John,  born  7  Dec. 
1684,  and  died  the  same  day.  (3)  John,  born  4  Jan.  1685-6 ;  married, 
first,  Lydia  Burnap,  who  died  27  Apr.  1743 ;  secondly,  Rachel  Poodney  of 
Wilmington,  24  Nov.  1743.  He  lived,  much  respected,  within  the  limits  of 
Woburn  Precinct ;  died  10  Jan.  1767,  aged  81,  and  lies  buried  (as  does 
also  his  widow  Rachel,  who  died  22  Aug.  1784,  in  her  84th  year)  in  the 
Precinct,  or  Burlington  burying  ground.  By  neither  of  his  two  wives, 
does  this  III.  Mr.  John  Cutler  appear  to  have  had  children.  (4)  Susanna, 
born  8  Nov.  1687.  Susanna,  the  second  wife  of  //.  John  Cutler,  being 
dead,  he  married,  14  Oct.  1692,  for  his  third  wife,  Elizabeth  Reed,  daughter 
of  the  first  Deacon  George  Reed  of  Woburn,  and  Elizabeth  (Jennings, 
or  Jennison)  Reed,  his  wife,  born  29  July,  1653 ;  by  whom  he  had  children 
as  follows  :  (1)  Hannah,  or  Anna,  born  5  July,  1694,  and  died,  a  single 
woman,  apparently,  6  Feb.  1737-8.  (2)  Rebekah,  born  8  Aug.  1697.  (3) 
Nathaniel,  born  23  May,  1700.  (4)  Sarah,  born  22  Apr.  1702. 

II.  John  Cutler  died  25  Nov.  1709:  Elizabeth,  his  widow,  died  9  Jan. 
1709-10.  [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.] 

CUTLER.  ///.  Nathaniel,  only  son  of  II.  John  Cutler  and  Elizabeth 
his  wife,  married  Abigail  Bruce  of  Woburn,  21  March,  1723.  Their 
children  were :  (1)  Nathaniel,  born  26  May,  1724.  (2)  John,  b.  21  July, 
1726.  (3)  Sarah,  b.  26  May,  1729.  (4)  Abigail,  b.  6  Sept.  1731.  (5)  Eliza- 
beth, b.  30  Nov.  1735.  (6)  William,  born  7  Feb.  1737-8;  married  Mary 
Trask,  17  Apl.  1760.  (7)  Mary,  born  26  Feb.  1739-40;  married  to 
Shubael  Johnson,  1760.  (8)  Silas,  born  30  May,  1743;  married  Ruth  John- 
son, 31  Oct.  1765;  removed  to  Templeton,  Mass.,  and  there  died.  (9) 
Ruth,  born  9  Jan.  1745,  (1745-6?)  "Lieut.  Nathaniel  Cutler,"  in  his  49th 
year;  died  25  Aug.  1748.  Gravestone  in  Precinct  Bur.  Ground. 

Of  the  posterity  of  John  Cutler,  the  first  settler  of  the  name  in  Woburn 
about  1646,  four  entire  generations  have  passed  away  from  this  stage  of 
existence;  one  or  two  individuals  of  the  fifth  generation  still  linger 
behind,  and  from  the  numerous  ranks  of  the  sixth  and  seventh  generations, 
a  considerable  number  upon  reckoning  are  found  missing ;  but  a  goodly 
remnant  is  left,  resident  in  Burlington,  Chicopee,  and  various  other 
places  in  New  England,  and  in  the  West. 

DAVIS.  Nicholas  came  in  "the  Planter"  early  in  1635,  aged  40,  with 
his  wife  Sarah,  48,  and  his  "  cossen"  (cousin),  meaning,  probably  his 
nephew,  William  Locke,  aged  6,  and  others,  his  servants.*  His  wife  Sarah 
dying  24  May,  1643,  he  married,  12  July  following,  Elizabeth,  widow  of 
Joseph  Isaacs,  of  Cambridge.  He  was  active  in  promoting  the  settlement 
of  Woburn,  the  Town  Orders  for  which  he  subscribed  at  Charlestown  in 

•  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet. 


GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES.  609 

Dec.  1640;  was  taxed  there  in  the  first  "Country  Kate,"  levied  8  Sept. 
1645 ;  and  also  in  the  first  Town  Rate,  assessed  22  Dec.  1646.  But  his 
name  is  not  found  in  any  subsequent  tax  list  in  Woburn.  He  probably 
removed  to  York,  and  was  there  in  1652.  "His  will  of  27  April,  1667, 
proved  12  March,  1670,"  refers  not  to  any  son,  but  presents  the  names  of 
many  remote  relations. 

DEAN  or  "DAINE."  William,  "married  at  Billerica,  1  Sept.  1670, 
Martha  Bateman,  of  Concord,"  by  whom  he  had  :  (1)  Martha,  born  17  Aug. 
1671.  (2)  William,  born  5  July,  1673.  (3)  Samuel,  born  26  July,  1675.  (4) 
John,  b.  25  June,  1677.  (5)  Sarah,  b.  1687,  died  6  March,  1688.  His  name 
appears  for  the  first  time  on  any  recorded  Tax  List  for  Woburn,  in  the 
new  Meeting  Rate,  1672.  [Town  Rec.  Vol.  I,  pp.  38,  39.]  His  death  is  not 
on  record.  Martha  Dean  [wife  or  daughter?]  died  1711. 

[Woburn  Rec.  of  Births ;  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.] 

In  a  list  of  soldiers  stationed  [about  1695  ?]  at  Fort  Mary,  Saco  Falls, 
where  John  Hill  was  Captain,  are  recorded  "William  Dean,  Woburn,"  and 
"  Samuel  Dean,  Woburn."  These  were  doubtless  the  sons  by  those  names 
of  William  and  Martha  Dean,  above  mentioned.  There  is  evidence  to 
make  it  probable  that  one  of  these  two  brothers  was  taken  prisoner  and 
carried  otf.  One  or  both  of  them  probably  settled  in  that  region.* 

John,  son  of  William  and  Martha  Dean,  had  by  his  wife  Mary :  (1)  John, 
born  10  Jan.  1704-5.  (2)  William,  born  7  May,  1706.  (3)  Edward,  born  14 
Sept.  1707.  (4)  Ebenezer,  born  28  Jan.  1708-9 ;  embarked  at  Boston  about 
1739,  and  was  never  heard  of  afterwards.  By  his  wife  Mary,  he  had  a  son 
Ebenezer,  and  a  daughter.  The  son,  born  7  Oct.  1733,  was  a  shoemaker, 
removed  to  Maine,  and  died  at  Lincolnville,  1810,  aet.  77;  had  15  children, 
a  numerous  posterity  in  Maine  and  at  the  West. »  (5)  Thomas,  born  23 
Nov.  1712.  (6)  Molly,  born  16  Apl.  1715,  died  20  July,  1739.  (7)  Samuel, 
born  24  Feb.  1716-7. 

Mr.  John  Dean  died  February  1751.  All  his  sons  had  families  of  chil- 
dren. 

Edward,  son  of  John  and  Mary  Dean,  married  for  his  first  wife  Patience, 
daughter  of  Jacob  and  Elizabeth  Wyman,  1  May,  1740;  and  she  dying,  15 
June,  1741,  he  entered  his  Intentions  of  Marriage  with  "  Sarah  Robie"  of 
Billerica,  14  Ap.  1753;  by  whom  he  had  (1)  Jesse,  that  well  known  citizen 
of  Burlington,  born  17  Feb.  1754  :  and  (2)  Sarah,  born  3  June,  1756,  wife  of 
Major  John  Radford. 

EAMES.  Robert,  was  of  Charlestown  (1651) b;  but  removing  to  Wo- 
burn,  he  was  taxed  there,  1666,  and  had  right  in  the  common  lauds  of 
Woburn  allowed  him  in  1668.  c  By  his  wife  Elizabeth,  he  had  born  to 
him  in  Woburn,  (1)  Samuel,  7  Apr.  1653,  and  died  14  Apr.  same  jear. 
(2)  John,  born  ..'...  and  died  18  Jan.  1654.  (3)  Elizabeth,  born  4 
June,  1659.  (4)  Mary,  11  June,  1661;  married  to  Abraham  Cozzens,  1684. 
(5)  Priscilla,  2  May,  1663.  (6)  Samuel,  2  Sept.  1664.  (7)  Abigail,  22 
Sept.  1666.  (8)  John,  9  May,  1668.  d 

•  Letter  of  John  Dean,  Esq.,  Boston. 

b  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet..      «  Wob.  Town  Records.      d  Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.,  etc. 


610  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

Elizabeth,  wife  of  Eobert  Eames,  died  22  March,  1710.  Robert  Eames 
died  30  July,  1712.  a  But  Mr.  Savage  remarks  in  Geneal.  Diet,  of  this 
Robert  Eames,  "  I  suppose  he  removed  to  Chelmsford,  in  the  part  called 
Dracut,  and  died,  25  Apr.  1671.  His  will,  made  3  days  before,  names 
"  brother  John  and  cousin  Richard,  son  of  sister  Dorothy  Newman,  of  Farn- 
ham,  in  Co.  Surrey;  and  adds  no  more  to  our  knowledge." 

EAMES.  Samuel,  married  Mary ,  by  whom  he  had  :  (1)  Samuel,  born 

8  Sept.  1C92.  (2)  Lydia,  b.  28  Oct.  1692  [1694?];  m.  to  Ebenezer  Buck, 
1713.  (3)  Daniel,  b.  10  Jan.  1696  (1696-7?)  (4)  Jacob,  b.  11  July,  1699, 
"Jacob,  son  of  Samuell  Eames,  died  of  the  small  pox,"  Jan.  1721  (1721-2?) 
(5)  Hephzibah,  b.  7  March,  1702.  (6)  Joshua,  b.  8  May,  1705.  (7)  Caleb, 
b.  17  March,  1708.  (8)  Elizabeth,  b.  26  March,  1711.  (9)  Robert,  b.  6 
Oct.  1712;  died  the  same  day.  (10)  Abigail,  b.  11  Apr.  1714.  (11)  Jona- 
than, b.  18  Aug.  1716.  N.  B.  Samuel  and  Mary  Eames  appear,  by  deed 
of  land  in  Woburn  to  Daniel  Fisk,  14  Oct.  1740,  to  belong  at  that  date,  to 
Wilmington,  set  off  from  Woburn  1730.  [Rec.  of  Births,  etc  ] 

EAMES.  Samuel,  son  of  Samuel  and  Mary  Eames,  married  Judith 
Simonds,  both  of  Woburn,  2  July,  1717.  To  them  were  born :  (1) 
Judith,  22  March,  1718;  md.  to  Zach.  Symmes,  1741.  (2)  Samuel,  13  Feb. 
1719  (1719-20) ;  died  13  April,  1727.  (3)  Jacob,  10  Aug.  1723.  (4)  Sam- 
uel, 28  June,  1727.  "Deacon  Eames'  son  Samuel  died  12  Dec.  1756."  (5) 
Rebekah,  a  daughter,  died  21  Apr.  1728.  (6)  Huldah,  b.  4  March,  1733, 
m.  to  Elijah  Wyman,  1765.  Dea.  Samuel  Eames  died  20  Jan.  1775,  [aged 
84.  Gravestone :  83d  year.]  Judith,  wife  of  Dea.  Samuel  Eames,  died 
10  Jan.  1766,  [aged  71 :  Gravestone.] 

Daniel,  son  of  Samuel  and  Mary  Eames,  md.  Abigail  Nourse  of 
Reading,  8  March,  1720.  Had  a  son  Daniel  born  at  Reading,  30  March, 
1721.  (2)  Mary,  b.  12  Apr.  1723.  (3)  John,  b.  at  Woburn,  19  Apr.  1727. 

(4)  Jonathan,  b.  at  Wilmington,  9  Nov.  1730;  graduated  at  Harvard  Col- 
lege, 1752;  minister  of  Newtown,  N.  H.     (5)  Jacob,  b.  12  June,  1732,  at 
Wilmington.     (6)  Samuel,  b.  at  Wilmington,  24  Jan.  1734-5.    Afterwards, 
Capt.  Daniel  Eames  removed  to  Haverhill,  and  md.  for  a  second  wife,  Mary 
Chadwick,  of  Bradford,  9  Aug.  1748 ;  and  for  a  third  wife,  Priscilla  Kim- 
ball,  widow,  2  Feb.  1756.  b 

EAMES.  Caleb,  son  of  Samuel  and  Mary  Eames,  md.  Sarah,  daughter  of 
John  and  Sarah  Simonds,  both  of  Woburn,  5  Apr.  1732.  Their  children 
were  :  (1)  Caleb,  born  7  Nov.  1732.  (2)  Jonas,  b.  15  March,  1734 ;  died  10 
Feb.  1736-7.  (3)  Caleb,  b.  26  Dec.  1737.  (4)  Jonas,  b.  2  Feb.  1742-3. 

(5)  John,  b.  25  Oct.  1746;  md.  Abigail,  daughter  of  Samuel  Thompson,  Esq.c 
EAMES.    Jacob,  son  of  Dea.  Samuel  and  Judith  Eames,  entered  his 

Intentions  of  Marriage  with  Rachel,  daughter  of  Nathan  and  Huldah 
Wyman.  both  of  Woburn,  15  March,  1748.  Their  children  were :  (1)  Rachel, 
bora  5  Nov.  1749.  (2)  Jacob,  b.  6  June,  1751.  (3)  Nathan,  b.  11  April,  1753; 
died  21  July,  1773,  set.  21 ;  Gr.  St.  (4)  Ruth,  born  28  May,  1758.  [Rec. 
of  Births,  etc.] 
N.B.  Of  late  years,  the  name  of  Eames  is  written  and  spelled  by  some  Ames. 

»  Wob.  Town  Records.  b  Mr.  John  A.  Boutelle,  Woburn. 

c  Wob.  Reo.  of  Births,  etc.    Mem.  of  Saml.  Thompson,  Esq. 


GENEALOGICAL   NOTICES.  611 

FARLEY.  George,  an  early  inhabitant  of  Woburn,  his  name  being  on 
the  List  of  the  Country  Tax  assessed  there  8  Sept.  1645,  the  first  on  rec- 
ord. He  there  married  Christian  Births,  9  April,  1641 ;  by  whom  he  had : 
(1)  James,  born  23  Nov.  1643;  died  10  Dec.  following.  (2)  Caleb,  born  1 
Apr.  1645.  (3)  Mary,  born  27  Feb.  1646-7.  »Not  long  after,  he  removed 
to  Billerica,  where  he  had :  (1)  Samuel,  born  the  "  last  weeke"  in  Sept. 
1654.  (2)  Mehetabel,  born  the  "  last  weeke"  in  Apr.  1656,  "  and  departed 
this  life"  1  Feb.  1672-3.°  On  the  19th  of  Nov.  1656,  George  Farley,  "of 
Billerica,"  sold  his  house  and  land,  20  acres,  in  Woburn,  to  Richard  Snow.o 

"  George  Farley,  sen.,  departed  this  life"  27  Dec.  1693.  "Christian  Far- 
ley, widdow  of  Georg  Farley,"  died  27  March,  1702.  b 

N.  B.  The  name  Farley  is  sometimes  spelt  Farlow,  and  Farlo.  See 
Savage's  Geneal.  Diet. 

FARRAR.  John,  was  admitted  an  inhabitant  of  Woburn,  at  Town 
Meeting  (February  1655-6?),  to  choose  town  officers  for  1656.d  He  is  pre- 
sumed to  have  been  a  brother  of  Jacob  Farrar,  of  Lancaster,  who  appears, 
from  the  following  record  in  Woburn  Town  Book,  to  have  died  at  Woburn  : 
"  Jacob  Ffarer,  sen.,  died  14  August,  1677."  His  widow,  Ann,  was  married 
to  John  "  Seirs,"  of  Woburn,  as  his  second  wife,  2  Nov.  1680.e  To  John 
Farrar  were  born  :  (1)  Mary,  10  Apr.  1656.  (2)  Jacob,  22  Oct.  1657 ;  died 
of  the  small-pox  June  1679.a  (3)  Isaac,  16  Dec.  1659,  and  died  in  a  fort- 
night after.  (4)  Joanna,  9  Apr.  1661 ;  married  to  Robert  Dayle,  1680.  (5) 
Mercy,  1  April,  1663.  (6)  Hannah,  22  Jan.  1667-8;  married  to  John 
Wyman,  wheelwright,  14  Dec.  1685.  (7)  Isaac,  1  July,  1671. 

John  Farrar  died  11  July,  1690.  His  wife's  name,  and  the  date  of  her 
death  are  not  known. 

FARRAR.  Isaac  Farrar,  his  son,  had  by  his  wife  Mary :  (1)  Mary,  bora 
6  Dec.  1699.  (2)  Isaac,  b.  2  Apr.  1702.  (3)  John,  b.  7  Jan.  1703-4.  (4) 
Jacob,  b.  11  June,  1705.  (5)  Anne,  b.  13  Aug.  1707.  (6)  Jonathan,  b.  28 
Apr.  1709.  (7)  Joanna,  b.  17  March,  1711.  "  .  .  .  .  daughter  of  Isaac 
Farrar,  died  ye March  1713." 

Isaac  Farrar's  name  not  occurring  on  the  Woburn  Province  Tax  Lists 
for  1714, 1715,  he  is  supposed  to  have  previously  removed  from  the  town. 

FLAGG.  Gershom,  was  born  at  Watertown,  16  April,  1641,  the  eldest 
son  of  Thomas  and  Mary  of  Watertown,  where  the  name  was  originally 
spelled  Flegg.  t  He  came  to  Woburn  about  1668,  where  he  married  Han- 
nah Lepingwell,  15  April,  1668,  a  daughter  of  Michael  "Lepingwell."  He 
was  a  tanner  by  trade ;  and  in  1673  had  his  dwelling-house,  and  tanning 
establishments,  with  about  an  acre  of  land  attached,  in  High  Street,  near 
the  site  of  the  first  meeting-house,  having  Rev.  Mr.  Carter's  house  on  the 
West,  the  Old  Burying  Place  on  the  East,  and  the  Training  Field  on  the 


»  Woburn  Records  of  Births,  etc.         b  Billerica  Records.          c  Wyman  Papers, 
d  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  23.  e  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.,  etc. 

f  Dr.  Henry  Bond's  Letters;  also  Bond's  Watertown. 


612  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

South. »  His  children  were :  (1)  Gershom,  born  10  March,  1669.  (2) 
Eleazer,  b.  1  Aug.  1670.  (3)  John,  b.  25  May,  1673.  (4)  Hauuah,  b.  12 
March,  1675;  married  to  Israel  Walker,  1696?  (5)  Thomas,  b.  22  June, 
1677 ;  died  the  next  day.  (6)  Ebeuezer,  b.  21  Dec.  1678.  (7)  Abigail,  b. 
8.  Jan.  1681-2;  md.  to  David  "Cuttler,"  12  Dec.  1700;  2dly,  to  Stephen 
Wright,  12  Apr.  1704.  (8)  Mary,  b.  2  Feb.  1682-3.  (9)  Thomas,  b.  19 
Apl.  1685.  (10)  Benoui,  b.  19  Aug.  1687 ;  and  died  the  same  day. 

Lieut.  Gershom  Flagg  was  killed,  with  Wiswall  his  captain  and  others, 
by  the  Indians  at  Wheelwright's  Pond,  in  the  town  of  Lee,  N.  H.,  6  July, 
1690. b  His  widow  was  married,  Dec.  10,  1696,  to  Ensign  Israel  Walker.  c 
Descendants  from  Gershom  Flagg  have  been  numerous  and  respectable, 
both  in  Woburn  and  in  Wilmington.  Col.  Eleazer  Flagg,  (or,  Fleyy,  as  he 
preferred  to  write  his  name,)  agentleman  of  note  and  influence  in  Woburn 
in  the  early  part  of  the  last  century,  was  his  second  son.  Rev.  Ebenezer 
Flagg,  a  graduate  of  Harvard  College  1725,  was  a  grandson,  by  his  son 
Ebenezer.  He  was  born  18  Oct.  1704;  ordained  at  Chester,  N.  H.,  in 
1736;  "and  died  there,  14  Nov.  1796,  aged  92.  Dr.  John  Flagg  of  Lynn  was 
son  of  llev.  Ebenezer. 

FOSTER.  Hopestill ;  was  in  Woburn  1672,  where  his  name  is  on  the 
Tax  List  for  building  the  new  meeting-house  that  year.a  He  md.  Eliza- 
beth, widow  of  the  second  Thomas  Whittemore,  15  Oct.  1670,e  by  whom 
he  had :  (1)  Thomas,  b.  17  Apr.  1672 ;  died  1st  May  following.  (2)  Abi- 
gail, b.  12  March,  1673;  md.  to  Timothy  "Farlovv"  [Farley]  of  Billerica. 
(3)  John,  b.  14  Feb.  1676-7.  (4)  Mercy,  b.  26  Feb.  1677-8.  Time  of 
Mr.  Foster's  decease  is  not  on  record  in  Woburn.  [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births, 
etc.] 

FOWLE.  I.  James  was  taxed  in  Woburn  1666 ;  and  is  registered  as 
one  of  those  who  had  right  in  the  common  lands  of  the  town  in  1668.  t  He 
was  a  cordwaiuer  by  trade ;  and  had  liberty  granted  him  by  the  town,  26 
Feb.  1678,  "to  take  in  a  little  piece  of  land  [to  set  a  shop  on,  not  improba- 
bly] behind  the  Bell  Hill,"  provided  it  should  be  laid  out  by  the  Select- 
men.b  Bell  Hill  was  probably  the  elevation  West  of  the  old  Fowle 
Tavern  stand,  near  the  centre  of  the  town;  and  appears  to  have  been 
so  called  because  the  bell  that  called  the  people  to  public  worship  in  the 
first  meeting-house  was  hung  on  its  top.  . 

James  Fowle  is  supposed  to  have  been  a  son  of  George,  of  Concord.  By 
his  wife  Abigail,  he  had :  (1)  James,  born  4  March,  1667.  (2)  Abigail, 
b.  15  Oct.  1669 ;  md.  to  Jonathan  Wyman  1689.  (3)  John,  b.  12  March, 
1671.  (4)  Samuel,  b.  17  Sept.  1674.  (5)  Jacob,  b.  3  Apl.  1677.  (6) 
Elizabeth,  b.  28  Sept.  1681 ;  md.  to  Timothy  Walker  1699.  (7)  Hannah, 
b.  23  Jan.  16"83-4 ;  md.  1705  to  Samuel  Trumbull,  of  Charlestown.  (8) 
Mary,  b.  18  July,  1687. 

a  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  inverted,  p.  21. 

b  Belknap's  N.  H.,  one  vol.,  p.  134. 

c  Savage's  Qeneal.  Dict.s  Wob.  Records  of  Marriages. 

d  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  38,  39,  40. 

e  Savage's  Geneal  Diet.  f  Town  Records. 


GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES.  613 

"Lt.  James  ffoull"  died  17  Dec.  1690,  [aged  49  years.  Gravestone.] 
His  widow,  Abigail,  married  to  Ensign  Samuel  Walker,  18  Apr.  1692,  as 
his  second  wife. a 

FOWLE.  //.  James  Fowle,  son  of  Lieut.  James,  married  Maiy,  (daugh- 
ter of  Joseph  Richardson),  2  Oct.  1688.  Their  children  were :  (1)  Mary, 
born  18  June,  1689 ;  m.  to  James  Simonds,  1714.  (2)  James,  b.  20  July, 
1691 ;  died  11  Oct.  1706.  (3)  Abigail,  b.  22  Aug.  1693.  (4)  John,  b.  11  Nov. 
1695.  (5)  Hannah,  b.  13  Sept.  1697.  (6)  Elizabeth,  b.  9  Aug.  1699.  (7) 
Euth,  b.  16  Apr.  1701 ;  d.  3  March,  1713,  [aged  11  years.  Gravestone.]  (8) 
Sarah,  b.  29  July,  1703  :  m.  to  James  Richardson,  1728?  (9)  Samuel,  b.  10 
June,  1705.  (10)  Esther,  b.  29  May,  1707 ;  md.  to  Nathan  Simonds,  2  Nov. 
1726.  (11)  Martha,  b.  12  March,  1709;  md.  to  Rev.  Supply  Clap,  of  Wo- 
burn  Precinct,  1737.  (12)  Catharine,  b.  20  Sept.  1711 ;  md.  to  Josiah  Whit- 
temore,  of  Charlestown,  1730.  -  Capt.  James  Fowle  d.  19  March,  1714, 
[aged  47  years  &  14  days.  Gravestone.]  His  widow  was  afterwards  md. 
to  //.  Samuel  Walker,  deacon,  first  of  Woburn  Church,  and  then,  in  1735, 
of  the  Precinct  Church,  now  Burlington.  She  died  his  widow,  at  Charles- 
town,  [23  Oct.  1748,  aged  80.  Gravestone.] 

FOWLE.  /.  John,  son  of  Lieut.  James  and  Abigail  Fowle,  married 
Elizabeth  Prescott,  of  Concord,  1  July,  1696.  Their  children  were :  (1) 
Elizabeth,  b.  19  Sept.  1698;  died  4  March,  1699.  (2)  John,  b.  7  Jan.  1699- 

1700.  (3)  Elizabeth,  b.  16  Dec.  1701.  (4)  Dorothy,  b.  9  Aug.  1703;  died  28 
May,  1704.     (5)  Dorothy,  b.  14  March,  1705;  d.  14  Sept.  1732.     (6)  Rebec- 
ca, b.  21  Nov.  1706 ;  m.  to  Phineas  Richardson,  1728?     (7)  Abigail,  b.  15 
Dec.  1707.     (8)  Hannah,  b.  30  Aug.  and  d.  3  Oct.  1710  [1709?]     (9)  James, 
b.  16  July,  1710.     (10)  Jonathan,  b.  29  Aug.  1712;  d.  21  Nov.  1714.     (11) 
Mary,  b.  14  Dec.  1713;  md.  to  Alexander  Cochran  of  Boston,  1736?     (12) 
Hannah,  b.  10  Aug.  1715.     (13)  Ruth,  b.  9  Feb.  1716-17;  d.  18  Feb.  1720-21. 
(14)  Lucy,  b.  28  July,  1720 ;  md.  to  Henry  Gardner.     (15)  Ruth,  b.  10  Apr. 
1722.    Capt.  John  Fowle  d.  13  June,  1744.    His  widow,  Elizabeth  Fowle, 
died  14  May,  1753. 

FOWLE.  7.  Jacob,  son  of  Lieut.  James  Fowle,  md.  Mary  Brough- 
ton,  [granddaughter  of  first  Rev.  John  Rayner  of  Dover,  N.  H.,]  3  Nov. 

1701.  Their  children  were:  (1)  Jacob,  born  12  June,  1703,  died  soon. 
(2)  Mary,  b.  28  Nov.  1704.     (3)  Jacob,  b.  24  Feb.  1706-7.     (4)  Abigail,  b. 
6  March,  1709.     (5)  Dorothy,  b.  5  Feb.  1710-11.      (6)  Timothy,  b.  28  Aug. 
1713;  died  5  July,  1741.  (7)  Elizabeth,  b.  3  Feb.  1715-16.  (8)  Judith,  b.  14  , 
Jan.  1718-19.     (9)  Ruth,  b.  2  July,  1721. 

FOWLE.  II.  John,  son  of  Capt.  James  and  Mary  Fowle,  married 
Mary  Convers,  both  of  Woburn,  25  Dec.  1718.  Their  children  were: 
(1)  James,  b.  13  June,  1720.  (2)  John  [Master  Fowle],  b.  IFeb.  1726-7; 
died  15  Oct.  1786,  a3t.  61.  (3)  Josiah,  b.  14  July,  1731.  (4)  Mary,  b.  12 
May,  1734 ;  md.  to  Joshua  Wyman,  jun.,  1760.  (5)  Leonard,  b.  8  Jan. 
1737-8. 

Major  John  Fowle  died  28  Sept.  1775.  [Memorandum  of  Samuel 
Thompson,  Esq.] 

*  Rec.  of  Births,  Marriages,  etc.,  etc. 
53 


614  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

The  Fowles  of  Woburn  have  always  been  a  highly  distinguished  family : 
and  the  office  of  Town  Clerk,  they  seemed  for  many  years  to  hold  by  pre- 
scription. Capt.  James  Fowle  was  chosen  Clei  k  in  1701,  and  was  annually 
re-chosen  till  1714,  when  he  died  in  office.  His  brother,  Capt.  John  Fowle, 
was  immediately  appointed  his  successor,  and  served  the  town  in  that 
capacity  twenty-five  years.  In  1744,  Cornet  John  Fowle,  apparently  Capt. 
John's  son,  was  chosen  Clerk;  but  his  death,  in  1745,  prevented  his  being 
re-chosen.  From  1746,  James  Fowle,  Esq.,  was  chosen  Clerk  every  year, 
without  interruption,  for  34  years;  and  died  in  office,  1779.  His  son,  James 
Fowle,  jun.,  immediately  succeeded  him  in  his  labors  for  11  years  more. 
And  in  1814,  Marshall  Fowle,  Esq.,  son  of  James  Fowle,  jun.,  was  chosen 
Clerk,  and  was  uniformly  re-chosen  for  19  years  more,  when  he  died  in 
office,  in  1833.  So  that  during  the  132  years  which  elapsed  between  the 
election  of  Capt.  James  Fowle,  in  1701,  and  the  death  of  Marshall  Fowle, 
Esq.,  in  1833,  Woburn  had  a  Fowle  for  its  Clerk  103  years,  or  more  than 
three-fourths  of  the  time. 

FULLEE.  Thomas:  a  subscriber  to  the  Town  Orders  for  Woburu 
drawn  up  at  Charlestown  in  Dec.  1640 ;  was  a  smith  by  trade ;  and  had 
meadow  granted  him  in  Woburn  at  Eagg  Rock,  1648 ;  and  also  4  poles 
square  of  swamp  "next  his  shop,"  Dec.  28th.  He  bore  the  title  of 
"Sargeant"  in  1656,  and  of  Lieutenant  in  1685.  He  was  a  Selectman  in 
1663,  1664,  and  again  in  1685 ;  and  a  petitioner  with  others  to  the  General 
Court,  1664,  for  an  additional  grant  of  land  to  the  town. 

He  married,  13  June,  1643,  Elizabeth  Tidd,  by  whom  he  had :  (1) 
Thomas,  born  30  April,  1644.  (2)  Elizabeth,  b.  12  Sept.  1645  (3)  Ruth, 
b.  17  May,  1648.  (4)  Deborah,  b.  12  May,  1650;  nid.  to  Isaac  Richardson. 
(5)  John,  b.  1  March,  1653.  (6)  Jacob,  b.  14  May,  1655.  (7)  Joseph,  b. 
8  Aug.  1658.  (8)  Benjamin,  b.  15  Apr.  1660.  (9)  Samuel,  b.  9  May,  1662. 

His  wife  Elizabeth  dying,  he  appears  to  have  left  Woburn  for  Salem 
Village  (Danvers)  about  t!664 ;  whence  (leaving  his  sons,  it  is  likely,  to 
spread  into  Wills  Hill,  or  Middletou,)  he  returned  to  Woburu  in  1684; 
married  Sarah,  widow  of  Lieut.  John  Wyman,  and  daughter  of  Miles  Nutt, 
25  Aug.  1684 :  and  she  dying,  24  May,  1688,  he  seems  to  have  again  removed 

from  Woburn  to  Danvers,  married  Hannah ,  and  to  have  died  abroad. 

After  his  death,  his  widow  came  to  Woburn,  to  reside  with  her  married 
daughters,  wives  of  James  Proctor,  Aaron  Cleveland,  John  Wilson,  etc., 
^tc.,  whom  the  Selectmen  compelled  to  give  bonds  for  her  maintenance,  21 
June,  1697.  [Town  Records,  Vol.  III.,  p.  97;  also,  Records  of  Births, 
Marriages,  etc.,  etc.,  and  letter  of  Henry  H.  Fuller,  Esq.,  Boston.] 

GARDNER.  Richard,  came,  says  family  tradition,  from  the  County  of 
Surry,  England;  settled  first  within  the  bounds  of  Woburn,  having  his 
house  nearly  opposite  to  the  mansion  of  the  late  Luke  Reed,  Esq.,  in  Wo- 
burn West  End,  about  40  rods  from  the  road,  where  remains  of  the  cellar 
and  well  were  still  discernible  in  1857 »;  but  between  1661  and  1667,  he 
removed  into  "  Charlestowu  End,"  to  the  spot  where  the  two  maiden  ladies, 

»Capt.  Joseph  Gardner,  of  Woburn,  now  deceased. 


GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES.  615 

Miss  Patience  Gardner  and  her  sister,  had  their  habitation.  And  hence 
the  births  of  hi*  last  four  children  are  not  recorded  in  Woburn  Records, 
but  must  be  lo  >ked  for  in  those  of  Charlestown.  He  married  Anna  Blanch- 
ard.  of  Acton.  (Savage  says  of  Charlestown,  widow  of  Thomas,  of  Mystic, 
or  Maiden  si.le,)  18  Oct.  1651,  by  whom  he  had:  (1)  John,  born  14  Aug. 
1632.  (2)  Anna,  b.  17  Jan.  1654-5;  died  before  her  father.  (3)  Benjamin, 
b.  26  Dec.  1G56;  died  also  before  his  father.  (4)  Henry,  b.  12  Feb.  1657-8. 
(5)  Esther,  b.  15  Oct.  1659 ;  md.  William,  eldest  son  of  Major  William  Jolm- 
son  and  Either  his  wife;  and  died  17  Dec.  1706,  set.  48.  (6)  Ruth,  b.  1 
Apr.  1GG1,  and  md.  to  John  Gypson  [Gibson?].  (7)  Hannah,  born  md. 

Cotlduigtoa.  (8)  Abigail,  born  md.  to  James  Thompson.  (9)  Rebecca, 
born  .  m.  Samuel  Whittemore,  of  Cambridge,  13  (?)  Feb.  1686.  (10) 
Mehctabel,  born  md.  [John]  Connett.  Richard  Gardner  died  29  May 

(al.  March  4),  1698,  aged  about  79  years.  Gravestone. 

7.  Henry  Gardner  married,  first,  Elizabeth ,  by  whom  he  had: 

(1)  John,  born  22  July,  1695.  (2)  Henry,  b.  2  Aug.  1698.  (3)  Samuel,  b. 
10  Sept.  1700;  died  unmarried,  3  March  [al.  3  Dec.],  1723.  (4)  Elizabeth, 

b.  25  Dec.  1702;  md.  ,  Sawyer.  (5)  Mary,  b.  28  May,  1705;  "  Do. 

of  Cluu  lestown,"  md.  to  Zechariah  Flagg,  of  Woburn,  2  Jan.  1733.  After 
the  de.ifch  of  his  first  wife,  Elizabeth,  who  died  3  June,  [1703,  aged  43, 
Gravestone.]  Henry  Gardner  md.  Hannah  Prescott,  who  survived  him. 
He  died  20  Feb.  1713-14,  set.  57,  while  his  son  John  was  in  college. 

GAUDNER.  77.  John,  son  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth  Gardner,  was 
graduated  at  Harvard  College,  1715 ;  ordained  at  Stow,  in  1718 ;  and  died, 
the  minister  of  that  town,  10  Jan.  1775,  set.  80.  He  was  the  father  of 
Hon.  Henry  Gardner,  treasurer  of  Massachusetts  in  the  time  of  the  Revo- 
lution ;  and  of  Rev.  Francis  Gardner,  minister  of  Leominster.  [Wob. 
Rec.  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.] 

GRAVES.    Mr.  Thomas  :    See  Chapt.  II. 

GLAZIER.  John  was  in  Woburn,  1663 ;  was  taxed  here  in  1666 ;  and, 
to  encourage  him  to  remain  in  the  town,  fourteen  inhabitants,  at  a  general 
meeting,  8th  August,  1672,  agreed  to  give  him  an  acre  of  land  each,  one 
gave  two  acres,  and  eight  gave  half  an  acre  each,  twenty  acres  in  all,  to 
be  deducted  from  their  several  proportions  of  the  common  lands  about  to 
be  divided,  and  to  be  laid  out  at  the  Wyman  Bridge,  some  on  each  side  of 
the  brook,  »  By  his  wife,  Elizabeth,  (daughter  of  John  George,  of  Charles- 
town  ;b)  John  Glazier  had:  (1)  John,  born,  ,  1663.  (2)  Zechariah^ 

b.  20  Apr.  1666.  (3)  Elizabeth,  b.  4  Aug.  1668.  (4)  John,  b.  15  Dec.  1669. 
(5)  Ruth,  b.  30  May,  1671.  (6)  Samuel,  b.  5  July,  1672.  (7)  George,  b.  3 
June,  1676.  c 

GREEN.  7.  William  was  of  Charlestown,  1640,  and  a  subscriber  that 
year  to  "Town  Orders"  for  Woburn,  and  among  its  earliest  inhabitants. 
He  was  made  freeman  1644.  By  his  wife  Hannah,  he  had:  (1)  Mary, 
born  20  Jan.  1644.  (2)  Hannah,  born  7  Feb.  1646-7 ;  married  to  Joseph 

•Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  40.  »BaTage's  Gene«l.  Diet.  "County  Records.  See  also 
Wob.  Records  of  Births,  etc.,  etc. 


616  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

Richardson.  (3)  John,  b.  11  Oct.  1649.  (4)  William,  b.  22  Oct.  1651. 
William  Green,  sen.,  died  7  Jan.  1653-4.  By  him,  or  by  one  of  his  sons, 
was  probably  owned  the  lot  in  the  centre  of  Burlington  known  as  the 
Green  Lot ;  and  the  ruins  of  the  house  once  attached  to  it  are  still  to  be 
seen. 

John  Green,  a  brother  probably  of  the  above  William,  taxed  with  him 
at  Woburu  in  1645 ;  but  was  not  taxed  there  in  1646,  and  seems  to  have 
soon  left  the  town. 

GREEN.  John,  son  of  the  above  William  Green,  married,  3  July,  1671, 
Sarah,  daughter  of  John  Bateman,  of  Boston ;  by  whom  he  had  :  Sarah,  born 
6  June,  1672.  (2)  Samuel,  b.  29  Jan.  1673-4.  (3)  John,  b.  6  Jan.  1676-7.  (4) 
Hannah,  b.  4  March,  1679.  He  was  taxed  in  a  Town  Rate,  22  Dec.  1679 ; 
and  in  1680  he  was  numbered  among  those  who  were  appointed  by  the 
Selectmen,  5  July,  to  be  under  the  inspection  of  Sergeant  Matthew  John- 
son, as  tythingmana.  But  in  a  tax  made  for  the  minister  for  1687  his 
name  does  not  occur ;  whence  it  is  concluded,  that  at  the  last  mentioned 
date  he  was  dead,  or  removed  from  the  town. 

GREEN.  //.  William  Green,  jun.,  son  of  William  Green,  sen.,  had,  by 
his  wife  Mary,  William,  born  9  Aug.  1675.  His  first  wife  dying,  3  June, 
1676,  he  married  for  his  second  wife  Hannah,  daughter  of  Francis  Kendall, 
by  whom  he  had :  (1)  Francis,  b.  30  Nov.  1678.  (2)  Ebenezer,  b.  18 
July,  1680.  (3)  Mehetabel,  b.  30  June,  1682;  died  27  March,  1698.  (4) 
Hannah,  b.  7  Oct.  1684.  (5)  Mary,  b.  1  Nov.  1686.  (6)  Samuel,  b.  18th 
July,  1689.  (7)  Jacob,  b.  14  Oct.  1691.  (8)  Joseph,  b.  14  Apr.  1694.  (9) 

Abigail,  b 1699.  William  Green,  jun.,  died  1  Dec.  1717.  [Woburn 

Rec.  of  Births,  etc.,  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.] 

HALL.  Thomas  :  (or  Hale,  in  County  Records)  taxed  in  the  Meeting- 

House  rate,  1672 a.  By  his  wife  ,  he  had:  (1)  Elizabeth,  born  14 

Dec.  1674;  died  a  fortnight  after.  (2)  Abigail,  b.  20  Aug.  and  died  30 
Oct.  1681. 

HENSHAW.  7.  Thomas :  His  name  occurs  in  the  List  for  the  Meet- 
ing-house Rate,  1672 ;  but  not  in  the  Tax  List  for  1666,  nor  among  those 
who  had  right  in  the  common  lands  of  Woburn,  1668.  c  He  was  married 
24  Sept.  1677,  to  Hannah,  daughter  of  Moses  Cleaveland.  Their  children 
were  :  (1)  Elizabeth,  born  30  July,  1678;  md.  to  John  "Manser,"  Charles- 
town,  3  June,  1701.  (2)  Thomas,  b.  17  Nov.  1680.  (3)  Hannah,  b.  21 
May,  1683.  (4)  William,  b.  25  Nov.  1685.  (5)  Samuel,  b.  13  March,  1688. 
(6)  Ebeuezer.b.  1  March,  1691;  died  a  pauper,  28  Feb.  1756.  (7)  Josiah, 
b.  1  March,  1695. 

Thomas  "Hensher"died  16  Jan.  1699,  [1699-1700.] 

HENSHAW.  77.  Thomas  "Hincher,"  son  of  the  preceding,  and  Mary 
Brooks,  married  26  May,  1712.  By  her  he  had :  (1)  Thomas,  bora  1 
Sept.  1713.  (2)  William,  b.  21  Dec.  1715.  (3)  Isaac,  b.  22  Aug.  1719. 


a  T.  R.,  Vol.  H.,  p.  153-4.  b  T.  R.  Vol.  I.,  pp.  38,  39,  40. 

c  Woburn  Records,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  38,  39,  40. 


GENEALOGICAL   NOTICES.  617 

"Mr.  Isaac  Hincher  died  Jan.  3,  1756."    (4)  Joshua,  b.  1  Oct.  1751.     (5) 
Mary,  b.  7  Feb.  1723,  (1723-4).     (6)  Oliver,  b.  14  March,  1726. 

Thomas  Hincher  died  11  Sept.  1726.  [N.  B.  The  name  Henshaw  but 
seldom  occurs  in  Woburn  Records :  it  is  there  almost  invariably  spelt 
"Henshow,"  "Hensher,"  or  "Hincher."] 

HILL.  Ralph  :  was  originally  of  Plymouth,  where  he  married  Margaret 
Toothaker,  probably  a  widow,  .1638.  Removing  to  Woburn,  he  was 
taxed  there  as  an  inhabitant,  1645,  1646  :  and  there  had  a  son  born  to  him, 
viz:  Jonathan,  20  Apl.  1646.  He  was  made  freeman,  1647;  was  Select- 
man of  Woburn,  1651 ;  but  in  1653,  he  removed  to  Billerica,  and  became 
one  of  its  earliest  settlers ;  and  in  1659  he  sold  his  house  and  land  in 
Woburn  to  Richard  Snow.  He  died  at  Billerica,  29  Apl.  1663.  His  widow 
died  there  22  Nov.  1683,  aged  "about  88."  In  his  Will,  10  Nov.  1662,  he 
names  his  son  Nathaniel,  (born  probably  at  Plymouth)  Jonathan,  Ralph, 
Martha,  Rebecca,  his  widow  Margaret,  his  son-in-law,  Roger  Toothaker, 
etc.,  etc.,  etc.  [Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.,  Woburn  Records,  Billerica 
Records,  Wyman  Papers,  No.  53.] 

HOLLAND.      Christopher  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  Woburn, 
being  taxed  there  in  the  "Rate  for  the  Country,"  levied  8  Sept.  1645.    But 
he  soon  removed,  being  of  Boston,  in  1652.     [Wob.  Town  Records,  Vol. 
I.,  p.  8,  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.] 
•    Nothing  more  is  found  of  him  in  Woburn. 

IVONS.  Edward  was  taxed  as  an  inhabitant  of  Woburn,  in  1666 a;  had 
once  a  grant  of  land  made  to  him  in  the  centre  of  the  town,  near  the 
Training  Field  b;  and  at  the  general  distribution  of  land  and  timber  among 
the  proprietors,  in  1668,  he  had  a  share  assigned  him  in  the  "4th  Eighth."  ° 
But  becoming  deranged,  and  rendered  poor  thereby,  and  incapable  of  tak- 
ing care  of  himself,  the  Selectmen  took  him  under  their  protection,  and 
provided  for  his  comfort,  d  He  died  about  1683,  and  was  buried  at  the 
town's  expense.  e 

JOHNSON.  Capt.  Edsvard:  See  Chapter  II.  Major  William:  See 
Chapt.  V. 

JOHNSON.  Matthew,  son  of  Capt  Edward,  and  brother  of  Major 
William:  born  in  England:  came  from  Charlestown  to  Woburn  to 
reside;  was  taxed  there  in  Country  Rate  of  26  Aug.  1666;  and  had  a 
share  in  the  common  lands  of  Woburn  assigned  him,  1668,  in  the  "  8th 
Eighth."  e  He  m.  Hannah,  daughter  of  Peter  Palfrey,  12  Nov.  1656;  and, 
she  dying,  1  Aug.  1662,  he  took  for  his  second  wife,  23  Oct.  1662,  Rebekah, 
daughter  of  John  Wiswall,  of  Dorchester,  then. of  Boston,  and  ruling 
elder  of  First  Church  there.  By  her  he  had:  (1)  Rebekah,  b.  1  March, 
1665 ;  m.  to  Samuel  Wyman,  1692.  (2)  Matthew,  b.  18  March,  1667.  (3) 
Hannah,  b.  23  Apr.  1669.  (4)  Samuel,  b.  28  April,  1672.  (5)  Ruth,  b.  1 


a  T.  R.,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  43,  44.  b  T.  R.,  Vol.  I.,  p.  31.  c  T.  R.,  Vol.  I.,  p.  46.  d  T.  R.,  Vol. 
I.,  p.  113;  Vol.  II.,  p.  150;  Vol.  III.,  pp.  3,  36.  His  name  is  spelt  by  Mr.  Savage,  in  hi* 
Geneal.  Diet.,  Ines. 

e  T.  R.,Vol.  I.  p.  47. 

63* 


618  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

Jan.  1674-5;  m.  to  John  Reed,  2d,  1697?  (6)  Sarah,  b.  14  April,  1677;  md. 
to  Daniel  Eeed,  1699.  (7)  Henry,  b.  7  Apr.  1683. 

Lieut.  Matthew  Johnson  was  a  carpenter  by  trade ;  and  was  employed  in 
building  the  house  erected  by  the  town  for  Rev.  Jabez  Fox,  in  1680.  He 
represented  Woburn  in  the  General  Court,  1689, 1690,  '91  and  92' ;  and  died 
19  July,  1696,  aged  62  [Gravestone.]  His  widow,  Rebekah,  died  25  Dec. 
1709.  [Wob.  Rec.,  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.] 

JOHNSON.  John,  brother  of  Matthew,  was  a  miller,  and  proprietor  of 
a  saw-mill  in  Woburn ;  married  Bethiah  Reed,  daughter  of  William  and 
Mabel  Reed,  28  Apr.  1657;  had:  (1)  John,  born  24  Jan.  1657-8.  (2)  Be- 

thiah,  b.  20  Jan.  1659-60 ;  m.  to ,  Wolcott,  Cambridge.     (3)  William 

b.  29  Sept.  1662;  removed  to  Plainfleld  (Canterbury),  Ct.  (4)  Obadiah,  b 
15  June,  1664 ;  removed  to  Canterbury,  Ct.  1690.  »  (5)  Samuel,  b.  29  Oct.' 
1670.  (6)  Nathaniel,  b.  15  May,  1673. 

John  Johnson,  becoming  sick,  enfeebled  and  poor  in  his  latter  years,  he 
and  his  wife  Bethiah  were  taken  by  their  sons,  William  and  Obadiah,  in 
1712,  to  Canterbury,  Ct.,  and  there  maintained  by  them  during  life  at  the 
charge  of  Woburn.b  Mrs.  Bethiah  Johnson  died  about  1717.c  Her  hus- 
band survived  till  1720.c  [Woburn  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.  Savage's  Geneal 
Diet.] 

JEFTS.  Henry,  a  subscriber  to  the  "  Town  Orders"  for  Woburn  in 
1640 ;  taxed  in  the  Country  Rate  of  Sept.  1645 ;  had  grants  of  land  made 
to  him  in  Woburn.  He  married  "  Anna  Stowars"  (Ann  Stowers)  13  Sept. 
1647 ;  and  she  dying,  he  md.  for  his  2d  wife,  Hannah  Births,  21  May,  1649 ; 
by  whom  he  had  John,  born  11  May,  1651.  In  1653,  he  had  become  an 
inhabitant  of  Billerica,  where  a  daughter  Hannah  died  in  "the  first  weeke" 
of  May,  1653.  His  children,  born  afterwards,  were :  (1)  Hannah,  b.  4  Feb. 
1654-5.  (2)  Joanna,  b.  24  May,  1656.  (3)  Henry,  b.  21  March,  1658-9, 
Hannah,  his  wife,  dying  15  Sept.  1662,  he  md.  for  his  3d  wife,  3  Oct.  1666, 
Mary  Bird,  widow ;  and  after  her  decease,  1  April,  1679,  he  married  a  4th 
wife,  Mary  Baker,  of  Concord,  widow,  5  May,  1681. 

"  Henry  Jefts,  sen.,  departed  this  life,  aged  about  94  years,  24  May, 
1700."  [Billerica  Rec.,  Woburn  Rec.,  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.] 

JAQUITH.  /.  Abraham,  son  of  Abraham  Jaquith,  of  Charlestown,  and 
of  Ann,  his  wife,  a  daughter  of  James  Jordan,  of  Dedham.  He  was  born 
19  Dec.  1644 ;  took  up  his  residence  in  Woburn  (viz  :  that  part  of  it  which 
is  now  Wilmington)  ;  was  taxed  there  1666;  md.  Mary  Adford,  13  March, 
1671 ;  had :  (1)  Abraham,  born  17  Feb.  1672-3.  (2)  Elizabeth,  b.  19  May, 
1675.  (3)Sarah,  b.  21  Sept.  1677. 

JAQUITH.  //.  Abraham,  son  of  the  preceding,  married  Sarah  Jones 
26  Dec.  1700.  To  them  were  born ;  (1)  Abraham,  30  Dec.  1701.  (2)  Sarah, 
8  March,  1703;  md.  to  Samuel  Butter,  Jan.  29,  1726-7?  (3)  John,  7  Oct. 
1704.  (4)  Mary,  1  Sept.  1706.  (5)  Elizabeth,  5  June,  1708.  (6)  Adford, 
15  Apl.  1710.  (7)  Abigail,  10  June,  1712.  (8)  Ebenezer,  3  June,  1714.  (9) 

•  Letter  from  Rev.  K.  E.  Johnson,  New  Carlisle,  Clark  Co.,  Ohio,  Sept.  1852,  a  descendant 
from  Obadiah  Johnson.  »Town  Records,  Vol.  V.,  p.  220.  "Town  Rec.,  Vol.  VI.,  pp.  44, 133. 


GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES.  619 

Benjamin,  b.  27  June,  1716.  (10,  11)  William  and  Lydia,  twins,  b.  1  May, 
1718 :  both  died  the  same  month.  (12)  Hannah,  19  July,  1719.  (13)  Ruth, 
10  April,  and  died  30th  Apl.  1722.  (14)  Susanna,  23  June,  and  died  5  July, 
1723.  (15)  Seth,  5  June,  and  died  16  July,  1724. 

[Woburn  Records  of  Births,  etc.,  etc. ;  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.] 

Kendall  is  a  family  name  of  local  derivation,  borrowed  from  Kent-dale, 
that  is,  a  dale  in  the  County  of  Kent,  England ;  or,  as  may  be  thought  by 
some,  from  Kendal,  a  noted  town  in  Westmoreland  County,  on  the  borders 
of  the  river  Ken.  From  one  or  the  other  of  these  sources,  the  Kendal's  or 
Kendall's  in  England  probably  derived  their  origin  and  their  name. 

KENDALL.  Francis,  born  in  England,  is  supposed  to  have  been  the 
common  ancestor  of  all  of  his  name  in  New  England.  He  was  in  Charles- 
town,  1640,  where  he  subscribed  the  "Town  Orders"  for  Woburn  in 
December  of  that  year;  and  was  taxed  among  the  earliest  inhabitants  of 
Woburn,  1645.  The  record  of  his  marriage  there  reads  thus  :  "Ffrances 
Kendall,  alias  Miles,  and  Mary  Tedd,  [Tidd]  maryed  24th.  of  10  mo.  [24 
Dec.]  1644 ;"  which  lends  support  to  a  family  tradition,  communicated 
many  years  ago  by  Rev.  Dr.  Kendall,  of  Weston,  that  in  order  to  conceal 
from  his  parents  his  intentions  to  emigrate  to  this  country,  he  embarked 
in  England  under  a  feigned  name.  His  children  by  his  wife  Mary  were : 
(1)  John,  born  2  July,  1646.  (2)  Thomas,  b.  10  Jan.  1648-9.  (3)  Mary, 
b.  20  Jan.  1650-1 ;  married  to  Israel  Reed  about  1669.  (4)  Elizabeth,  b. 
15  Jan.  1652-3 ;  md.  to  James  Peirce.  (5)  Hannah,  b.  26  Jan.  1654-5 ; 
md.  to  William  Green,  jun.,  as  his  second  wife.  (6)  Rebekah,  b.  2 
March,  1657;  md.  to  Joshua  Eaton;  deceased  in  1706.  (7)  Samuel,  b.  8 
March,  1659.  (8)  Jacob,  b.  25  Jan.  1660-1.  (9)  Abigail,  b.  6  Apr.  1666 ; 
md.  to  William  "Read,"  24  May,  1686. 

Mary,  his  wife,  died  in  1705.  "Francis  Kendall,  sen.,  died  ....  1708," 
when,  according  to  a  testimony  given  by  him  in  Court,  1700,  he  must  have 
been  88  years  old.  He  was  a  gentleman  of  great  respectability  and  influ- 
ence in  the  place  of  his  residence.  He  served  the  town,  at  different  times, 
18  years  on  the  Board  of  Selectmen ;  and  was  often  appointed  on  import- 
ant committees,  especially  on  one  for  distributing  the  common  lands  of  the 
town,  1604  ;a  and  on  another,  respecting  the  erection  of  the  second  meet- 
ing-house, 1672  ». 

In  his  Will,  dated  9  May,  1706,  when  he  was  "stricken  in  years,"  (he 
writes),  "and  expecting  daily  his  change,"  he  styles  himself  a  miller;  and 
gives  one-half  of  his  mill,  with  a  proportionate  interest  in  the  streams, 
dams  and  utensils  thereto  belonging,  to  his  son  John ;  one-quarter  to 
Thomas,  and  one-quarter  to  Samuel.  This  mill  has  ever  since  been  in  the 
possession  of  his  posterity.  Its  present  owner  and  occupant,  Mr.  Joseph 
R.  Kendall,  a  descendant  from  Thomas,  second  son  of  Francis,  is  of  the 
6th  generation  from  its  original  proprietor.  [Kendall  Family  Papers.] 

Francis  Kendall  remembers  likewise  in  his  Will  the  eight  children  of 
his  brother  Thomas,  (one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Reading,  and  a  deacon  of 

»  T.  R.,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  24,  36. 


620  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

the  church  there)  who  were  living,  when  he,  his  said  brother  died.  It 
seems  that  this  brother  of  Francis  Kendall,  of  Woburn,  Deacon  Thomas 
Kendall,  of  Reading,  and  Rebecca,  his  wife,  had  had  ten  daughters,  but  no 
son  that  lived.  But  these  daughters,  in  order  to  preserve  their  maiden 
name,  Kendall,  among  their  posterity,  directed,  each  of  them,  when  mar- 
ried, that  her  first  born  son  should  have  the  given  name,  Kendall,  prefixed 
to  his  surname ;  as  Kendall  Peirson,  Kendall  Boutwell,  Kendall  Eaton, 
Kendall  Briant,  etc.,  etc.,  etc.,  which  gave  occasion  to  the  following  lines 
respecting  these  daughters  in  a  Poem  written  by  Lillie  Eaton,  Esq.,  of 
South  Reading,  and  published  with  Flint's  Historical  Address  upon  the 
200th  Anniversary  of  the  founding  of  Reading.  In  mentioning  the  vener- 
able matron,  their  mother,  he  observes  : 

"She  had  ten  daughters ;  and  each  one, 
When  married,  christened  her  first  son 
Kendall ;  and  thus  we  may  infer 
Why  'tis  these  names  so  oft  occur." 

Flint's  Address,  p.  64. 

The  children  of  John,  Thomas,  Samuel,  and  Jacob  Kendall,  the  four  sons 
of  Francis  the  first,  were  as  follows  : 

John,  eldest  son  of  Francis  Kendall,  married,  29  Jan.  1668,  Hannah, 
daughter  of  Thomas  Bartlett.  Their  children  were :  (1)  Mary,  born  1 
Sept.  1671.  (2)  Lydia,  b.  23  Apr.  1674.  (3)  Francis,  b.  4  Dec.  1678 ;  died 
soon.  His  first  wife,  Hannah,  dying,  John  Kendall  md.  Elizabeth  Comey, 
29  March,  1681,  and  had  by  her:  (1)  Francis,  b.  11  Apr.  1682.  (2)  John, 
b.  7  Oct.  1684;  died  young.  (3)  David,  b.  14  Nov.  1686.  (4)  Elizabeth,  b. 
23  Feb.  1688-9 ;  md.  to  Amos  Knight,  1720  ?  (5)  Jonathan,  b.  28  Nov.  1690. 
(6)  Rebekah,  b.  22  March,  1693.  (7)  Nathaniel,  b.  27  Feb.  1694-5.  (8) 
John,  2d,  b.  8  July,  1699.  Elizabeth,  wife  of  John  Kendall,  died  in  Decem- 
ber 1701.  After  her  death,  he  married,  for  his  3d  wife,  Eunice,  widow  of 
Mr.  Samuel  Carter,  and  daughter  of  John  Brooks.  She  was  living  in  1706. 
[Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.] 

Thomas,  second  son  of  Francis  Kendall,  married  Ruth ,1673.  Their 

children  were  :  (I)  Ruth,  b.  17  Feb.  1674-5 ;  married  to  John  Walker,  jun., 
son  of  first  Dea.  Samuel  Walker.  (2)  Thomas,  b.  19  May,  1677.  (3)  Mary, 
b.  27  Feb.  1680;  md.  to  Joseph  Whittmore,  1698-9.  (4)  Samuel,  b.  29  Oct. 
1682.  (5)  Ralph,  b.  4  May,  1685.  (6)  Eleazer,  b.  16  Nov.  1687.  (7,  8) 
Jabez  and  Jane,  twins,  b.  10  Sept.  1692.  Jane  md.  to  Joseph  Russell,  1712. 
(9)  a  still-born  son,  born  16  Dec.  1695.  Ruth,  wife  of  Thomas  Kendall, 
died  18th  of  the  same  month  and  year.  Thomas  Kendall  md.  for  his  2d 
wife  Abigail  Broughton,  March  30,  1696,  who  died  31  Dec.  1716.  He  died 
himself,  25  May,  1730. 

Samuel,  third  son  of  Francis  Kendall,  married  13  Nov.  1683,  Rebekah, 
daughter  of  Isaac  Mixer.  Their  children  were  :  (1)  Samuel,  born  13  Aug. 
1684.  (2)  Isaac,  b.  13  Sept.  1686.  (3)  Joshua*  b.  14  March,  1G89.  (4) 
Rebekah,  b.  6  July,  1691;  died  25  Nov.  1691.  Rebekah,  wife  of  Samuel 
Kendall,  dying  25  Oct.  1691,  he  married,  for  his  second  wife,  Mary,  daugh- 


GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES.  621 

ter  of  William  Locke,  30  March,  1692.  By  her  he  had  :  (1)  Mary,  b.  3  Feb. 
1692-3 ;  who  died  U  Aug.  1727.  (2)  Rebekah,  b.  26  Jan.  1694-5 ;  wife  of 
Samuel  Russell.  (3)  Abigail,  b.  31  March,  1697;  md.  to  William  Nichols, 
of  Reading,  1719-20.  (4)  Ebenezer,  b.  16  May,  1700.  (5)  Ruth,  b.  23  Apr. 

1703 ;  md.  to Bancroft.    (6)  Tabitha,  b.  22  Jan.  1706-7 ;  md.  to  Nathan 

Richardson,  1729,  and  died  25  Nov.  1739.  Samuel  Kendall  finally  removed, 
we  are  told,  to  Lancaster.*  He  probably  remained  in  Woburn  till  the  sum- 
mer of  1742,  being  taxed  there  in  a  Parish  tax  assessed  Jan.  28,  1741-2, 
but  not  in  one  assessed  in  February,  1742-3.  b  His  Will,  written  6  Dec. 
1742,  when  he  was  "  advanced  in  years,"  is  subscribed  with  his  own  hand, 
"Samuel  Kendal."c  But  it  is  said  not  to  have  been  proved  till  1749. » 
[Woburn  Records  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.] 

Jacob,  youngest  son  of  Francis  Kendall,  married  Persis  "  Heywood,"  or 
"  Hayward,"  2  Jan.  1683-4.  Their  children  were :  (1)  Persis,  born  24  Aug. 
1685.  (2)  Jacob,  b.  12  Jan.  1686-7.  (3)  Joseph,  b.  7  Dec.  1688.  (4)  Jona- 
than, b.  2  Nov.  and  died  11  Nov.  1690.  (5)  Daniel,  b.  23.  Oct.  1691.  Persis, 
wife  of  Jacob  Kendall,  died  19  Oct.  1694,  and  he  married  for  his  second  wife 
Alice  Temple,  10  Jan.  1694-5.  By  her  he  had :  (1)  Ebenezer,  b.  9  Nov. 
1695;  died  young.  (2)  John,  b.  19  Jan.  1696-7;  died  17  Oct.  1697.  (3) 
Sarah,  b.  18  July,  1698.  (4)  Esther,  b.  20  Nov.  1699.  (5)  Hezekiah,  b.  26 
May,  1701.  (6)  Nathan,  b.  12  Dec.  1702.  (7)  Susanna,  b.  27  Oct.  1704.  (8) 
Phebe,  b.  19  Dec.  1706.  (9)  David,  b.  28  Sept.  1708.  (9)  Ebenezer,  again, 
b.  5  Apr.  1710.  (10)  Alice,  b.  31  Jan.  1711-12.  (11)  Abraham,  b.  26  Apr. 
1712.  [This,  or  the  preceding  record,  or  both,  obviously  erroneous.]  (12) 
Jacob,  again,  b.  22  Apr.  1714;  died  1  June,  1714.  (13)  Persis,  again,  b.  23 
Aug.  1715. 

[Woburn  Records  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.] 
Descendants  of  these  four  brothers,  who  made  Woburn  their  place  of 
permanent  residence,  were  formerly  very  numerous.  Individuals  of  the 
name  and  connection  still  remain  in  the  town,  but  have  much  dwindled  of 
late  in  respect  to  numbers.  But  multitudes  of  Kendalls  have  gone  forth 
from  Woburn,  to  replenish  other  towns  of  the  Commonwealth.  Tewks- 
bury  and  Sherborn,  in  Middlesex  County,  and  Athol,  Lancaster,  Leomin- 
ster,  and  Sterling,  in  Worcester  County,  have  all  been  more  or  less  indebted 
to  Woburn  for  her  many  sons  and  daughters,  Kendalls  by  name  or  birth, 
whom  she  has  contributed  to  help  settle  those  towns,  or  when  settled 
already,  to  increase  their  number  of  inhabitants.*  And  no  family  of  Ken- 
dalls in  Woburn  has  done  more  to  swell  the  tide  of  emigration  towards 
the  towns  above  mentioned  than  that  of  Samuel  Kendall,  grandson  of 
Francis,  and  son  of  Thomas  and  Ruth  Kendall,  born  in  Woburn,  29  Octo- 
ber, 1682.  He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade ;  and  formerly  known  far  and  wide 
beyond  his  native  place  as  Lieutenant  Kendall,  from  having  received  a 
Lieutenant's  commission  from  Governor  Belcher,  5  Oct.  1732.e  He  was 
a  very  active,  enterprising,  public  spirited  man,  often  employed  in  town 

»  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.    «>  Rec.  of  First  Parish,  Woburn.    «  Will,  among  Kendall  Papert. 
Mr.  Calvin  Kendall  of  Athol,  sou  of  Mr.  Jesse  of  that  town,  1846.       •  Kendall  Papers; 


622 


GENEALOGICAL   NOTICES. 


business,  and  much  engaged  in  promoting  both  the  civil  and  the  religious 
prosperity  of  Woburn.  He  was  an  original  proprietor  of  North  Town,  or 
Townsend,  and  as  such,  became  involved  in  a  controversy  with  the  heirs 
of  Major  Hathorne,  of  Salem,  who  claimed  a  portion  of  the  lands  in  that 
town,  under  a  prior  grant  from  the  General  Court.*  He  was  also  a  princi- 
ple settler  of  Paguaige,  or  Athol ;  in  the  settlement  of  which  he  and  sev- 
eral of  his  sons  suffered  much  from  floods,  and  from  the  depredations  of 
Indians  during  the  French  wars  between  1744  and  1760.a  By  his  wife 
Elizabeth,  Lieut.  Kendall  had  fifteen  children,  as  follows  : 

1.  Samuel,  born  30  June,  1708.    Minister  of  New  Salem. 

2.  James,       "    28  April,  1710.  Lived  and  died  in  Sterling,  once  a  part  of 

Lancaster. 

3.  Josiah,      "     1  September,  1712.    Lived  and  died  in  Sterling. 

4.  Ezekiel,     "     14  March,  1715.  An  inhabitant  of  Sterling;  lived  and  died 

there. 
6.  Timothy,  "    23  March,  1717.    Lived  and  died  at  Leominster. 

6.  Elizabeth,"    3  September,  1719.  Wife  of  John  Brooks,  of  Sterling,  then 

Lancaster. 

7.  Jonas,      "     10  March,  1721.    Leominster. 

8.  Sarah,      "    16  April,  1723.  Wife  of  John  Kendall  of  Leominster,  a  son 

of  //.  Francis,  born  11  April,  1682,  a 
grandson  of  /.  John,  and  great  grandson 
of  7.  Francis  Kendall. 

9.  Susanna,  "    5  July,  1724.    Lived  single. 

10.  Obadiah,"    at  Woburn,  3  September,  1725.    Occupant  of  the  paternal 

mill:     deacon    of    the 
church  of  Woburn. 

11.  Jesse,      "     15  May,  1727.    Lived  at  Athol,  a  husbandman  and  miller; 

one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Athol :  married 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Mary 
Evans,  of  Woburn,  about  1751,  and  had 
by  her  twelve  children. 

12.  Seth,       "    4  January,  1728-9.    Lived  at  Athol. 

13.  Abigail,  "    27  February,  1730-1.     Wife  of  Jacob  Peirce,  of  Woburn. 

14.  Ephraim,"   9  November,  1732.     Died  16  February,  1732-3. 

15.  Jerusha,  "    13  February,  1734-5.    Wife  of  Reuben  Richardson,  jun.,  of 

Woburn.b 

Elizabeth,  wife  of  Mr.  Samuel  Kendall,  died  10  January,  1741-2.  He  ap- 
pears then  to  have  married  -a  second  wife.  The  following  probably  is  a 
record  of  his  Intentions  of  Marriage :  "  Samuel  Kendall  entered  his  Inten- 
tions of  Marriage  with  Mehitabel  Asmore  [Hosmer?]  of  Concord,  July  6, 
1751."  b 

"Lt.  Kendall's  wife  died"  24  August,  1755.  "Lieut.  Samuel  Kendall" 
died  13  December,  1764. 

Among  the  descendants  of  the  Kendalls  who  went  from  Woburn  and  set- 


•Kendall  Papers. 


b  Woburn  Records  of  Births,  etc.,  etc. 


GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES.  623 

tied  in  other  places  were  several  gentlemen  of  distinction  and  great 
respectability  of  character,  of  whom  it  seems  proper  here  to  give  a  passing 
notice. 

1.  Rev.  Samuel  Kendall  (or  Kendal,  as  he  preferred  to  spell  his  name), 
D.  D.,  son  of  Elisha  Kendall,  of  Sherborn,  who  was  the  12th  son  of  II. 
Thomas  and  Sarah  (Cheever)  Kendall  of  Woburn  and  Sherborn,  a  grand- 
son of  /.  Thomas  and  Ruth  Kendall,  of  Woburn,  and  a  great  grandson  of 
Francis  Kendall,  the  first  settler  of  the  name.    He  was  born  at  Sherborne, 
11  July,  1753;  graduated  at  Harvard  College,  1782;  ordained  at  Weston,  5 
Nov.  1783;  and  died  there,  16  Feb.  1815,  set.  62.  Elisha  Kendall,  his  father, 
who  spent  his  latter  days  with  him  at  Weston,  outlived  him,  dying  1824, 
aged  99.     [Rev.  Dr.  Kendall's  Century  Sermon,  pp.  44,  45 :  Allen's  Biog. 
Diet.] 

2.  Rev.  Samuel  Kendall,  eldest  son  of  Lieut.  Samuel,  was  born  at  Wo- 
burn, 30  June,  1708 ;  graduated  at  Harvard  College,  1731 ;  ordained  at  New 
Salem,  Franklin  County,  Mass,  at  the  gathering  of  the  church  there,  15 
Dec.  1742;  dismissed,  1776;  and  died,  31  Jan.  1792,  aged  84.     [Woburn 
Records  of  Births,  etc.    Allen's  Biog.  Diet.] 

3.  Rev.  James  Kendall,  D.  D.,  of  Plymouth.    He  was  the  youngest  son 
of  Major  James  Kendall,  of  Sterling,  Wore.  County,  Mass.,  whose  father, 
James  Kendall,  was  the  second  son  of  Lieut.  Samuel  Kendall,  of  Woburn ; 
married  Sarah    Richardson  of  Woburn,   21  July,  1735,  and  removed  to 
Sterling  (then  Lancaster)  to  reside.    Rev.  James,  his  grandson,  was  born 
at  Sterling,  3  Nov.   1769 ;  grd.  at  H.  C.,  1796 ;  ordained  at  Plymouth,  1 
Jan.  1800 ;  and  died  there,  17  March,  1859,   aged  89  years,  4  months,  14 
days ;  and  in  the  60th  year  of  his  ministry.     [Mr.  Calvin  Kendall  of  Athol, 
Funeral  Sermon  of,  etc.] 

4.  Hon.  Jonas  Kendall.      He  was  son    of  Jonas,  6th  son  of  Lieut. 
Samuel  Kendall,  of  Woburn,  and  an  early  settler  in  Leominster.    He  was 
born   at  Leominster,  his  father's  residence,  27  Oct.   1757;    was  largely 
engaged,  it  is  believed,  in  the  manufacturing  business  at  Leominster ;  was 
sometime  member  of  the  Senate  of  Massachusetts ;  and  at  death  was 
nearly  80  years  of  age.     [Mr.  Calvin  Kendall  of  Athol :  Letter  of  Hon. 
Joseph  G.  Kendall,  his  son,  etc.,  etc.] 

5.  Hon.  Joseph  Gowing  Kendall,  son  of  the  preceding,  was  a  native  of 
Leominster;  a  graduate,  1810,  and  subsequently  a  tutor  of  Harvard  Col- 
lege; was   a  lawyer  by  profession;  a  Clerk  of  the   Courts,  resident  at 
Worcester;  and  once  represented  that  district  in  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States.    He  died  in  1847.     [Letter  from  him,  1846  :  College  Cata- 
logue, etc.,  etc.] 

6.  Rev.  David  Kendall  was  a  son  of  Jesse  Kendall,  of  Athol,  who  was 
the  8th  son  of  Lieut.  Samuel  Kendall  of  Woburn.    He  was  grd.  at  H.  C., 
1794 ;  was  minister  of  Hubbardston  from  1802  to  1809.    He  then  removed 
to  Augusta,  Oueida  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  continued  in  the  pastoral 
office  till  his  death,  19  Feb.  1853,  at  the  age  of  85.     [Mr.  Calvin  Kendall  of 
Athol :  Allen's  Biog.  Diet.] 

KNIGHT.    /.  Joseph,  sen.,  was  originally  of  Watertown.     He  sold  his 


624  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

house  there,  Dec.  10,  1649 ;  and  soon  after,  with  his  wife,  Hannah,  removed 
to  Woburn.  a  He  was  made  freeman  1G52,  was  taxed  in  Woburn,  1666 ; 
and  was  numbered  among  those  who  had  right  in  the  common  lands  of 
Woburn,  1GG8.  At  Woburn,  he  had  born  to  him,  by  his  wife,  Hannah :  (1) 
Sarah,  born  8  March,  1651.  (2)  Samuel,  b.  8  Sept.  1652,  and  died,  26 
Dec.  1G53.  (3)  Hannah,  b.  25  March,  1654.  (4)  John,  b.  16  Jan.  16G5-6. 
(5)  Elizabeth,  b.  7  Apr.  1658.  (6)  Mary,  b.  6  June,  1660;  died,  10  Apr. 
1661.  (7)  Dinah,  b.  4  July,  1661 ;  md.  to  John  Morse,  of  Watertown,  1686. 
(8)  Samuel,  again,  b.  18  March,  1663.  (9)  Mary,  b.  12  Dec.  1672 ;  died, 
1  March,  1673.  (10)  Joseph,  b.  12  Dec.  1673.  (11)  Edward,  b.  31  Aug. 
1677.  (12)  Isaac,  b.  24  Feb.  1679-80;  died,  4  March,  1679-80.  (13)  James, 
b.  22  Apr.  1681,  and  died  the  next  day. 

Joseph  Knight  ["  Sen."  County  Records]  died  13  Aug.  1687."  "  Hannah, 
relict  of  Joseph  Knight,  sen.,  died  13  Jan.  1694-5." 

//.  "  Joseph  Knight,  jun."  Among  those  made  freemen  at  the  Court  in 
May,  1675,  and  "re-admitted  to  freedome,  21  Feb.  1675-6,"  is  found  '-Jo- 
seph Knight,  Wob." b  He  was  taxed  in  the  rate  for  the  second  Meeting- 
house in  Woburn,  1672 ;  married  Martha  Lilley,  4  Apr.  1699 ;  and  in  his 
will,  16  Jan.  1733,  names  wife  Martha  and  six  daughters. 

/.  John  Knight  was  taxed  in  Woburn,  1666;  married  there,  2  March, 
1681,  "Abigail,  daughter  of  John  and  Sarah  Craggen;  "  and  had  by  her: 
(1)  Abigail,  born  27  Dec.  1681.  (2)  John,  b.  31  Jan.  1683-4 ;  died  21  June, 
1685.  (3)  John,  b.  3  March,  1686.  (4)  Benjamin,  b.  20  March,  1688; 
died  Sept.  1697.  (5)  Samuel,  b.  27  Sept.  1690.  (6)  Mercy,  b.  3  Feb.  1G92-3. 
(7)  Ebenezer,  b.  20  Aug.  1695.  (8)  Rebekah,  b.  14  May,  1698.  (9)  Benja- 
min, b.  20  Oct.  1700.  (10)  Joseph,  b.  9  Nov.  and  died  19  Dec.  1702.  (11) 
Amaziah,  b.  14  Dec.  1703.  Abigail,  wife  of  John  Knight,  died  17  June, 
1707.  "John  Knight,  sen."  died  9  Nov.  1735.  [Woburn  Records.] 

//.  John,  his  son,  born  3  March,  1686,  is  probably  the  John  Knight  who 
sold  his  homestead,  3  Feb.  1735-6,  in  Woburn  Precinct,  to  Rev.  Mr.  Sup- 
ply Clap ;  vacated  the  house  19  May,  1736 ;  and  seems  to  have  removed 
from  the  town,  as  no  further  mention  of  him  has  been  observed.  [Wo- 
burn Records.  Rev.  Mr.  Clap's  papers,  etc.] 

Michael  Knight  had  right  in  common  lands  of  Woburn  assigned  him, 
1668 ;  was  admitted  freeman,  1G54 ;  married  Mary  Bullard,  20  Oct.  1657 ; 
and  had  :  (1)  Mary,  born  14  Oct.  1658 ;  md.  to  George  Polly,  jun.,  1677.  (2) 
Jonathan,  b.  23  March,  1662.  (3)  Joseph,c  b.  10  Jan.  1664-6.  (4)  Lydia, 
b.  29  Sept.  1674.  [Woburn  Rec.  Colony  Rec.] 

LEARNED.  William,  born  in  England ;  admitted  freeman  of  the  Colo- 
ny, 1634 ;  received  with  Goodeth,  his  wife,  into  the  present  First  Church, 
Charlestown,  6  Dec.  1632;  subscribed  at  Charlestown  the  "Town  Or- 
ders "  for  Woburn,  1640 ;  was  one  of  the  first  seven  members  of  the 


»  Bond's  Watertown,  pp.  328,  816.    Col.  Records.    "Woburn  Town  Records,  and  Records 
of  Marriages,  etc.,  etc.    Savage's  Geneal.  Diet. 

fc  Col.  Rec.    "Wob.  Rec.    Rec.  of  Births,  etc.,  in  Wob.    Savage's  Geneal.  Diet, 
o "  Joshua"  according  to  Savage,  b.  20  Jan.  1664-5. 


GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES.  627 

Hannah  Mead,  daughter  of  David  Mead,  by  whom  he  had  :  (1)  Samuel,  b. 
24  Aug.1702.  (2)  Josiah,  b.  15  March,  1705.  (3)  Joshua,  b.  21  Aug.  1709. 
(4)  Nathan,  b.  20  March,  1713.  (5)  Hannah,  born  11  April,  1716,  md.  to 
Asa  Richardson,  1739. 

Ebenezer  Locke,  sen.  died  24  Dec.  1723:  Hannah,  his  widow,  died  24  July, 
1739.  [Woburn  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.] 

LOCKE.  //.  Samuel  Locke,  eldest  son  of  Ebenezer  and  Hannah  Locke, 
md.  Rebecca  Richardson,  both  of  Woburn,  2  March,  1730.  Their  eldest 
son,  Samuel  Locke,  born  23  Nov.  1731,  graduated  at  Harvard  College,  1755; 
early  called  to  be  President  of  that  Institution  in  1770 ;  "  was  a  fine  scholar, 
but  by  untoward  circumstances  required  to  resign  his  office,"  in  1773;  re- 
turned to  Sherborn,  where  he  had  been  previously  settled  in  the  ministry, 
and  died  there,  of  apoplexy,  15  Jan.  1778.  [Woburn  Records  of  Births,  etc. 
Savage's  General  Diet.] 

MOUSALL.     Deacon  John  Mousall :  See  Chapt.  II. 

//.  John  Mousall,  his  son,  married  Sarah  Brooks,  13  May,  1650 :  died  2 
April,  1698.  [Woburn  Reeds,  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.] 

NEVERS.  Richard  Nevers  (or  Neverds,  as  his  name  is  often  written)  is 
first  mentioned  as  an  inhabitant  of  Woburn  in  the  Country  Rate  of  26 
Aug.  1666.a  By  his  wife  Martha,  he  had  three  children :  (1)  Samuel,  born 
16  Dec.  1689.  (2)  Mary,  b.  9  July,  1694.  (3)  Martha,  b.  20  July,  1698. 

Richard  "  Neverds  "  died  the  ....  Nov.  1709.  "  The  widow  Neuards  " 
died  15  March,  1720. 

NEVERS.  /.  Samuel  Nevers,  his  son,  had  by  his  wife  Deborah :  (1) 
Samuel,  born  20  June,  1715.  (2)  William,  b.  16  Aug.  1716.  (3)  Hannah,  b. 
4  Feb.  1717-18 :  md.  to  David  Evans,  of  Reading,  1740.  (4)  Richard,  b.  29 
Dec.  1719.  (5)  Joshua,  b.  13  June,  1721.  (6)  Deborah,  b.  27  April,  1723. 
(7)  Mary,  b.  24  Oct.  1728. 

NEVERS.  //.  Samuel  Nevers,  jun.,  son  of  Samuel,  married  Susanna 
Williams,  2  August,  1739.  To  them  was  born  "  Samuel  Williams,"  son  of 
Samuel  and  Susanna  Nevers,  born  2  Nov.  1741,  died  22  Jan.  1741-2. 

NEVERS.  ///.  Samuel  Nevers,  whom  II.  Mr.  Samuel  Nevers  adopted  for 
his  own,  shortly  after  the  death  of  his  son,  Samuel  Williams,  was  originally 
named  Thomas  Marshall,  son  of  William  Marshall,  a  seafaring  man  of  Scotch 
descent,  and  was  born  March  2,  1741-2.  When  taken  into  the  family  of 
Mr.  Nevers,  he  grew  up  under  his  care,  and  went  into  the  French  War  in 
1758,  and  was  present  at  the  death  of  Gen.  Wolf  before  Quebec.  He  was 
twice  married ;  and  died  May  24,  1826,  leaving  a  very  numerous  family  of 
children. 

NUTT.  Myles  was  made  freeman,  1637 ;  was  a  proprietor  of  Watertown 
1636-7,  and  in  1642.  In  Woburn,  he  was  taxed  in  the  first  town  rate  on 
record,  levied  22  Dec.  1646 ;  and  order  also  was  given  about  the  same  time 
for  enlarging  his  house  lot.  He  was  Selectman  in  Woburn,  in  1647,  and 
during  seven  of  the  nine  years  immediately  succeeding.  In  1G44,  Novem- 
ber 5th,  his  daughter  Sarah,  whom  he  had  brought  with  him  from  England, 

•  Town  Bee.  Vol.  I.,  pp.  43,  44. 


628  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

was  married  to  Lieut.  John  Wyman ;  and  after  Mr.  Wyman's  death,  May 
1684,  she  was  md.  to  Thomas  Fuller  25  Aug.  of  the  same  year.  Mr.  Nutt 
died  at  Maiden,  2  July,  1671,  aged  about  73  years.  [Bond's  Watertown : 
Woburn  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  97.  Kecords  of  Marriages,  etc.,  etc.,  in 
Woburn.] 

PARKER.  Abraham ;  early  settled  in  Woburn,  being  taxed  there  8  Sept. 
1645,  the  first  tax  for  the  Country  on  record.  He  married,  18  Nov.  1644, 
Rose  Whitlock,  by  whom  he  had :  (1)  Hannah  [Anna,  County  Records,] 
born  29  Oct.  1645.  (2)  John,  b.  30  Oct.  1647.  (3)  Abraham,  b.  8  March, 
1650,  died  20,  1651.  (4)  Abraham,  again,  b.  Aug.  1652.  About  this  time,  he 
removed  to  Chelrasford,  where  he  had  other  children  born  to  him.  He  was 
made  freeman  1645 ;  and  died  12  Aug.  1685.  His  widow  died  13  Nov.  1691. 
[Woburn  Records  :  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet. ;  Col.  Records.] 

PARKER.  James  :  freeman  1644 ;  a  subscriber  at  Charlestown  to  the 
"Town  Orders"  for  Woburn,  1640;  and  taxed  in  Woburn,  1645  and  1646. 
He  married,  23  May,  1643,  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Robert  Long  of  Charles- 
town.  By  her  he  had :  (1)  Elizabeth,  born  12  March,  1645.  (2)  Ann,  b. 
6  Jan.  1646-7.  (3)  John,  b.  18  Jan.  1648-9.  (4)  Sarah,  b.  29  Aug.  1650; 
died  15  Oct.  1651.  (5)  Joseph,  b.  1651.  (6)  James,  b.  15  Apr.  1652,  and 
killed  by  the  Indians,  27  July,  1694.  About  1652,  he  removed  from 
Woburn  to  Chelmsford,  where  he  had  other  children  born  to  him ;  and 
from  Chelmsford  to  Groton.  He  died,  1701,  in  his  84th  year.  [Woburn 
Town  Rec.  and  Records  of  Births,  etc.  Savage's  Geneal.  Reg.] 

PEIRCE.  John  was  taxed  in  Woburn,  in  the  rate  for  the  country  in 
1645,  and  in  the  town  rate,  1646.  His  children  recorded  in  Woburn  are  : 
(1)  John,  born  23  Nov.  1644.  (2)  Joseph,  b.  12  Sept.  1646.  (3)  Thomas, 
b.  3  May,  1649.  [Records  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.,  in  Wob.  Town  Records. 
N.  B.  This  name  is  spelt  Peirce  with  great  uniformity  in  Wob.  Rec.,  till  a 
recent  date.] 

PEIRCE.  /.  John,  son  probably  of  the  John  preceding,  married,  1  July, 
1663,  Deborah,  daughter  of  Ensign  James  Convers ;  had  :  (1)  Deborah, 
born  30  Oct.  1666.  (2)  John,  born  26  Jan.  1670-1.  (3)  Thomas,  b.  23 
Dec.  1672.  (4)  James,  b.  6  Aug.  1674;  died  when  11  years  old.  (5) 
Daniel,  b.  7  Oct.  1676.  (6)  James,  again,  b.  8  Oct.  1686.  (7)  Joseph,  b. 
24  Aug.  1688.  (8)  Josiah,  b.  June,  1691.  John  Peirce  represented 
Woburn  in  General  Court,  1706 ;  chosen  13  Aug.  to  succeed  Major  James 
Convers,  deceased;  and  9  years  afterward,  between  1707  and  1718, 
inclusively.  [Wob.  Records  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.] 

Thomas  Peirce,  not  improbably  son  of  Thomas  "Peerce,"  admitted  into 
Charlestowu  Church  21  Feb.  1634-5.»  He,  (the  son,)  was  born  in  Eng- 
land; was  in  Woburn  as  early  as  1643;  was  taxed  there,  1645;  is  often 
styled  in  the  Records  there,  "Sargent  Thomas  Peirce;  was  Selectman  of 
Woburn,  1660,  and  repeatedly  afterwards ;  of  the  committee  for  dividing 
the  common  lands  in  Woburn  among  "the  right  proprietors,"  chosen  28 
March,  1667 ;  and  also  of  the  General  Court's  committee  appointed  for  the 

»  Charlestowu  Ch.  Records. 


GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES.  629 

same  purpose  in  1668.  By  his  wife,  Elizabeth,  there  were  born  to  him  in 
Woburn  :  (1)  John,  born  7  March,  1643.  (2)  Thomas,  b.  21  Jan.  1644-5. 
(3)  Elizabeth,  b.  25  Dec.  1646.  (4)  Joseph,  b.  22  Sept.  1648 ;  died  27  Feb. 
1648-9.  (5)  Joseph,  again,  b.  13  Aug.  1149.  (6)  Stephen,  b.  16  July,  1651. 
[Of  Chelrasford,  a  tailor,  1678X]  (7)  Samuel,  b.  20  Feb.  1653-4 ;  died  27 
Feb.  1655-6.  (8)  Samuel,  b.  7  Apr.  1656.  (9)  William,  b.  7  March,  1657. 

(10)  James,  b.  7  May,  1659.     "Old  Mr  James  Peirce  died  20  Jan.  1741-2." 

(11)  Abigail,  b.  20  Nov.  1660;  md.  to  George  Reed,  1684-5. 

"Thomas  Peirce,  sen."  died  6  Nov.  1683.  "Widow  Elizabeth  Peirce 
died  the  5th  of  March,  1688." 

PEIRCE.  Robert,  not  improbably  a  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  Peirce, 
of  Water-town;  freeman  1642;  removed  to  Woburn  about  1650,  where  he 
was  taxed  in  the  Country  Rate  for  1666,  and  was  numbered  among  those 
who  were  entitled  to  an  interest  in  the  common  lands  of  the  town  in  1668. 
By  his  wife,  Mary,  he  had  born  in  Woburn:  (1)  Judith,  30  Sept.  1651; 
died  30  May,  1689.  (2)  Mary,  b.  21  Jan.  1653-4;  md.  to  John  Walker,  (a 
brother  of  Samuel,  jun.,  and  Israel  Walker,)  14  Oct.  1672.  (3)  Nathaniel, 
b.  4  Dec.  1655 ;  md.  Hannah  Convers,  27  Dec.  1677.  (4)  Elizabeth,  b.  6 
March,  1658 ;  md.  to  Samuel  Wilson,  1681-2.  (5)  Jonathan,  b.  2  Feb.  1662-3. 
(6)  Joseph,  b.  1  May,  1672. 

Mary,  wife  of  Robert  Peirce,  died  18  March,  1701.  "  Old  Robert  Peirce" 
died  10  Sept.  1706. 

[Bond's  Watertown;  Col.  Records;  Woburn  Town  Rec. ;  Woburn  Rec. 
of  Births,  Marriages,  etc.,  etc.] 

PIERSON.  Bartholomew,  was  of  Watertown  1640 ;  admitted  freeman 
1648  :  bought  of  Isaac  Learned  his  house  and  land  in  Woburn,  2  Apr.  1652 ; 
moved  there  the  next  year ;  was  taxed  there  in  the  Rate  for  the  Country, 
assessed  26  Aug.  1666 ;  and  was  Selectman  1665  and  1666.  By  his  wife, 
Ursula,  he  had  born  to  him  in  Watertown :  (1)  Bartholomew,  b.  Sept.  1640 ; 
died  next  month.  (2)  Bartholomew,  again,  26  Feb.  1641-2;  died,  in 
Woburn,  23  Feb.  1661-2.  (3)  Martha,  b.  17  Sept.  1643.  (4)  Jonathan,  b.  12 
Aug.  1648.  (5)  Joseph,  b.  8  Nov.  1650.  After  he  removed  to  Woburn,  he 
had  born  to  him  a  daughter,  viz  :  Sarah,  b.  7  May,  1653.  Another  daugh- 
ter probably  of  his,  though  her  birth  is  not  found  on  record,  viz :  Mary 
Pierson,  was  married  in  Cambridge  to  John  Richardson,  of  Woburn,  28 
Oct.  1673 ;  and  they  had  a  son  called  by  the  well  known  name  of  Pierson 
Richardson. 

Bartholomew  Pierson  died  12  March,  1687.  His  w'dow,  Ursula,  died  28 
May,  1694.  The  name  Pierson  is  variously  spelt  Pearson,  Persune,  and 
Person. 

[Bond's  Watertown,  pp.  406,  910;  Colony  Records;  Savage's  Geneal. 
Diet. ;  Woburn  Town  Rec.  and  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.] 

POLLY.  George,  a  carpenter  by  trade ;  land  ordered  to  be  laid  out  to 
him  in  Woburn  Feb.  3,  1648-9 ;  chosen  a  Surveyor  of  Fences  1665 ;  was 
taxed  in  the  Rate  for  the  Country  1666 ;  and  his  right  to  share  in  the  com- 

•  Wyman  Papers,  No.  13.    Woburn  Town  Records,  Records  of  Births,  etc.,  etc. 
64* 


630  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

mon  lands  of  the  town  was  acknowledged  1668.  Married  in  Woburn  Eliz- 
abeth Winn,  daughter,  probably,  of  Edward  Winn,  21  May,  1G49,  by  whom 
he  had :  (1)  John,  born  16  Dec.  1650.  (2)  Joseph,  b.  25  Dec.  1652.  (3) 
George,  b.  4  Jan.  1655-6.  (4)  Elizabeth,  b.  14  Apr.  1657 ;  md.  to  John  Brown, 
1682.  (5)  Samuel,  b.  24  Jan.  1660-1,  and  died  the  next  month.  (6)  Han- 
nah, b.  6  Apr.  1662,  and  died  the  same  day.  (7)  Hannah,  again,  born  28 
June,  1663 ;  md.  to  J.  Baker,  jun.,  1682. 

George  Polly  died,  22  Dec.  1683.  Elizabeth  "Polle,  widow,"  died  2 
May,  1695. 

POLLY.  /.  George  Polly,  jun.,  md.  Mary  Knight,  24  Oct.  1677;  was  a 
carpenter,  like  his  father ;  had  a  family  of  ten  children ;  and  being  pressed, 
1692,  into  the  public  service,  his  family  was  helped  by  the  town.  [Town 
Records,  and  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.] 

POST.  Richard,  an  early  inhabitant  of  Woburn,  being  taxed  there  on 
the  list  for  the  Country  Rate,  1645 ;  and  had  grant  of  meadow  made  to 
him  in  1648.  He  married  Susanna  Sutton,  27  Feb.  1649-50.  For  his  second 
wife,  he  md.  Mary  Tyler,  18  Nov.  1662;  and  by  her  had:  (1)  Mary,  b.  29 
Sept.  1664.  (2)  Susanna,  b.  13  Sept.  1666.  (3)  John,  b.  14  Apr.  1669. 
He  was  taxed  in  the  Rate  for  the  Second  Meeting-house,  erected  in  1672; 
but  as  his  name  is  not  mentioned  in  the  tax  lists  for  the  town,  1679,  1680, 
it  is  presumed  that  he  had  then  moved  away.  His  house,  according  to  a 
reliable  tradition,  stood  a  little  north  of  the  road  leading  from  Mr.  Caleb 
Richardson's,  to  the  East  School-house  in  Burlington,  where  it  meets  the 
ancient  road  from  Woburn  to  Billerica,  which  passed  west  from  the  pres- 
ent great  road  and  of  Mr.  Samuel  Walker's  house.  There,  remains  of  Mr. 
Post's  house  and  his  well  are  still  to  be  seen.  [Woburn  Town  Records ; 
Records  of  Births,  etc.] 

REED.  George  Reed  was  son  of  William  and  Mabel  Reed,  who  em- 
barked from  England  in  the  "  Defence,"  4  July,  1656,  for  New  England, 
bringing  with  them  three  of  their  children,  viz :  George,  aged  6  years, 
Ralph,  aged  5  years,  and  "  Justice  "  or  Justus,  18  months  old. a  They  took 
up  their  abode  in  Woburn,  upon  laud  sold  Mr.  Reed  by  Nicholas  Davis. 
Their  dwelling-house  stood  in  a  pasture,  called  the  Baldwin  Pasture,  on 
the  road  from  Kendall's  mill  to  the  Messrs.  Duren.  The  pasture  is  now 
owned  by  them ;  and  remains  of  Mr.  Reed's  cellar  and  well  are  still  to  be 
seen  there,  b  But,  ere  many  years,  William  Reed  and  his  wife  Mabel 
returned  to  England.  He  died  at  Newcastle,  upon  Tyne,  a3t.  09 ;  and  not 
having  appointed  executors  in  his  will,  letters  of  administration  were 
granted  by  Oliver  Cromwell,  the  Protector,  31  Oct.  1656,  to  his  widow, 
Mabel,  who  speedily  returned  with  her  four  youngest  children  to  New 
England;  married  Henry  Summers,  sen.,  of  Woburn,  21  Nov.  1660;  and, 
outliving  him,  died  at  the  house  of  her  son  George,  5  [15?]  June,  1690, 
aged  85  years,  c  [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.] 


Hon.  James  Savage.  b  Letter  of  Jacob  "W.  Reed,  Esq.,  of  Georgetown,  Sept.  1856. 

c  Rev.  Lucius  R.  Paige. 


GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES.  631 

.  REED.  William  and  Mabel  Reed  appear  to  have  had  9  children,  viz: 
George,  Ralph,  and  "  Justice "  or  Justus,  who  came  with  them  to  New 
England  in  1635;  "Michaell"and  Israel,  Abigail,  Bethiah,  Sarah  and 
Rebekah. 

Of  "Justice,"  or  Justus,  nothing  is  known,  after  he  came  to  this 
country.  Of  "Michaell,"  nothing  is  known,  except  that  his  father  speaks 
of  him  in  his  Will,  as  married  in  New  England.  Abigail  was  married,  2 
Oct.  1650,  to  Francis  Wyman;  but  the  date  of  her  death  is  not  on  record. 
Bethiah  was  md.  to  John  Johnson,  28  Apl.  1657;  and  was  living,  1712,  with 
her  husband  at  their  son  Obadiah's,  in  Canterbury,  Ct.,  where  she  died 
about  1717.  Sarah  was  md.  to  Samuel  Walker,  jun.,  (afterwards  Dea. 
Walker,)  10  Sept.  1662,  and  died  1  Nov.  1681.  Eebekah  was  md.  to  Ensign 
Joseph  Winn «  about  1664:  "Widow  Rebekah  Winn  died  the  .  .  .  1734." 

REED.  /.  George  Reed,  sen.,  was  born  in  England;  came  to  this 
country  with  his  parents  in  1635,  when  he  was  six  years  of  age :  settled 
at  Woburn,  where  orders  were  given  a  Committee,  9  Nov.  1653,  to  lay  out 
to  him  6  acres  of  land,  in  consideration  of  a  house  lot  which  had  been 
previously  granted  him,  but  which  he  had  surrendered  again  to  the  town,  b 
He  was  made  freeman  1684;  married,  4  Oct.  1652,  Elizabeth  Jennison  [not 
"Ginnings,"  as  the  Records  give  the  name],  daughter  of  Robert  Jennison, 
ofWatertown;  to  whom  were -born  :  (1)  Elizabeth,  29  July,  1653 ;  md.  15 
Dec.  1675,  to  Daniel  Fiske.  (2,  3)  twins,  sons,  died  14  Nov.  1654,  but  a 
few  hours  old.  (4)  Samuel,  b.  29  Apr.  1656.  (5)  Abigail,  b.  27  June, 
1658 ;  md.  to  Nathl.  Richardson,  1694.  (6)  George,  b.  14  Sept.  1660.  (7) 
William,  b.  22  Sept.  1662.  (8)  Sarah,  b.  12  Feb.  1664-5.  Elizabeth,  first 
wife  of  George  Reed,  dying  26  Feb.  1664-5,  he  md.  9th  of  Nov.  1665,  Han- 
nah Rockwell,  of  Charlesto\vn,c  by  whom  he  had:  (1)  Hannah,  b.  18 Feb. 
1669-70.  (2)  John,  b.  18  March,  1672.  (3)  Mary,  b.  15  June,  1674;  md. 
to  Matthevy  Johnson,  jun.  (4)  Timothy,  b.  20  Oct.  1678.  (5)  Thomas,  b. 
15  July,  1682. 

George  Reed,  sen.,  died  21  Feb.  1705-6,  8et.  67.  His  second  wife  sur- 
vived him. 

REED.  //.  George  Reed,  jun.,  was  born  in  Woburn,  14  Sept.  1660; 
married  Abigail  Peirce,  daughter  of  Thomas,  18  Feb.  1684-5,  by  whom 
he  had :  (1)  Abigail,  b.  6  Feb.  1685-6.  (2)  Ebenezer,  b.  6  March,  1690, 
(1691,  County  Records.)  (3)  George,  b.  2  Aug.  1697 ;  died  6  Oct.  1697. 
(4)  Elizabeth,  b.  14  June,  1700;  md.  23  May,  1720,  to  Christopher  Paige 
of  Billerica,  now  Bedford ;  ancestor  of  Rev.  Lucius  Reed  Paige,  formerly 
of  Cambridgeport. 

II.  George  Reed  was  a  deacon  in  First  Church,  Woburn,  from  1719 
till  1735,  when,  at  the  gathering  of  the  Church  in  the  Precinct,  now  Bur- 
lington, he  was  chosen  one  of  its  first  two  deacons.  His  first  wife, 
Abigail,  dying  9  Sept.  1719,  he  married,  for  his  second  wife,  Sybil  Rice  of 
Sudbury,  probably  widow  of  Isaac,  24  May,  1721.  He  died  at  the  very. 

a  Mr.  John  A.  Boutelle.  b  Town  Rcc.,  Vol.  I  ,  pp.  18, 19. 

e  Ui-v.  Lucius  It.  Paige.    Rec.  of  Births,  etc.    Savage's  Genual.  Diet. 


632  GENEALOGICAL   NOTICES. 

advanced  age  of  95  years  and  4  months,  20  Jan.  1756.  [Woburn  Rec., 
Rev.  Mr.  Paige,  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.] 

REED.  Ralph,  son  of  William  and  Mabel  Reed,  was  brought  by  them  in 
1635  to  this  country  from  England,  when  a  child  of  5  years  of  age.  He 
settled  in  Woburn,  where  a  grant  of  land  was  made  to  him  by  the  town  in 
1654,  a  and  where  he  was  taxed  in  1666.  He  married  Mary,  daughter  of 
Anthony  Peirce,  of  Watertown,  by  whom  he  had :  (1)  William,  born  1658. 
(2)  John,  b.  1660.  (3)  Joseph.  (4)  Daniel.  (5)  Timothy,  b.  14  Feb. 
1664-5.  (6)  David.  (7)  Jonathan,  b  A  memorable  fatal  accident  hap- 
pened to  William,  the  eldest  son  of  Ralph,~which  is  stated  in  the  Records 
of  Deaths  as  follows  :  c  "  William  Read  dyed  by  a  shott  November  ye  7th, 
1688 :  his  brother  Timothy  at  unawares  in  the  Woods  shot  him  in  stedd 
of  a  dear." 

Mary,  wife  of  Ralph  Read,  died  15  Feb.  1701.  Ralph  Reed  dyed  4  Jan. 
1711-12. 

REED.  Israel,  son  of  William  and  Mabel  Reed,  was  brought  with  his 
sisters  from  England  to  this  country  by  his  mother,  after  the  decease  of 
his  father ;  and  when  about  17  years  of  age  was  put  under  the  guardian- 
ship of  his  brother  George,  till  he  should  be  21  years  old.d  He  was  taxed 
in  the  rate  for  building  the  new  meeting-house  in  1672 ;  followed,  appar- 
ently, the  business  of  a  butcher;  had  land  granted  him  "  near  the  burying 
place,"  to  set  a  barn  on,  1683-4,«  and  had  liberty  given  him  by  the  town, 
22  Feb.  1685-6,  to  erect  a  slaughter  house  near  his  house  by  the  Rocke,  at 
the  discretion  of  the  Selectmen.?  He  married,  about  1669,  Mary,  daughter 
of  Francis  Kendall ;  by  whom  he  had :  (1)  Mary,  born  15  Oct.  1670 ;  md.  to 
Matthew  Johnson,  jun.  (2)  Sarah,  b.  29  Aug.  1673.  (3)  a  daughter,  b.  2 
Jan.  1678-9.  (4)  Elizabeth,  b.  22  Dec.  1681 ;  ind.  to  Richard  Snow,  Jan. 
1706-7.  (5)  Ruth,  b.  6  Jan.  1683-4.  (6)  Israel,  b.  17  March,  1687.  (7) 
Jemima,  b.  23  July,  1689.  (8)  Patience,  b.  3  Dec.  1697 ;  md.  to  Jeremiah 
Whittemore,  of  Charlestown,  15  March,  1722. 

"  Israel  Reed  died  29  June,  1711."  "  The  widow  Mary  Reed  died  ye  17th 
of  January,  1721"  [1721-22]. 

It  was  to  Israel  Reed,  jun.,  son  of  the  above  Israel  Reed,  to  whom  the 
grant  to  Woburn  of  2000  acres  was  sold  in  1734,  by  the  town's  committee. 

RICHARDSON.  Ezekiel  Richardson,  apparently  the  eldest  of  the  three 
brothers  of  this  name  engaged  in  the  settlement  of  Woburn,  was  born  in 
England ;  came  with  his  wife,  Susanna,  to  Charlestown,  probably  in  the 
fleet  with  Winthrop,  in  1630.  Both  joined  the  church  which  was  gathered 
there  in  1630,  and  which  afterwards  became  the  First  Church  in  Boston ; 
and  both  were  dismissed  from  it,  11  Oct.  1632,  with  others,  in  order  to  form 
the  present  First  Church  in  Charlestown,  which  was  gathered  in  Novem- 
ber following.  He  was  Representative  of  Charlestown  in  General  Court, 
1635 ;  Selectman,  in  1640 ;  and  one  of  the  seven  Commissioners  appointed 


•Town  Records.        b Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.       •  Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  Deaths,  etc. 
«Rev.  Lucius  R.  Paige.    »Rec.  of  Town,  Vol.  I.,  p.  124.    'T.  R.,  Vol.  III.,  p.  93 ;  Rec.  of 
Births,  etc.,  etc. 


GENEALOGICAL   NOTICES.  633 

that  year  by  the  church  of  Charlestown  to  effect  the  settlement  of  Woburn. 
Of  the  church  of  Woburn,  he  was  one  of  the  original  members.  By  his 
wife,  Susanna,  he  had :  (1)  Phebe,  baptized  in  Boston,  3  June,  1632,  and 
married,  1  Nov.  1649,  to  Henry  Baldwin.  (2)  Theophilus.  (3)  Josiah.  (4) 
John,  who  died  at  Woburn,  7  Jan.  1642-3.  (5)  Jonathan;  died  young. 
(6)  James.  (7)  Ruth,  born  at  Woburn,  23  Aug.  and  died  7  Sept.  1643. 
Ezekiel  Richardson  died  21  Oct.  1647. 

RICHARDSON.  7.  Theophilus,  eldest  son  of  Ezekiel  and  Susanna 
Richardson,  was  baptized  in  the  church  of  Charlestown,  22  Dec.  1633 ;» 
married,  2  May,  1654,  Mary  Chauipney,  daughter  of  John  and  Joanna 
Champuey,  of  Cambridge ;  b  by  whom  he  had :  (1)  Ezekiel,  born  28  Oct. 
1655.  (2)  Mary,  b.  15  Jan.  1657-8.  (3)  Sarah,  b.  23  Apr.  1660.  (4)  Abi- 
gail, b.  21  Oct.  1662.  (5)  Hannah,  b.  6  Apr.  1665;  md.  to  Daniel  Baldwin, 
1684-5.  (6)  John,  b.  16  Jan.  1667-8 ;  died  29  Oct.  1749,  set.  81  years. 
[Gravestone.]  (7)  Esther,  b.  25  June,  1670.  (8)  Ruth,b.  31  Aug.  1673; 
md.  to  William  Russell,  of  Salem  Village  [Danvers],  20  Jan.  1703-4. 

Theophilus  Richardson  died  28  Dec.  1674.  His  widow,  Mary,  probably 
married  John  Brooks,  sen.,  30  Jan.  1683-4. 

RICHARDSON.  77.  Ezekiel  Richardson,  son  of  Theophilus,  and  grand- 
son of  first  Ezekiel,  married,  27  July,  1687,  Elizabeth  Swan,  of  Cambridge; 
by  whom  he  had :  (1)  Theophilus,  born  4  July,  1688 ;  died,  3  Aug.  1688. 

(2)  Elizabeth,  b.  20  Oct.  1689  [1690,  County  Records.]     (3)   Theophilus,  b. 
7  Jan.  1691-2.     (4)  Ezekiel,  b.  22  Apr.  1694.    (5)  Abigail,  b.  15  Jan.  1696-7. 

(6)  Aaron,  b.  16  Dec.  1701. 

Ezekiel  Richardson  died  13  March,  1734. 

RICHARDSON.  77.  John  Richardson,  son  of  7.  Theophilus,  and  brother 

of  77.  Ezekiel,  married  Deborah ,  by  whom  he  had  :  (1)  Mary,  born 

10  Aug.  1689.  (2)  John,  b.  29  Dec.  1692.  (3)  Deborah,  b.  8  March,  1695 ; 
md.  to  John  Kendall,  1718.  (4)  Sarah,  b.  12  March,  1698 ;  died  20  Feb. 
1703-4.  (5)  Josiah,  b.  14  Feb.  1700-1.  (6)  Nathan,  b.  24  Jan.  1701-2. 

(7)  Eunice,  b.  3  Jan.  1703-4.    Deborah,  wife  of  John  Richardson,  died  12 
Feb.  1703-4.     [Record  of  Births,  etc.,  in  Woburn.] 

RICHARDSON.  Samuel  Richardson,  brother  of  the  first  Ezekiel,  was 
born  in  England;  was  admitted  into  the  church  of  Charlestown  18  Feb. 
1637-8 ;  and  at  dismission  from  that,  he  became  one  of  the  original  mem- 
bers of  the  church  in  Woburn,  gathered  in  August  1642.  By  his  wife 
Joanna  he  had :  (1)  Mary,  baptized  in  the  church  at  Charlestown  25  Feb. 
1637-8,  and  married  probably  to  Thomas  Mousall  of  Charlestown.  (2) 
John,  born  at  Charlestown,  and  baptized  in  the  church  there  12  Nov.  1639. 

(3)  Hannah,  b.  at  Woburn  8  March,  and  died  there  8  April,  1642.     (4)  Jo- 
seph, b.  27  July,  1643.    (5)  Samuel,  b.  22  May,  1646.   [April,  Gravestone.]  (6) 
Stephen,  b.  15  Aug.  1649.     (7)  Thomas,  b.31  Dec.  1651,  died  27  Sept.  1657. 
Also  a  daughter  Elizabeth,  mentioned  about  1666  in  her  mother's  Will. 
Samuel  Richardson  died  23  March,  1658 ;  His  widow  Joanna  died  in  1666. 


»  Charlestown  Church  Records.    Savage's  Qeneal.  Diet.     "Wob.  Town  Records.    b  Cam- 
bridge Ch.  Itec. 


634  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

[Charlestown  Ch.  Records  :  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.    Woburn  Town  Rec.  of 
Births,  etc.,  etc.] 

RICHARDSON.  John,  eldest  son  of  Samuel  Richardson,  married  Eliza- 
beth Bacon,  daughter  of  Michael,  of  Woburn,  22  Oct.  1658 ;  and  had  by 
her :  (1)  John,  b.  24  Jan.  1660-1.  (2)  Joseph,  b.  3  Jan.  1666-7.  His  wife 
Elizabeth  dying,  he  md.  28  Oct.  1673,  Mary  Pierson,  daughter  of  Bartholo- 
mew Pierson,  by  whom  he  had:  (1)  Pierson  Richardson,  b.  29  Sept.  1674. 
(2)  Jacob,  b.  15  Feb.  1675-6.  (3)  William,  b.  29  June,  and  died  1  Aug. 

1678.  His  2d  wife  being  dead,  John  Richardson  "  sen.,"  and  Margaret  Wil- 
ling md.  25  June,  1689 ;  and  had :     (1)   Willing,  a  son,  b.  5  Oct.  1692  :  died 
14  March,  1704.     (2)  Job,  b.  30  Apr.  1696. 

Lieut.  John  Richardson  died  1  Jan.  1696-7,  aged  58  years  [Gravestone] 
"  Widow  Margaret  Richardson  died  28  Oct.  1726."  [Rec.  of  Births,  etc., 
etc.  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.] 

RICHARDSON.  Joseph,  second  son  of  first  Samuel  Richardson,  married 
Hannah  Green,  5  Nov.  1666;  by  whom  he  had:  (1)  Hannah,  born  22  Oct. 
1667.  (2)  Mary,  b.  22  March,  1669 ;  md.  to  James  Fowle  1688.  (3)  Eliza- 
beth, b.  28  June,  1670;  md.  to  John  Coggin,  1692.  (4)  Joseph,  b.  19  May, 
1672.  (5)  Stephen,  b.  7  Feb.  1673-4.  [Afterwards  known  as  Dea.  Stephen, 
who  died  Feb.  1752,  aged  79.  Gravestone.] 

Joseph  Richardson,  "  sen.,"  was  admitted  freeman  1672 ;  and  died  5  March 
1718.  "  The  widow  Hannah  Richardson  died  20  May,  1721.  [Wob.  Rec. 
of  Births,  etc.  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.] 

RICHARDSON.  //.  Samuel,  3d  son  of  first  Samuel  Richardson,  and 
brother  of  John  and  Joseph  above,  had  by  his  wife  Martha,  5  Nov.  1670 : 
(1,  2)  Samuel  and  Thomas,  twins,  of  whom  Thomas  was  slain  by  the  In- 
dians, 10  April,  1676.  (3)  Elizabeth,  born  about  1672.  (4)  Martha,  b.  20 
Dec.  1673 :  Martha,  the  mother  of  this  child,  died  the  day  of  its  birth. 
Samuel  Richardson  md.  Hannah  Kingsley,  30  Sept.  1674.  This  2d  wife 
Hannah,  and  an  infant,  Hannah,  slain  by  the  Indians,  10  Apr.  1676.  He 
then  md.  Phebe,  daughter  of  Henry  Baldwin,  7  Nov.  1676,  by  whom  he  had : 
Zechariah,  b.  21  Nov.  1677.  Phebe  Richardson,  his  3d  wife  dying  20  Oct. 

1679,  he  md.  for  his  4th  wife,  8  Sept.  1680,  Sarah  Hayward ;  by  whom  he 
had:    (1)   Thomas,  born  18  Aug.  and  died  9  Sept.  1681.     (2)  Sarah,  b.  20 
Aug.  1682.    (3)  Thomas,  again,  b.  25  Sept.  1684.  (4)  Ebeneger,  b.  15  March, 
1687.    (5)  ....  son  of  Samuel  and  Sarah  Richardson,  b.  17  Aug.  1689,  and 
died  the  same  day.     (6)  Hannah,  b.  11  Aug.  1690.     (7)  Eleazer,  b.  10  Feb. 
1692-3.     (8)  Jonathan,  b.  16  July,  1696.     (9)  David,  b.  14  Apr.  1700.   Sam- 
uel Richardson  died  29  Apr.  1712  [aged  66  years.    Gravestone.]    The  widow 
Sarah  Richardson  died  14  Oct.  1717  [aged  62  years.    Gravestone.]    Wob. 
Records  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.    Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.] 

RICHARDSON.  /.  Stephen  Richardson,  4th  son  of  first  Samuel,  and  bro- 
ther of  the  above  John  &  Joseph,  married,  2  Jan.  1674-5,  Abigail  Wyman, 
a  daughter,  probably,  of  Francis  Wyman ;  by  whom  he  had :  (1)  Stephen, 
born  20  Feb.  1675-6.  (2)  Francis,  b.  19  and  died  27  Jan.  1677-8.  (3)  Wil- 
liam, b.  14  Dec.  1678.  (4)  Francis,  again,  b.  15  Jan.  1680-1.  (5)  Timothy, 
b.  6  Dec.  1682 ;  died  18  Jan.  1682-3.  (6)  Abigail,  b.  14  Nov.  1683.  (7) 


GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES.  635 

Prudence,  b.  17  Jan.  1685-6.  (8)  Timothy,  again,  b.  24  Jan.  1687-8.  (9) 
Seth,  b.  16  Jan.  1689-90.  (10)  Daniel,  b.  16  Oct.  1681.  (11)  Mary,  b.  3 
May,  1696.  (12)  Rebekah,  b.  10  Jane,  1698 ;  died  6  Dec.  1711.  (13)  Solo- 
mon, b.  27  March,  1702.  (14)  Henry,  b.  1704. 

Stephen  Richardson,  sen.,  died  22  March,  1718  ["ab*.  67  years  old:" 
Gravestone].  Widow  Abigail  Richardson  died  17  Sept.  1720  [aged  60 
years :  Gravestone], 

[Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.     Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.] 

Thomas  Richardson,  born  in  England ;  doubtless  came  to  this  country 
with  his  brothers  Ezekiel  and  Samuel  above  named,  in  1630 ;  was  admitted 
into  the  church  of  Charlestown  18  Feb.  1638 ;  and  by  his  wife  Mary  had : 
Mary,  who  was  baptized  there  17  Nov.  1638 ;  and  (2)  Sarah,  baptized  at 
Charlestown,  22  Nov.  1640."  His  other  children  by  his  wife  Mary  were 
born  in  Woburn,  and  were  :  (1)  Isaac,  b.  24  May,  1643.  (2)  Thomas,  b.  4 
Oct.  1645.  (3)  Ruth,  b.  14  Apr.  1647.  (4)  Phebe,  b.  24  Jan.  1648-9.  (5) 
Nathaniel,  b.  2  Jan.  1650-1.  Thomas  Richardson  died  28  Aug.  1651. 

[Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.    Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.] 

RICHARDSON.  /.  Isaac  Richardson,  son  of  Thomas  and  Mary,  mar- 
ried Deborah,  daughter  of  Thomas  Fuller,  19  June,  1667,  and  had  by  her: 
(1)  Jonathan,  born  12  Dec.  1669.  (2)  Deborah,  6.  22  Jan.  1671-2.  (3,  4) 
Joseph  and  Benjamin,  twins,  b.  25  June  [al.  January],  1674.  (5)  Mercy 
IMary,  County  Records],  b.  27  Oct.  1676;  died  13  May,  1678.  (6)  David, 
b.  4  Feb.  1678-9.  (7)  Phebe,  b.  14  Feb.  1680-1 ;  married  to  Joseph  Rice, 
Reading,  20  May,  1703?  (8)  Mary,  b.  14  July,  1683.  (9)  Elizabeth,  b.  8 
Nov.  1685.  (10)  Edward  [Samuel?],  b.  2  Feb.  1687-8.  Isaac  Richardson 
died  2  Apr.  1689.  [Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.  Woburn  Records  of  Births, 
etc.,  etc.] 

RICHARDSON.  /.  Thomas,  son  of  first  Thomas  Richardson,  and 
brother  of  Isaac,  born  4  October,  1645,  settled  in  Billerica,  and  died  there, 
25  Feb.  1721,  [1721-2?];  leaving  numerous  descendants.  [Farmer's 
Geneal.  Register.] 

RICHARDSON.  /.  Nathaniel,  son  of  first  Thomas  Richardson,  and 
brother  of  Isaac,  had  by  his  wife  Mary :  (1)  Nathaniel,  born,  27  Aug. 
1673.  (2)  James,  b.  26  Feb.  1675-6.  "Capt.  James  Richardson  died  24 
March,  1721-2,  (aged  46  years  &  23  days."  G.  S.)  (3)  Mary,  b.  10  March, 
1679;  md.  to  Thomas  Wyman,  1696;  and  to  Josiah  Winn,  1733.  (4) 

Joshua,  b.  3  June,  1681.  (5)  Martha,  b. ,  1683.  (6)  John,  b.  25  Jan. 

1684-5.  (7)  Thomas,  b.  15  Apr.  1687.  (8)  Hannah,  b. May,  1689. 

(9)  Samuel,  b.  24  Sept.  1691.  (10)  Phineas,  b.  ye.  of  February, 

1693-4.  (11)  Phebe,  b.  4  March,  1696;  md.  to  David  Wyman,  1716.  (12) 
Amos,  son  of  Nathl.  and  Mary  Richardson,  b.  ]  0  Aug.  1698.  (13)  Benjamin, 
son  of  Nathl.  and  Mary  Richardson,  b.  27  Aug.  1700;  died  5  Sept.  1700. 

Nathaniel  Richardson,  sen.,  died  4  Dec.  1714.  Mary  Richardson,  widow 
of  Nathaniel  Richardson,  died  22  Dec.  1719.  [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc., 
etc.  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.] 

The  Richardsons  have  always  been  the  most  numerous  family  in 
Woburn.  On  the  Province  Tax  List  for  both  Parishes,  in  1769,  of  330 


636  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

resident  males  taxed,  there  were  42  Richardsons,  '27  Wymans,  16  Reeds, 
and  24  Johnsons,  making  101'  persons  of  those  four  names ;  a  number 
which,  within  a  trifle,  is  equal  to  one-third  of  all  the  males  then  taxed. 
See  T.  R.,  Vol.  IX.,  pp.  83-91. 

Again,  in  1760,   the  Province  and   County  Tax  (assessed  in  Woburn 
together)  amounted  to  £641  17s.  6d.  Iqr. 
In  the  assessment  of  this  Tax,  there  were  : 

On  the  East  List,  160  resident  persons  assessed. 
On  the  West  List,  166        "  "  " 

Making               326        "            "  "        in  all. 

T.  R.,  Vol.  VIII.,  pp.  295-302. 

Of  the  resident  persons  taxed,  there  were  of 

Johnsons  on  the  East  List,     3 :  on  the    West  List,  18=21 

Reeds  on  the  East  List,            3 :    "  "    West  List,  14=17 

Richardsons  on  the  East  List,  42:    "  "    West  List,    2=44 

Wymans  on  the  East  List,      14 :    "  "    West,          14=28 

62  48=110 

equal  to  more  than  one-third  of  all  the  resident  persons  in  town,  that  were 
taxed  that  year. 

And  of  the  326  residents  taxed  that  year  in  Woburn,  44,  or  nearly  2-15ths 
of  the  whole  number,  were  Richardsons. 

RUSSELL.  John,  sen.  See  Chap.  V.  Concerning  his  family,  however, 
it  may  here  be  added,  that  his  first  wife,  Elizabeth,  he  doubtless  married  in 
England.  She  dying  at  Woburn,  16  Dec.  1644,  he  married  for  his  second 
wife  Elizabeth  Baker,  13  May,  1645.  She  died  his  widow,  17  Jan.  1689-90. 
His  daughter  Mary  md.  Timothy  Brooks,  21  Dec.  1659.  [Wob.  Rec.  of 
Births,  etc.  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.] 

RUSSELL.  //.  John  Russell,  jun.,  son  of  John  Russell,  sen.  See 
Chapt.  V. 

He  married  Sarah  'Champney,  of  Cambridge,  31  Oct.  1661.  Their  chil- 
dren were :  (1)  John,  born  1  Aug.  1662.  (2)  Joseph,  b.  15  Jan.  1663-4. 
(3)  Samuel,  b.  3  Feb.  1667-8 ;  died  1  Dec.  1668.  (4)  Sarah,  b.  10  Feb. 
1670-1.  (5)  Elizabeth,}*.  19  Feb.  1672-3.  ["  Widow  Elizabeth  Peirce  dyed 
June  ye.  5th,  1743,  in  the  71st.  year  of  her  age.  Her  maiden  name,  Eliza 
Russell."  Rec.  of  Deaths,  etc.]  (6)  Jonathan,  b.  6  Aug.  1675 ;  died  June 
20,  1708,  ["aged  32  years  &  10  mos."  Gravestone.]  (7)  Thomas,  b.  5  Jan. 
1677-8.  Sarah  Russell,  widow,  died  y«.  25th  of  Apr.  1696. 

RUSSELL.  III.  John,  son  of  John  Russell,  jun.,  married  Elizabeth  Pal- 
mer, 21  Dec.  1682 ;  by  whom  he  had :  (1)  John,  born  20  Sept.  1683.  (2) 
Joseph,  b.  3  Oct.  1685.  (3)  Stephen,  b.  25  Aug.  1687.  (4)  Elizabeth,  b.  21 
June,  1690.  (5)  Samuel,  b.  16  July,  1692.  (6)  Sarah,  b.  15  Oct.  1694.  (7) 
John,  [name  mistaken  by  Town  Clerk]  born  19  Aug.  and  died  12  Sept.  1697. 
(8)  Ruth,  b.  16  Jan.  1698-9;  married  to  Sam.  Eaton,  20  March,  1722.  (9) 
Jonathan,  b.  7  Nov.  1700.  (10)  Mary,  b.  2  March,  1703 ;  died  27  Nov.  1709. 
(11)  Thomas,  b.  26  June,  1705.  John  Russell  died  26th  July,  1717. 


GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES.  637 

"Widow  Elizabeth  Russell,"  named  in  Province  Tax,  1723,  but  not  in  1724. 
She  died  about  1723.  [Wob.  Records  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.  Savage's  Geneal. 
Diet.] 

RUSSELL.  IV.  John  Russell,  son  of  III.  John,  and  grandson  of  John 
Russell,  jun.,  md.  Joanna  Winu,  27  Nov.  1711.  Their  children  were  :  (1) 
Mary,b.  3  Oct.  1712;  md.  to  Thomas  Richardson,  1735;  and  died  11  Jan. 
1741-2.  (2)  Elizabeth,  b.  18  Dec.  1714.  (3)  Anne,  b.  10  Feb.  1715-6 ;  md. 
to  John  Coolidge,  1739.  (4)  John,  b.  16  July,  1717.  (5)  Abigail,  b.  22 
Sept.  1719.  (6)  Edward,  b.  7  April,  1722.  (7)  James,  b.  22  Feb.  1723-4. 
(8)  Daniel,  b.  5  Apr.  1726. 

Mr.  Russell  was  Town  Clerk,  1739,  40,  41,  42,  43  and  1745 ;  and  also 
chosen  Clerk  of  First  Parish  at  first  Parish  Meeting,  3  March,  1731-2,  and 
constantly  re-chosen  every  year  till  March  1741-2  :  but  the  date  of  his  death, 
and  that  of  his  wife  are  not  found  in  the  Records.  [T.  Records,  and 
Records  of  Births,  etc.] 

SEIRS.  John  Seirs  (as  the  name  is  spelled  in  Woburn  Records)  was  in 
Charlestown  in  1639 ;  subscribed  there  the  "Town  Orders"  for  Woburn, 
Dec.  1640;  was  admitted  into  the  church  at  Charlestown,  28  March,  1641; 
made  freeman  the  same  year ;  was  among  the  first  who  settled  in  Woburn ; 
taxed  there  in  1645 ;  and  chosen  Selectman,  1667,  1669.  His  first  wife, 
Susanna,  dying  29  Aug.  1677,  he  married  Esther  Mason,  20  Nov.  1677 ;  and 
quickly  after  the  decease  of  this,  his  second  wife,  14  Aug.  1680,  he  married 
Ann  Farrar,  widow  of  the  first  Jacob  Farrar,  2  Nov.  1680.  He  died, 
leaving  no  children,  5  Oct.  1697.  [Woburn  Records.  Charlestown  Ch. 
Records.  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.] 

SHELDON.  John  Sheldon  was  taxed  in  Woburn,  in  the  rate  for  the 
second  Meeting-House,  1672 ;  which  shows  he  was  then  an  inhabitant  of 
Woburn.  He  had  previously,  viz :  1  Feb.  165S-9,  married,  at  Billerica, 
Mary  Thompson,  widow  of  Simon  Thompson,  of  Woburn,  who  deceased 
in  May,  1658.  By  her  he  had  a  son,  John,  born  24  April,  1660,  who  at  his 
death,  27  Aug.  1724,  was  a  deacon  in  the  church  of  Billerica.  John 
Sheldon,  sen.,  died  24  May,  1690,  aged  about  63  years.  [Woburn  and 
Billerica  Records.] 

SIMONDS.  William  Simonds,  sen.,  settled  in  Woburn  about  1644,  near 
a  place  still  known  by  the  name  of  Dry  Brook.  He  married,  18  Jan. 
1643-4,  Judith  Hayward,  widow  of  James  Hayward,  who  had  married  her, 
when  Judith  Phippen,  a  fellow  passenger,  and  a  fellow  servant,  on  board 
the  "Planter,"  from  London,  1635.  By  her,  Simonds  had :  (1)  Sarah, 
born  28  July,  1644.  (2)  Judith,  b.  3  March,  1646.  (3)  Mary,  b.  9  Dec. 
1647.  (4)  Caleb,  b.  16  Aug.  1649.  (5)  William,  b.  15  Apr.  1651.  (6) 
Joseph,  b.  18  Oct.  1652.  (7)  Benjamin,  b.  18  March,  1654.  (8)  Tabitha, 
b.  20  July;  died  20  Aug.  1655.  (9)  Joshua,  b.  ;  died  16  July,  1657. 

(10)  James,  b.  1  Nov.  1658 ;  married  to  Susanna  Blogget,  29  Dec.  1685. 

(11)  Bethiah,  b.  "9:  3  mo,"  9  May,   [3:9  mo:  3  Nov.?]   1659;  md.  to 
John  Walker,  sen.,  13  August,  1696.     (12)  Huldah,  b.   20  Nov.  1660;  md. 
to  Samuel  Blogget,  jun.,  1683. 

William  Simonds,  sen.,  died  7  June,  1672 :  Judith  Simonds,  widow,  died 
55 


638  GENEALOGICAL   NOTICES. 

3  Jan.  1689-90.  [Woburn  Records  of  Births,  Marriages,  etc.,  etc.; 
Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.] 

SIMONDS.  Caleb,  eldest  son  of  William  and  Judith  Simonds,  married 
Sarah  Bacon,  25  Sept.  1677.  To  them  were  born  :  (1)  Samuel,  b.  30  June, 
1678;  died  a  pauper  in  1757?  [See  Treasurer's  Book,  29  July,  1757.]  (2) 
James,  b.  15  Jan.  1683-4.  (3)  Sarah,  b.  11  Nov.  died  16  Nov.  1687.  Caleb 
Simonds  died  4  Nov.  1712.  "Widow  Sarah  Simonds  died  11  Apr.  1627." 
[Woburn  Records  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.] 

SIMONDS.  /.  James,  son  of  the  above  Caleb  and  Sarah  Simonds,  had, 
by  his  wife  Lydia :  (1)  James,  born  22  April,  1714.  (2)  Caleb,  b.  27  May, 
1716.  (3)  Sarah,  b.  2  March,  1718;  died  25  Feb.  1745-6.  (4)  Lydia,  b.  25 
June,  1720;  m.  to  Samuel  Chamberlain  1744?  (5)  Abigail,  b.  30  July, 
1722 ;  wife  of  James  Thompson,  of  Wilmington,  and  mother  of  Mrs.  John 
Flagg.  (6)  Susanna,  b.  11  Sept.  1724.  James  Simonds  died  28  Dec.  1733. 
Widow  Lydia  Simonds  died  29  June,  1744.  [Woburn  Records  of  Births, 
etc.,  etc.] 

SIMONDS.  //.  James  Simonds,  eldest  son  of  James  and  Lydia,  and 
once  the  owner,  it  is  believed,  of  the  "Jemmy  Pasture,"  so  called,  in  Bur- 
lington, now  the  property  of  Mr.  Caleb  Richardson,  married  Ann  Convers, 
about  Aug.  1745.  To  them  were  born :  (1)  Anne,  30  July,  1746 ;  md.  to 
Ebenezer  Whitney,  1767.  (2)  Jude,  b.  9  Jan.  1748-9.  (3)  Esther,  b.  2 
March,  1750.  (4)  Hazael  [Asahel],  b.  28  Dec.  1752.  (5)  Ebemzer,  b.  4 
March,  1755.  (6)  Keziah,  b.  28  Jan.  1758.  [Wob.  Records  of  Births, 
etc.] 

SIMONDS.  //.  Caleb  Simonds,  second  son  of  the  above  James  and 
Lydia,  married  Lydia  Robinson,  of  Lexington,  1751.  Their  children  were : 
(1)  Jonathan,  born  1  Jan.  1752 ;  a  farmer,  and  a  deacon  of  the  church  in 
Burlington ;  died  27  May,  1827,  set.  76.  (2)  Caleb,  a  farmer,  born  17  Feb. 
1755 ;  died  15  June,  1819,  set.  65.  (3)  James,  b.  5  Dec.  1758.  (4)  Lydia,  b. 
28  Jan.  1761 ;  md.  to  Amos  Reed,  butcher,  of  New  Salem,  7  Oct.  1781 ;  died 
at  Salem,  July  or  Aug.  1850,  aet.  89. 

Widow  Lydia  Simonds  died  29  Jan.  1778,  aged  about  60.  [Wob.  Records 
of  Births,  etc.  Rev.  Mr.  Marrett's  Record  of  Deaths.] 

SIMONDS.  William  Simonds,  second  son  of  William  and  Judith 
Simonds,  it  is  presumed,  removed  from  Woburn  early,  the  records  giving 
no  information  concerning  him  that  has  been  observed,  except  the  date 
of  his  birth,  as  presented  above. 

SIMONDS.  Joseph  Simonds,  third  son  of  William  and  Judith,  was  a 
carpenter.  In  1679,  he  gave  by  deed  to  his  brother  James  certain  lands 
he  owned  in  Woburn,  on  the  road  to  Concord,  with  a  new  unfinished  house 
thereon,  barn,  and  land  about  it ;  and  James  gave  to  him  in  return,  lands 
he  owned  in  Cambridge  Farms  or  Lexington,  upon  which  Joseph  Simonds 
soon  settled,  and  became  the  father  of  the  numerous  families  of  his  name, 
which  in  successive  generations  have  been  inhabitants  of  Lexington. 
[Original  deed  of  Joseph  Simonds.] 

SIMONDS.  /.  Benjamin,  fourth  son  of  William  and  Judith  Simonds, 
had  by  his  wife  Rebekah :  (1)  William,  born  14  Feb.  1678-9;  married 


GENEALOGICAL   NOTICES.  639 

Elizabeth ,  and  lived  in  Billerica.»  (2)  Benjamin,  b.  14  Jan.  1680-81. 

(3)  Joseph,  b.  1  March,  1683.  (4)  John,  b.  22  March,  1685.  (5)  Bebekah, 
b.  6  June,  1687.  (6)  Daniel,  b.  21  Feb.  1689-90.  (7)  Jacob,  b.  26  May, 
1692.  (8)  Judith,  b.  5  Oct.  1695;  married  to  Samuel  Eames,  1717.  (9) 
Huldah,  b.  25  Oct.  1700;  md.  to  Nathan  Wyman,  1723. 

Rebekah,  wife  of  Benjamin  Simonds,  died April,  1713.  Lieut. 

Benjamin  Simonds  died  21  Sept.  1726. 

SIMONDS.  //.  Benjamin,  jun.,  son  of  Benjamin  and  Rebekah  Simonds, 
married  Abigail,  daughter  of  Josiah  Wood,  7  Aug.  1723.  Their  children 
were :  (1)  Benjamin,  born  1  June,  1724.  (2)  Abigail,  b.  6  Nov.  1725 ;  md. 
to  Samuel  Wood,  22  Oct.  1747.  (3)  Buth,  b.  14  May,  1727 ;  md.  to  Zebedee 
Simonds,  30  May,  1749.  Abigail,  wife  of  Benjamin  Simonds,  died  1  Nov. 
1739,  aged  48  years.  Mr.  Benjamin  Simonds,  sen.,  died  13  Jan.  1748-9, 
"  aged  sixty-nine  years  wanting  one  day."  [Manuscripts  of  Simonds'  fam- 
ily. Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.] 

SIMONDS.  ///.  Benjamin,  son  of  Benjamin  and  Abigail  Simonds,  was 
married  to  Susannah  Simonds,  daughter  of  ///.  James  and  Mary,  and  son 
of  //.  James  and  Susanna,  29  March,  1748.  Their  children  were  :  (1)  Su- 
sannah, born  11  Feb.  1749-50.  (2)  Benjamin,  b.  30  Dec.  1751;  died  24 
Dec.  1753.  (3)  Benjamin,  b.  20  May,  1754.  (4)  Zebedee,  b.  23  Feb.  1756. 

(5)  Nathan,  b.  23  Oct.  1757.     (6)  Abigail,  b.  31  May,   1759.     (7)  William, 
b.  6  March,  1761.     (8)  Mary,  b.  5  Sept.  1762.     (9)  Martha,  b.  5  Aug.  1764. 
(10)  Lucy,  b.  6  Apr.  1766.     (11)  Katharine,  b.  16   Aug.  1769.     Mr.  Benja- 
min Simonds  deceased  10  Dec.  1783,  aged  59  years.      Susanna  Simonds, 
bis  widow,  died  15  Nov.  1816,  in  her  91st  year.     Concerning  their  children, 
it  may  be  added,  that  Zebedee  died  2  July,  1778;  William  died  9  Apr.  1776; 
Mary  died  18  June,  1776;  Lucy  died  15  Dec.  1792;  and  Katharine  died  23 
Aug.  1769.    Susanna  was  married,  4  Dec.  1781,  by  Rev.  Samuel  Parker, 
of  Boston,  to  Ebenezer  Page,  who  died  10  June,   1784,  when  he  was  47 
years  of  age.     [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.    Manuscripts  of  Simonds' 
family.] 

SIMONDS.  /.  James,  fifth  son  that  lived  to  maturity  of  William  and 
Judith  Simonds,  married  Susanna,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Ruth  Blogget, 
29  Dec.  1685.  Their  children  were :  (1)  James,  born  1  Nov.  1686.  (2) 
Susanna,b.  2  May,  1689.  (3)  Abigail,  b.  17  Jan.  1691-2.  (4)  Sarah,  b.  13 
Dec.  1694:  md,  to  Samuel  Wilson,  1719?  (5)  Nathan,  b.  12  June,  1697. 

(6)  Buth,  b.  12  Dec.  1699 ;  md.  to  John  Fowle,  3d,  1723. 

Susanna,  wife  of  James  Simonds,  died  9  Feb.  1714-5.  James  Simonds, 
sen.,  died  15  Sept.  1717.  [Wob.  Rec.  Births,  etc.] 

SIMONDS.  //.  James  Simonds,  son  of  /.  James  and  Susanna,  married 
Mary,  daughter  of  James  and  Mary  Fowle,  17  June,  1714.  Their  children 
were:  (1)  Mary,  born  27  Dec.  1715;  md.  to  John  Lawrence,  1736.  (2) 
James,\y.  10 March,  1717;  md.  Anna  Lawrence,  12  May,  1740.  (3)  Joshua,  b. 
17  Oct.  1718.  (4)  Caleb,  b.  27  Aug.  1720.  (5)  Zebedee,  b.  4  Sept.  1723.  (6) 

»  Billerlca  Roc.  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.  Woburn  Bee.  of  Births,  etc.  Deed*  of  the  Simonda' 
family. 


640  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

Susanna,  b.  20  June,  1725  :  md.  to  Benjamin  Simonds,  jun.,  1748.  (7)  Na- 
than, b.  26  June,  1728.  (8)  Euth,  b.  10  Oct.  1730.  Count  Rumford's 
mother.  (9)  Abigail,  b.  9  June,  1733;  md.  to  Daniel  Reed,  jun.,  about 
1754.  Mary,  wife  of  Lieut.  James  Simonds,  died  9  March,  1762,  "  in  her 
seventy-fourth  year."  [Gravestone.]  Should  be  seventy-third  year.  Lieut. 
James  Simonds  died  30  July,  1775,  in  his  89th  year. 

[Precinct  Ch.  Rec.  of  Marriages,  and  Wob.  Rec.  of  Births.  Simonds' 
Manuscripts.] 

SIMONDS.  ///.  Caleb  Simonds,  son  of  Lieut.  James  and  Mary  Simonds, 
married  Susanna  Convers,  daughter  of  Capt.  Robert  and  Mary  Convers,  26 
March,  1746;  and  had :  (1)  Jesse,  b.  13  Oct.  1747;  lived  in  Billerica.  (2) 
Luther,  b.  2  Oct.  1749 :  killed  by  the  rolling  of  a  log  upon  him  at  mill,  2 
April,  1792.  (3)  Calvin,  b.  16  Oct.  1752 ;  died  at  Burlington,  30  July,  1840, 
set.  88.  (4)  Achsah,  b.  12  March,  1755.  (5)  Gideon,  b.  24  June,  1757;  died  at 
Burlington,  suddenly,  12  June,  1835,  jet.  78.  (6)  Sarah,  b.  22  May,  1759. 
(7)  Ruth,  b.  13  Apr.  1763. 
Mrs.  Susanna  Simonds,  first  wife  of  Mr.  Caleb  Simonds  being  dead,  he 

married  for  his  second  wife,  6  Dec.  1774,  Mrs.    Munroe,  widow  of 

Andrew  Munroe,  of  Lexington.  She  was  instantly  killed  by  a  horse,  which 
ran  over  her,  while  standing  by  her  own  door,  3  Sept.  1783,  aged  58.  Mr. 
Caleb  Simonds  died  of  old  age,  4  Jan.  1811,  in  his  91st  year.  [Woburn  Rec. 
of  Births,  etc.  Lexington  Ch.  Rec.  Rev.  Mr.  Marrett's  Records  of  Deaths, 
etc.] 

The  Simonds  family  were  formerly  very  numerous  in  Woburn  and  Bur- 
lington, and  had  spread  much  in  Billerica,  Bedford,  and  Lexington :  and 
living  representatives  of  it  are  yet  to  be  found  in  most  if  not  all  of  these 
towns. 

SMITH.  Matthew,  supposed  to  be  a  son  of  Matthew  Smith,  cord- 
wainer,  who  came  from  Sandwich,  Kent  County,  England,  1637.  with 
wife  Jane  and  four  children,  to  Charlestown,  and  was  that  year  admitted 
an  inhabitant.*  Matthew,  jun.,  was  in  Woburn,  1658 ;  was  taxed  there  in 
1666,  and  is  numbered  among  those  who  had  right  in  the  common  lands  of 
the  town  in  1668.  There  were  born  to  him  in  Woburn:  (1)  Elizabeth, 
born  15  Sept.  1658.  (2)  Matthew,  2  Sept.  1659.  (3)  John,  b.  19  Jan. 
1661 ;  died  18  Oct.  1663.  (4)  Samuel,  b.  29  April,  1662.  (5)  Samuel,  b. 
26  July,  1663.  (6)  Hannah,  b.  21  Oct.  1664.  (7)  John,  again,  b.  28 
March,  1667. 

//.  Matthew,  son  of  the  above?  married  Mary  Cutler,  20  June,  1684. 
[Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.  Wob.  Records.] 

SNOW.  Richard  Snow  was  the  earliest  inhabitant  of  Woburn  bearing 
his  name.  He  was  taxed  there  in  the  Rate  for  the  Country,  assessed  8 
Sept.  1645,  which  was  the  first  tax  in  Woburn  upon  record.  In  1647-8, 
land  was  granted  him  by  the  town.  He  bought,  19  Nov.  1656,  a  house  and 
20  acres  of  land  of  George  Farley,  one  of  the  original  inhabitants  of 
Woburn, then  recently  removed  to  Billerica;  and  in  the  general  distribu- 

»  Frothingham'B  Charlestown,  p.  88. 


GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES.  641 

tion  of  common  lands  and  timber,  made  in  1668,  he  had  a  due  proportion 
assigned  him  in  the  "fifth  Eighth."  He  seems  to  have  been  an  industrious, 
thriving  husbandman,  and  to  have  maintained  a  respectable  rank  in 
society;  but  not  being  ambitious  of  honor  and  distinction,  he  never 
attained  to  any  considerable  office  either  in  the  church  or  town.  He  died 
9  Nov.  1711.  Beside  John  and  James  Snow,  sons  apparently  his,  born 
before  he  came  to  Woburn  to  reside,  he  had  born  to  him  afterwards  :  (1) 
Daniel,  b.  4  Feb.  1644-5 ;  died  18  July,  1646.  (2)  Samuel,  b.  28  May, 
1647.  (3)  Zechariah,  b.  29  March,  1649 ;  was  wounded  in  the  Swamp  or 
Narraganset  Fight  with  the  Indians,  19  Dec.  1675,*  and  died  14  April,  1711. 
His  (Zechariah's)  homestead  in  Wyman  Lane  was  sold  after  his  death, 
July  llth,  1711,  to  Benj.  Wyman,  tanner. b 

/.  John  Snow,  referred  to  above,  as  being  probably  a  son  of  Richard 
Snow,  born  before  his  father  took  up  his  residence  in  Woburn,  had  :  (1) 
John,  b.  13  May,  1668.  (2)  Zerubbabel,  b.  14  May,  1672.  (3)  Timothy,  b. 
16  Feb.  1674-5.  (4)  Hannah,  b.  6  June,  1677.  (5)  Mary,  b.  4  Aug.  1680. 

(6)  Ebenezer,  b.  6  Oct.  1682;  died  11  Feb.  1703-4.     (7)  Nathaniel,  b.  17 
Nov.  1684.   John  Snow  died  25  Nov.  1706.    [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.] 

/.  Zerubbabel  Snow,  son  of  John,  married  Jemima  Cutler,  Sept.  22, 
1697.  Their  children  were  :  (1)  Zerubbabel,  b.  19  July,  1698.  (2)  Josiah, 
b.  24  Jan.  1699-1700.  (3)  Jabez,  b.  12  March,  1701 ;  died  9  Dec.  1715.  (4) 
Jemima,  b.  19  Aug.  1702 ;  md.  to  Abraham  Josselyn,  of  Marlborough,  1728. 
(5)  Ebenezer,  b.  26  Apl.  1744.  (6)  John,  b.  30  March,  1706.  (7)  William, 
b.  25  Jan.  1707-8?  (8)  Abigail,  b.  29  March,  1711.  (9)  Jabez,  again,  b.  16 
March,  1716.  /.  Zerubbabel  Snow  died  20  Nov.  1733. 

U.  Zerubbabel  Snow,  his  son,  married  Elizabeth  Wyman,  Aug.  11, 1721; 
had  by  her  8  children,  and  died  Sept.  1747.  His  widow,  Elizabeth,  died 
May,  1776.  c  [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.] 

/.  Timothy,  son  of  /.  John  Snow,  md.  Lydia  Peirce,  16  Jan.  1705-6. 
Their  children  were :  (1)  Timothy,  b.  19  Feb.  1706-7,  and  died  Sept.  20, 
1775,  set.  69.  d  (2)  Isaac,  b.  26  Feb.  1708-9.  (3)  Lydia,  b.  20  Feb.  1710-11 ; 
md.  to  Jabez  Thompson,  1735?  (4)  Jacob,  b.  5  Sept.  1714.  (5)  Mary,  b.  13 
Apl.  1717.  (6)  Zachary,  b.  15  Aug.  1719;  died  Sept.  21,  1754,  aged  36.  d 

(7)  Abraham,  b.  28  Dec.  1721;  died  at  Charlestown,  March  9,  1772.  e    Mr. 
Timothy  Snow  died  4  March,  1747-8,  aged  74  years,  f    His  widow  died  Apl. 
27,  1764,  set.  81.  f    [Rec.  of  Births,  etc.] 

Isaac,  son  of  Timothy  Snow,  md.  Esther  Convers,  July  8,  1732;  and  she 
dying,  May  30,  1737,  he  md.  for  his  second  wife,  Phebe  Richardson,  18  Apl. 
1738.  Their  children  were :  (1)  Phebe,  b.  5  Jan.  1738-9 ;  md.  to  Daniel 
Thompson,  1760.  (2)  Bridget,  b.  17  July,  1742;  md.  to  Hiram  Thompson, 
1767.  (3)  Anne,  b.  19  March,  1744;  md.  to  Ebenezer  Reed,  June  23,  1777. 
(4)  Mary,  b.  26  Apl.  1747;  died  Dec.  8,  1753.  Mr.  Isaac  Snow  died  March 
31,  1776,  set.  67.  e  [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.] 


»  Hist.  Chap.  IV.  b  Wyman  Papers,  No.  62.         c  Mem.  of  8.  Thompson,  Esq. 

d  Gravestone.  «  Mem.  of  Sainl.  Thompson,  Esq.  f  Gravestone, 

g  Gravestone. 

55* 


642  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

7.  Samuel,  son  of  Richard  Snow,  had  by  his  wife  Sarah :  (1)  Samuel,  b. 
8  Feb.  1669-70.  (2)  Sarah,  b.  28  May,  1672.  (3)  Daniel,  b.  9  July,  1674. 
(4)  Abigail,  b.  4  April,  1677.  (5)  Richard,  b.  10  Dec.  1683.  (6)  Hannah, 
b.  8  June,  1 686.  Sarah,  wife  of  Samuel  Snow,  dying,  probably  in  child- 
bed, 15  June,  1686,  one  week  after  her  daughter  Hannah's  birth,  he  mar- 
ried, 9  August,  of  the  same  year,  Sarah  Parker,  of  "New  Cambridge,"  or 
Newton. »  By  her  he  had:  (1)  Deborah,  b.  Oct.  1687;  died  30  Dec.  1687. 
(2)  Joanna,  b.  10  Feb.  1688-9.  (3)  Ebenezer,  b.  7  Oct.  1691. 

Sarah,  wife  of  Samuel  Snow,  died  28  Jan.  1694-5.  "  Samuel  Snow,  sen.," 
died  28  Nov.  1717.  [Records  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.,  in  Wob.] 

SNOW".  //.  Samuel  Snow,  son  of  /.  Samuel,  and  grandson  of  Richard, 
the  first  settler  in  Woburn  by  the. name  of  Snow,  and  often  distinguished 
in  after  years  by  the  title  of  Lieut.  Samuel  Snow,  had  born  to  him  by  his 
wife  Abigail:  (1)  Samuel,  born  24  Aug.  1692.  (2)  Abigail,  b.  18  Nov. 
1694.  (3)  Sarah,  b.  14  Sept.  1697.  (4)  Ruth,  b.  8  May,  1700.  (5)  Rebe- 
kah,b.  11  Feb.  1702-3.  (6)  Elizabeth,  b.  29  Dec.  1705.  (7)  Benjamin,  b.  29 
Aug.  1708.  (8)  Joseph,  b.  18  May,  1713. 

SNOW.  777.  Samuel,  son  of  Lieut.  Samuel  Snow,  born  24  Aug.  1692, 
married,  10  June,  1718,  Sarah  Lock,  of  Lexington ;  and  by  her  had :  (1) 
Samuel,  born  7  Dec.  1719.  (2)  Oliver,  b.  28  Aug.  1721.  (3)  Sarah,  b.  24 
Jan.  1723-4. 

In  1724,  Lieut.  Samuel  Snow  and  his  son  Samuel  Snow,  jun.,  bought, 
each  of  them,  a  tract  of  land  in  Ashford,  Ct.,  and  immediately  removed 
their  residence  thither  from  Woburn.  At  Ashford,  Lieut.  Snow  became  one 
of  the  principal  men ;  was  generally  Moderator  at  their  town  meetings,  a 
Selectman,  Town  Treasurer,  etc.,  for  many  years.  He  died  19  Dec.  1743. 
His  widow  Abigail  died  12  Jan.  1747.  b 

.His  son  also,  Samuel  Snow,  jun.,  became  a  prominent  character  in  Ash- 
ford, and  held  there  some  of  the  more  important  town  offices  several 
years.  His  daughter  Sarah,  born  in  Woburn,  died  at  Ashford,  17  May, 
1726.  By  his  wife  Sarah,  he  had  after  his  removal  to  Ashford :  (1)  Sarah, 
b.  29  April,  1726.  (2)  Stephen,  b.  5  July,  1730.  (3)  Sylvanus,  b.  17  March, 
1732.  (4)  Elizabeth,  b.  11  July,  1734;  died  1  Apr.  1737.  (5)  Timothy,  b.  20 
Sept.  1737 ;  died  9  Apr.  1749.  (6)  Elizabeth,  b.  28  Sept.  1739.  Mr.  Samuel 
Snow,  jun.,  died  24  Dec.  1756,  set.  65.  Sarah,  his  widow,  died  16  Nov. 
1790,  set.  95. »  [Wob.  Town  Records.  Wob.  Records  of  Births,  etc.] 

SUMMERS.  Henry  "  Summers,"  [Somers  ?]  sen.,  is  recorded  as  chosen, 
23  Feb.  1663-4,  as  a  Surveyor  for  Woburn ;  was  taxed  there  in  the  Rate 
for  the  Country,  26  Aug.  1666 ;  and  is  numbered  with  those  who  had  right 
in  the  common  lands  of  the  town,  1668.  c  He  married,  21  Nov.  1660,  Mabel 
Reed,  widow  of  William  and  mother  of  George  Reed.  She  died,  the  widow 
of  Summers,  15  June,  1690. 


a  County  Records. 

b  Letter  of  Rev.  Frederick  P.  Tracy,  Williamsburg,  Mass.,  1845,  descended  from  Lt.  Snow, 
of  Ashford. 

c  Town  Records,  Vol.  I.  pp.  43,  44. 


GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES.  643 

SUMMEKS.  Henry  Summers,  jun.,  son  of  the  preceding,  was  taxed  in 
Woburn,  1666  and  1672;  and  was  allowed  by  the  Selectmen  "to  keepe 
ordinary  for  the  Towne  of  Wobourn  from  the  first  of  May,  1682,  he  forth- 
with getting  a  license."*  He  died  6  March,  1724.  [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births, 
etc.] 

SUTTON.  Lambert  was  first  of  Charlestown,  where  he  was  admitted 
into  the  church,  4  Apr.  1641 ;  became  soon  after  an  inhabitant  of  Woburn, 
and  was  taxed  there  in  the  Rate  for  the  Country,  8  Sept.  1645,  and  chosen 
a  Surveyor,  1646.  He  was  made  freeman  1644,  and  died  in  Woburn,  27 
Nov.  1649.  [Charlestown  Ch.  Records  :  Colony  Rec.  Wob.  Records  of 
Births,  etc.] 

THOMPSON.  James  Thompson:  born  in  England,  probably  in  1593; 
came  with  his  wife  to  New  England ;  was  in  Charlestown,  1632 ;  and  was 
admitted  with  her  into  the  church  of  Charlestown  in  the  autumn  of  1633. 
He  was  made  freeman  1634;  subscribed  at  Charlestown,  Dec.  1640,  "Town 
Orders"  for  Woburn;  and  coming  to  Woburn  to  reside,  he  was  chosen  one 
of  the  first  Board  of  Selectmen,  1644.  His  wife,  Elizabeth,  dying  13  Nov. 
1643,  he  married  for  his  second  wife  Susanna  Blogget,  widow  of  Thomas 
Blogget,  of  Cambridge,  15  Feb.  1643-4.  This  his  second  wife  died  10  Feb. 
1660-1 :  James  Thompson  himself  died  in  1682.  By  his  first  wife,  Elizabeth, 
he  had  three  sons,  all  probably  born  in  England,  viz :  Simon,  the  eldest, 
James,  jun.,  who  died  in  Woburn,  24  Jan.  1646-7 ;  and  Jonathan.  [Savage's 
Geneal.  Diet.  Charlestown  Ch.  Rec.  Col.  Rec.  Wob.  Town  Rec.  and 
Records  of  Births,  etc.] 

Simon  Thompson,  the  eldest  son  of  the  first  James  Thompson,  married 

19  Dec.  1643,  Mary,  daughter  of  Deacon  Edward  Convers ;  by  whom  he 
had :  (1)  John,  born  4  Apr.  and  died  12  Apr.  1645.     (2)  Sarah,  b.  20  Feb. 
1646-7.     (3)  James,  b.  20  March,  1649.     (4)  Mary,  b.  25  Jan.  1651-2 ;  died 
2  Feb.  1661-2.     (5)  Ann,  b.  30  July,  1655.     (6)  Rebecca,  b.  May  1658.     He 
was  made  freeman,  1648 ;  and  became  a  purchaser  of  Chelmsford ;  but  his 
plans  were  cut  short  by  death,  which  arrested  him  when  in  early  life,  May 
1658.    In  his  will,  made  that  month,  he  makes  provision  for  his  children ; 
names  his  father  and  his  wife,  and  her  father  and  her  two  brothers,  James 
and  Josiah  Convers.    His  widow  married  John  Sheldon,  of  Woburn  and 
Billerica.     [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.     Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.    Colo- 
ny Records.    Billerica  Records  of  Births,  Marriages,  etc.,  etc.] 

/.  Jonathan  Thompson,  youngest  son  of  first  James  and  Elizabeth 
Thompson,  married,  28  Nov.  1655,  Susanna,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Su- 
sanna Blodgett,  of  Cambridge,  and  born  there  in  June  1637.  By  her,  he 
had  issue,  as  follows  :  (1)  Susanna,  born  4  July,  1661.  (2)  Jonathan,  b. 
28  Sept.  1663.  (3)  James,  b.  1666 ;  died  soon.  (4)  James,  again,  b.  27  June, 
1667.  (5)  Sarah,  b.  1  June,  1670.  (6)  Simon,  b.  15  June,  1673.  (7)  Eben- 
ezer,  b.  18  Aug.  1676;  died  19  Feb.  1697-8.  Jonathan  Thompson  died 

20  Oct.  1691.     Susanna,  his  widow,  died  6  Feb.  1697-8? 
THOMPSON.    11.  Jonathan  Thompson,  jun.,  son  of  7.  Jonathan  and 

Susanna  Thompson,  born  28  Sept.  1663,  married  Frances  Whittemore ;  by 

•  Towu  Records,  Vol.  I.,  p.  118. 


644  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

whom  he  had :  (1)  Jonathan,  born  9  Feb.  1689-90.  (2)  Hannah,  b.  28  Jan. 
1691-2.  (3)  Joseph,  b.  20  Oct.  1694.  (4)  James,  b.  14  Dec.  1696 ;  was 
living  in  Brimfield,  1758.  (6)  Susanna,  b.  6  July,  1699 ;  md.  to  Benjamin 
Mead,  1722?  (6)  Ebenezer,  b.  30  March,  1701.  (7)  Mary,  b.  18  Aug. 
1703.  (8)  Samuel,  b.  8  Sept.  1705.  (9)  Patience,  b.  25  Oct.  1713 ;  md.  to 
Timothy  Lamson,  of  Concord,  1734? 

Ebenezer,  son  of  //.  Jonathan  and  Frances  Thompson,  born  30  March, 
1701;  married  Hannah  Convers,  27  Sept.  1728;  and  had:  (1)  Benjamin, 
born  27  Nov.  1729.  (2)  Ebenezer,  b.  15  Sept.  1731.  (3)  Hannah,  b.  21 
Sept.  1734.  (4)  Hiram,  b.  17  May,  1743. 

/.  Benjamin,  son  of  Ebenezer  and  Hannah  Thompson,  born  27  Nov. 
1729,  entered  his  Intentions  of  Marriage  with  Ruth  Simonds,  both  of  Wo- 
burn,  30  May,  1752.  Being  married  shortly  after,  he  had  by  her  the  next 
year: 

//.  Benjamin  Thompson,  born  26  March,  1753,  who  in  after  years  gained 
a  world  wide  reputation  under  the  titles  of  Sir  Benjamin  Thompson,  and 
Count  Rumford.  For  account  of  him,  see  Chap.  XII. 

Benjamin  Thompson,  father  of  Count  Rumford,  died  7  Nov.  1755,  in  his 
26th  year.  [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.] 

/.  Samuel  Thompson,  5th  son,  8th  child,  of  //.  Jonathan  and  Frances 
Thompson,  born  8  Sept.  1705,  married  Ruth  Wright,  daughter  of  Josiah 
and  Ruth  Wright,  31  Dec.  1730.  To  them  were  born:  (\}Samuel,  30  Oct. 
1731.  (2)  Daniel,  9  March,  1734.  (3)  Ruth,  9  March,  1737;  md.  to  Noah 
Wyman,  1755.  (4)  Abijah,  11  April,  1739.  (5)  Mary,  24  May,  1741.  (6) 
Phebe,  5  Feb.  1743-4.  (7)  Lois,  b.  12  Aug.  1746.  (8)  Jonathan,  b.  10  Sept. 
1748. 

Samuel  Thompson  died  13  May,  1748,  in  his  43d  year.  His  widow,  Ruth 
Thompson,  died  in  Oct.  1775,  aged  69  years.  [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc. 
Diary  of  Samuel  Thompson,  Esq.] 

//.  Samuel,  eldest  son  of  /.  Samuel  and  Ruth  Thompson,  born  30  Oct. 
1731,  was  a  gentleman  of  note  and  influence  in  his  day.  In  1758,  he  went 
in  an  expedition  against  the  French  to  Lake  George.  Of  this  expedition, 
he  has  left  a  minute  and  interesting  account  in  manuscript ;  and  when  he 
returned  from  it  at  the  close  of  the  year,  he  had  been  advanced  to  be  a 
lieutenant  in  the  military  service.  See  Appendix  No.  IX.  For  a  long  suc- 
cession of  years  afterwards,  he  was  much  employed  as  a  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  and  as  a  Deacon  of  the  Church,  in  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  affairs 
of  the  town.  He  was  chosen  Selectman  in  1776,  77,  78,  1779 ;  he  repre- 
sented Woburn  in  the  General  Court  in  the  years  1785,  86,  89,  92,  93,  98, 
1805,  1806 ;  and  there  were  but  few  committees  upon  important  town  busi- 
ness, upon  which,  for  many  years,  he  was  not  appointed  to  serve.  This 
highly  respected  citizen  was  thrice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Abigail 
Tidd,  whom  he  married  15  May,  1753,  and  by  her  he  had:  (1)  Samuel, 
born  7  April,  1754,  and  died  at  New  York,  a  lieutenant  in  the  military  ser- 
vice of  his  country,  of  a  putrid  fever,  12  Aug.  1776,  in  his  23d  year.  (2) 
Abigail,  b.  29  Dec.  1755;  married  to  John  Eames.  (3)  Mary,  b.  13  Jan. 
1758 ;  died  6  Apr.  1759.  (4)  Jonathan,  b.  26  Apr.  1760,  father  of  the  pres- 


GENEALOGICAL   NOTICES.  645 

ent  Cyrus  Thompson,  Esq.  (5)  Arphaxad,  b.  7  March,  1763;  died  15  Dec. 
1771.  (6)  Leonard,  b.  1  Dec.  1764,  the  father  of  the  present  Col.  Leonard 
Thompson. 

Abigail,  first  wife  to  Samuel  Thompson,  Esq.,  dying  21  Sept.  [2  Sept.?] 
1768,  aged  35  years,  he  next  married  Lydia  Jones,  of  Concord,  26  Feb. 
1770,  by  whom  was  born  to  him  Lydia,  31  Jan.  1771. 

Lydia,  his  second  wife,  dying  19  Oct.  1788,  aged  54  years,  he  married  for 
his  third  wife,  Esther  Wyman,  22  Oct.  1789. 

Samuel  Thompson,  Esq.,  died  Aug.  17,  1820.  His  wife  Esther  died 
before  him,  Aug.  5,  1818.  His  brother,  Abijah  Thompson,  sheriff,  father 
of  Dea.  Charles  Thompson,  died  Jan.  16,  1811.  Major  Abijah  Thompson, 
the  sheriff's  son,  and  father  of  General  Abijah  Thompson,  died  Oct.  27, 
1820.  [Woburn  Town  Records.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.  Thompson's 
Diary,  or  Memoranda  of  Interesting  Occurrences.] 

TIDD.  John  Tidd  (or  as  the  name  was  otherwise  once  spelled,  Tead, 
or  Teed,  or  Ted)  embarked,  12  May,  1637,  at  Yarmouth,  England,  aged  19, 
as  servant  of  Samuel  Greenfield,  of  Norwich;  was  of  Charlestown  that 
year;  subscribed  there  in  December  1640  "  Town  Orders "  for  Woburn; 
was  taxed  at  Woburn  in  the  Country  Rate,  8  Sept.  1645 ;  and  chosen  a 
Surveyor  of  Fences  there  in  1646.  His  wife  Margaret  died  1651.  He 
died  24  April,  1657.  By  his  Will,  made  15  days  before,  it  appears  that  he 
had  a  second  wife,  Alice;  daughters,  Mary  and  Elizabeth  and  a  son  of  his 
own  name.  *  His  daughter  Mary  was  doubtless  the  wife  of  Francis  Ken- 
dall, md.  24  Dec.  1644 ;  and  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  Thomas  Fuller,  md.  13 
June,  1643. 

TIDD.  //.  John  Tidd,  jun.,  son  of  John,  sen.,  and  Margaret  Tidd,  born 
in  England ;  married,  14  April,  1650,  Rebekah  Wood.  By  her  he  had  issue : 
(1)  Hannah,  born  21  Sept.  1652.  (2)  John,  b.  26  Feb.  1654-5.  (3)  Mary, 
b.  13  Nov.  1656.  (4)  Samuel,  b.  16  Jan.  1658-9.  (5)  Joseph,  b.  18  Jan. 
1660-1;  died  1  Feb.  1660-1.  (6)  Joseph,  again,  b.  20  Jan.  1661-2.  (7) 

Rebekah,  b md.  to  Thomas  Blogget,  11  Nov.  1685.    The  death 

of  John  Tidd,  lun.,  and  that  of  his  wife  Rebekah,  are  not  found  on  Record. 
[Woburn  Records  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.] 

TIDD.  ///.  John  Tidd,  son  of  John  Tidd,  jun.,  and  Rebekah  Tidd,  b.  26 
Feb.  1654-5;  married  Elizabeth  Fifleld,  12  June,  1678;  and  had  by  her:  (1) 
Elizabeth,  born  19  Sept.  1679.  (2)  John,  b.  2  Nov.  1681.  (3)  Joseph,  b.  8 
March,  1684.  (4)  "  Rebekah,  daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth  "  Tedd,"  b. 
4:  Aug.  1687.  (6)  Mary,  b.  25  Apr.  1690.  (6)  Ebenezer,  b.  81  Aug.  1693. 

"  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Sergt.  John  Tidd,  died  6  Oct.  1732."  "  Old  Mr.  John 
Tidd  died  3  Aug.  1743."  [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.] 

TOTTINGHAM.  Henry  Tottingham,  (or  Tollman,  as  formerly  often 
written  and  pronounced  in  Woburn)  was  born  in  England ;  was  of  Charles- 
town  in  1640,  when  and  where  he  subscribed  the  "  Town  Orders  "  for  Wo- 
burn. He  removed  shortly  after  to  Woburn;  was  taxed  there  in  1645, 1646, 
1666 ;  and  had  a  right  assigned  him,  1668,  in  the  common  lands  of  the  town. 

»  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.    Wob.  Town  Records.    Records  of  Births,  etc.,  etc. 


646  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

By  his  wife,  Anna,  he  had:  (1)  Nehemiah,  born  23  Aug.  1646;  died  28 
March,  1714.  (2)  Eltah,  ["  Elijah,"  County  Records]  b.  28  Feb.  1651-2. 
Anna,  wife  of  Henry  Tottingham,  died  23  Feb.  1653-4. 

Henry  Tottingham  and  Alice  Alger,  ["  Allice  Eager,"  County  Rec.]  mar- 
ried 13  July,  1654. 

[Wob.  Town  Records:  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.] 

TOTTINGHAM.  7.  Eliah  Tottingham,  son  of  Henry  and  Anna,  had  by 
his  wife  Mary:  (1)  Anna,  b.  24  Sept.  1685.  (2)  Mary,  daughter  of  "Eliah 
and  Mary  Tottingham,"  born  18  Apr.  1688 ;  married  to  Thomas  Lane,  1721  ? 
(3)  Sarah,  b.  13  July,  1690;  md.  to  Nath.  Cutler,  of  Reading,  1715.  (4) 
Henry,  b.  29  Aug.  1692.  (5)  Elisha,  b.  22  July,  1696.  (6)  Elizabeth,  b.  8 
Feb.  1698-9.  (7)  Alice,  b.  10  June,  1701.  (8)  "  Arminell,"  a  daughter  of 
Eliah  and  Mary,  b.  30  July,  1707. 

Eliah  "  Tottman,"  died  27  Nov.  1717. 

TOTTINGHAM.  II.  Elisha,  or  Eliah  Tottingham,  son  of  7.  Eliah  and 
Mary,  born  22  July,  1696,  had  by  his  wife  Rebecca :  (1)  "  Rebekah,"  b.  4 
Aug.  1710;  died  28  Apr.  1733.  (2)  Elisha,  son  of  Eliah  and  Rebekah  Tot- 
tingham, born  18  Oct.  1713.  (3)  Elizabeth,  b.  4  May,  1722.  (4)  John,  b.  9 
Aug.  1724.  (5)  Phebe,  b.  30  June,  1728.  (6)  Abigail,  daughter  of  Eliah 
and  Rebekah  Tottingham,  b.  30  Dec.  1737. 

Eliah  Tottingham  died  29  March,  1743. 

TQTTINGHAM.  777.  Elisha,  son  of  77.  Eliah  and  Rebekah  Tottingham, 
born  18  Oct.  1713;  md.  Sarah  Lawrence,  of  Woburn,  27  May,  1736,  and 
had  issue  :  (1)  Elisha,  b.  8.  Feb.  1736-7.  (2)  Sarah,  b.  21  Nov.  1738 ;  md. 
to  John  Williams,  of  New  Marlborough,  1765.  (3)  Nathaniel,  b.  10  June, 
1740.  (4)  Ephraim,  b.  9  Apr.  1743.  (B)  Moses,  b.  22  July,  1746.  (6) 
Jonathan,  b.  17  Dec.  1748.  (7)  James,  b.  14  July,  1751.  (8)  Rebekah,  b. 
15  Nov.  1753.  (9)  Abigail,  b.  15  July,  1755.  (10)  David,  b.  24  Sept.  1758. 

TOTTINGHAM.  77.  Henry  "  Tottman,"  son  of  7.  Eliah  and  Mary  Tot- 
tingham, married  Eunice  Wyman,  both  of  Woburn,  7  Sept.  1721.  Their 
children  were  :  (1)  Mary,  born  6  March,  1724.  (2)  Alice,  b.  6  May,  1727. 
Henry  "Tottman"  died  5  Apr.  1728. 

TRERICE.  Nicholas  Trerice,  or  Trarice,  was  in  1634,  1635,  a  noted 
master  of  the  ship  Planter,  in  which  he  had  brought  many  persons  from 
London  to  New  England.  In  1636,  he  was  admitted  to  be  an  inhabitant  of 
Charlestown.a  Here,  by  his  wife  Rebekah,  he  had  a  son  John,  who  was 
baptized  in  the  church  of  Charlestown  3  June,  1639.  In  Dec.  1640,  he 
subscribed  the  "Town  Orders"  for  Woburn :  removed  his  residence  to  Wo- 
burn soon  after;  and  here  had  a  son,  Samuel,  born  7  May,  1643.  He  was 
taxed  in  Woburn,  1645,  in  the  rate  for  the  country,  but  not  in  the  town  rate 
for  1646 ;  whence  it  is  concluded,  that,  previously  to  1646,  he  had  removed 
back  to  Charlestown ;  and  there  his  daughter  Rebekah  was  married,  in  1655, 
to  Thomas  Jenner;  and  his  widow,  Rebekah,  in  1665,  to  Thomas  Lynde. 
[Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.  Woburn  Town  Records.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.] 

WALKER.    Samuel  Walker,  sen.     See  Chap.  V. 

•  Frothingbam's  Cbarleutown,  p.  86. 


GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES.  647 

His  children  (the  given  name  of  his  wife  is  unknown)  were  Samuel, 
jun.,  Israel,  and  probably,  John,  sen.,  of  Woburn;  Hannah,  wife  of  James, 
son  of  Simon  Thompson,  of  Woburn ;  and  (in  the  opinion  of  John  Farm- 
er, Esq.)  Joseph  Walker,  of  Billerica.  Isaac  Walker,  too,  of  Woburn, 
according  to  the  following  record  of  his  birth,  was  also  a  son  of  his. 
"  Isaac,  son  of  Samuel  Walker,  sen.,  born  y*  1st  of  9th  mo.  [November] 
1677."  But  it  is  not  improbable,  that  sen.  was  inadvertently  written  here 
for  jun.  This  Isaac  Walker  married  Margery  Bruce,  of  Woburn,  20  Feb. 
1704-5 ;  and  he,  and  his  sons  by  her,  Isaac,  jun.,  Ezekiel  and  Timothy, 
were  sometime  of  Pennacook,  now  Concord,  N.  H.  See  Bouton's  History 
of  Concord. 

WALKER.  Samuel  Walker,  jun.,  otherwise  known  as  Ensign  Walker, 
and  Deacon  Walker.  See  Chap.  V.  To  the  notice  there  given  of  Samuel 
Walker,  jun.,  it  may  be  added,  that  he  married,  10  Srpt.  1662  [23  Oct. 
County  Records],  Sarah  Reed,  daughter  of  William  and  Mabel  Reed,  and 
sister  of  George  Reed.  Their  children  were :  (1)  Edward,  born  12  Oct. 
1663  :  killed  with  others  by  the  Indians  at  Lamprey  River,  N.  H.,  6  July, 
1690.  a  (2)  Jb/in,jun.,  b.  2  July,  1665.  (3)  Samuel,  b.  25  Jan.  1667-8. 
(4)  Sarah,  b.  6  March,  1670;  married  to  Capt.  Edward  Johnson, 
grandson  of  first  Capt.  Edward,  founder  of  Woburn,  and  son  of  Major 
William,  1686-7.  (5)  Timothy,  b.  16  June,  1672 ;  died  19  June,  1706,  leav- 
ing a  wife  and  3  children.  (6)  Isaac,  ft.  1  Nov.  1677?  See  above  Samuel 
Walker,  1st.  (7)  Ezekiel,  b.  5  March,  1679.  Lived  in  Boston?  Sarah, 
wife  of  Samuel  Walker,  jun.,  died  1  Nov.  1681. 

"Ensign  Samuell  Walker  &  Abigail  Foull"  married  18  April,  1692. 

"  Deacon  Sam11  Walker"  died  18  Jan.  1703-4  (aged  61  years.  Grave- 
stone.) [Records  of  Births,  etc.] 

Israel  Walker,  son  of  Samuel,  sen.,  and  brother  of  Samuel  Walker,  jun., 
was  taxed,  as  being  an  inhabitant  of  Woburn,  in  the  Rate  for  the  Second 
Meeting-house,  1672.  By  his  wife  Susanna,  he  had  born  to  him:  (1) 
Israel,  b.  29  Sept.  1672 ;  died  1  Nov.  1683.  (2)  Susanna,  b.  1  March,  1674 ; 
md.  to  Ebenezer  Lock,  1697?  (3)  Phebe,  b.  11  March,  1676.  (4)  Henry,  b. 
1  Feb.  1678-9.  (5)  Hannah,  b.  26  Apr.  1681 ;  died  8  May,  1681.  (6)  Eliza- 
beth,^.   ,  died  21  Jan.  1681-2.  (7)  Nathaniel,  b.  15  Apr.  1682.  (8) 

Israel,  again,  b.  26  July,  1684.  (9)  Hannah,  again,  b.  24  Sept.  1686;  md. 
to  Isaac  Kendall,  Oct.  1706.  (10)  Abigail,  b.  26  Sept.  1688.  (11)  Edward, 
b.  6  Nov.  1690.  Susanna,  wife  of  Israel  Walker,  died  7  March,  1694. 
"  Ens.  Israel  Walker  and  Hannah  fflagg"  married  10  Dec.  1696. 

Ensign  Israel  Walker  died  20  April,  1719.  "  Widow  Hannah  Walker  " 
died  29  March,  1724. 

John  Walker,  sen.,  supposed  above  to  be  a  son  of  Samuel  Walker,  sen., 
and  a  brother  of  Israel  Walker,  is  found  taxed  in  the  Rate  for  the  Second 
Meeting-house  in  Woburn,  1672. '  He  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Robert 
Peirce,  14  Oct.  1672,  and  by  her  had:  (1)  Benjamin,  born  25  Jan.  1673-4; 
died  17  Nov.  1675.  (2)  Mary,  b.  27  Dec.  1675 ;  died  24  Jan.  1675-6.  (3) 

•  Belknap'g  Hist. 


648  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

John,  b.  27  Dec.  1677.  "  Mary,  wife  of  John  Walker,  sen.,"  died  8  Nov. 
1695. 

John  Walker  and  Bethiah  Siraonds,  [daughter  of  William  Simonds] 
married  13  Aug.  1696;  to  whom  were  born  :  (1)  Bethiah,  daughter  of  John 
and  Bethiah  Walker,  b.  4  Nov.  1697.  (2)  Benjamin,  b.  7  July,  1699.  John 
Walker,  sen.,  died  3  Jan.  1723-4. 

I.  Benjamin  Walker  and  Grace  Tay,  both  of  Woburn,  md.  24  Dec.  1724. 
To  them  were  born :  (1)  Mary,  born  4  Oct.  1725.  (2)  Elizabeth,  b.  17 
March,  1728.  [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.  Town  Records.] 

WATERS.  Joseph  Waters  was  taxed,  as  an  inhabitant  of  Woburn,  in 
the  rate  for  the  Second  Meeting-house,  1672,  and  served  in  Philip's  War, 
1675-6. a  Nothing  is  found  concerning  his  family  connections.  Not 
improbably  he  was  a  relative,  perhaps  a  brother,  of  Samuel  Waters,  an 
inhabitant  of  Woburn  in  1675 ;  to  whom  and  his  wife  Mary  were  born  12 
children  between  1675  and  1696.  She  died  11  Dec.  1721,  and  he  died  2  May, 
1728.  [Wob.  Rec.] 

WHITTEMORE.  Thomas  Whittemore  was  taxed  in  the  Rate  for  the 
Country,  assessed  in  Woburn  26  Aug.  1666,  and  is  reckoned  among  those 
who  were  entitled  to  a  share  of  the  common  lands  of  the  town  in  1668 ;  b 
but  not  being  taxed  in  the  Rate  for  the  new  Meeting-house  in  1672,  he 
appears  to  have  previously  removed  to  some  other  place ;  or,  more  proba- 
bly, as  Mr.  Savage c  thinks,  to  have  died  in  March  1670,  for  "  5  of  April 
that  year  his  wife  Elizabeth  had  administered. "  He  married,  9  Nov.  1666, 
Elizabeth  Peirce,  daughter  of  Thomas  Peirce,  b.  25  Dec.  1646?  and  by  her 
had :  Joseph,  born  14  Aug.  1667. 

WILSON.  /.  John  Wilson,  sen.,  first  appears  upon  the  tax  lists  in  Wo- 
burn, in  the  Rate  for  the  Country,  assessed  26  Aug.  1666 ;  and  is  numbered 
among  those  who  had  right  in  the  common  lauds  of  the  town  in  16G8.d 

He  appears  by  his  wife  to  have  had  two  children  born  to  him 

before  he  came  to  Woburn,  viz :  John,  jun.,  and  Dorcas ;  md.  to  Aaron 
Cleaveland,  26  Sept.  1675.  In  Woburn  he  had :  (1)  Samuel,  b.  29  Dec. 
1658.  (2)  Abigail,  b.  8  Aug.  1666.  (3)  Elizabeth,  b.  6  Aug.  1668.  (4) 
Benjamin,  b.  15  Oct.  1670.  (5)  Hannah,  b.  31  May,  1672;  md.  to  Jonathan 
Peirce,  1689. 

/.  John  Wilson,  sen.,  died  2  July,  1687.     [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.] 

WILSON.  //.  John  Wilson,  jun.,  had  born  to  him  by  his  wife  : 

(1)  John,  b.  3  Jan.  1672-3.  (2)  Hannah,  d.  of  "  John  Wilson,  jun.,"  b.  28 
Dec.  1674;  died  5  May,  1676.  (3)  Hannah,  again,  b.  11  March,  1677.  (4) 
Susanna,  b.  11  March,  1679.  [Rec.  of  Births,  etc.,  in  Wob.] 

/.  Samuel  Wilson,  son  of  John  Wilson,  sen.,  above  named,  married 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Robert  Peirce,  24  Feb.  1681-2.  Their  chil- 
dren were :  (1)  Elizabeth,  b.  28  Jan.  1682-3.  (2)  Mary,  b.  10  Apr.  1685. 
(3)  Samuel,  b.  2  Feb.  and  died  7  Feb.  1687-8.  (4)  Hannah,  b.  24  Dec. 


»  List  by  Thos.  B.  Wyman,  Esq.  b  Rec.  of  Wob.,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  38,  < 

c  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.  d  Town  Rec.,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  43,  44. 


GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES.  649 

1688.  (5)  Rebekah,  b.  5  March,  1693;  died  29  Nov.  1694.  (6)  Samuel, 
again,  b.  21  Nov.  1695.  (7)  Rebekah,  b.  5  July,  1698.  Sargeant  Samuel 
Wilson  died  21  Nov.  1729.  [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  Marriages,  etc.,  etc.] 

WILSON.  //.  Samuel  Wilson,  son  of  7.  Samuel  and  Elizabeth  Wilson, 
born  21  Nov.  1695 ;  md.  Sarah  Simonds,  daughter  of/.  James  and  Susanna 
Simonds,  "both  of  Woburn,"  29  Oct.  1719.  To  them  were  born:  (1) 
Samuel,  b.  22  July,  1720;  died  21  June,  1750,  aged  29  years  and  11  months.* 
(2)  Sarah,  b.  13  July,  1722 ;  married  to  Jonathan  Johnson,  1748.  (3)  Su- 
sanna, b.  28  March,  1725 ;  md.  a  Haywood  or  Howard,  that  removed  to 
Maine.  (4)  Ruth,  b.  26  March,  1729 ;  md.  to  Jona.  Proctor  about  1748.  (5) 
Rebekah,  b.  15  March,  1732;  died  31  Oct.  1734.  b  (6)  Rebekah,  again,  b. 
27  July,  1734;  md.  to  Azel  Johnson,  1757.  Mr.  Samuel  Wilson  died  Oct. 
11,  1750,  aged  55  years.*  After  his  decease,  Dea.  Edw.  Johnson  md.  Sarah 
Wilson,  his  widow,  19  Feb.  1755 ;  that  is,  he  md.  the  mother  of  his  son 
Jonathan's  wife.  [Rec.  of  Births  in  Woburn.] 

WINN.  Edward  Winn  was  of  Woburn,  1641 ;  made  freeman,  1643 ;  and 
taxed  in  Woburn,  in  the  rate  for  the  country,  8  Sept.  1645.  By  his  wife 
Joanna,  he  had,  5  Dec.  1641,  a  son  Increase,  which  was  the  first  born  child 
recorded  in  Woburn ;  but  probably  his  son  Joseph,  and  his  daughters  Ann 
and  Elizabeth,  had  their  birth  in  England  before.  Joanna,  wife  of  Edward 
Winn,  dying  8  March,  1649,  he  married  a  second  wife,  Sarah  Beal,  10  Aug. 
1649.  And  she  also  dying,  15  March,  1680,  he  took  yet  a  third  wife,  Ann,  or 
Hannah,  widow  of  Nicholas  Wood,  who  survived  him,  apparently,  till  1686. 
He  died  5  Sept.  1682.  In  his  Will,  made  6  May  of  that  year,  he  names  his 
son  Increase,  his  son  Joseph's  daughter  Sarah,  the  three  youngest  children 
of  his  daughter  Ann,  wife  of  Moses  Cleaveland ;  and  the  three  youngest  of 
his  daughter  Elizabeth,  wife  of  George  Polly.  His  widow  likewise  made 
her  Will,  9  Sept.  1685,  which  being  proved,  1  Nov.  1686,  is  an  indication 
that  she  was  then  deceased.  [Wob.  Records  of  Births,  etc.  Savage's 
Geneal.  Diet.] 

/.  Increase  Winn,  son  of  Edward  and  Joanna,  married  Hannah  Saw- 
tell,  13  July,  1665.  Their  children  were:  (1)  Hannah,  born  11  Apr.  1666; 
md.  to  Samuel  Baker.  (2)  Edward,  b.  15  June,  1668.  (3)  Mary,  b.  1  May, 
1670;  md.  to  Nathl.  Wyman,  1692.  (4)  Abigail,  b.  8  Jan.  1677-8.  (5)  Re- 
bekah, b.  5  Nov.  1679.  (6)  Jacob,  b.  4  Oct.  1681.  (7)  Joanna,  b.  24  June, 
1683.  (8)  Increase,  b.  9  Feb.  1684-5 ;  died  1  July,  1713,  [aged  28  years 
and  4  months.  Gravestone.] 

"  Sargent  Increase  Winn "  died  14  Dec.  1690.  Widow  Hannah  Winn 
died  18  Feb.  1722-3. 

WINN.  //.  Jacob,  son  of  Increase  and  Hannah  Winn,  married  Pru- 
dence Wyman,  28  June,  1704;  and  by  her  had:  (1)  Prudence,  born  28  July, 
1705.  (2)  Elizabeth,  b.  29  Sept.  1707.  (3)  Hannah,  b.  1  March,  1711.  (4) 
Increase,  b.  24  Jan.  1716-17.  (5)  Joshua,  b.  14  Apr.  1719.  (6)  Abigail,  b. 
25  Jan.  1722-3.  Prudence,  w.  of  Jacob  Winn  dying,  he  md.  for  his  second 
wife,  Phebe  Palfray,  14  July,  1737. 

a  Gravestone. 

b  The  first  person  burled  in  Wob.  Precinct  (Burlington)  Burying-Ground. 
56 


650  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

WINN.  IIL  Increase  Winn,  son  of  Jacob  and  Prudence  Winn,  mar- 
ried Elizabeth  Knight,  5  Oct.  1742.  Their  children  were  :  (1)  David, , 

md.  Hannah  Twiss,  11  June,  1765.  (2)  Elizabeth,  born  9  Dec.  1745;  md.  to 
Timothy  Twiss,  12  July,  1768.  (3)  "  Annah  "  or  Hannah,  b.  81  Oct.  1747. 

(4)  Jacob,  b.  16  July,  1751 ;  md.  Molly  Twiss,  and  removed  to  Hollis,  N.  H. 

(5)  Molly,  b.  Jan.  1753. 

WINN.  IIL  Joshua  Winn,  son  of  Jacob  and  Prudence  Winn,  married 
Mary  Center,  about  Oct.  1645 ;  and  had  by  her :  (1)  Joshua,  born  17  May, 
1747.  (2)  Jeremiah,  b.  29  Apr.  1749.  (3)  Molly,  b.  5  Apr.  1761.  (4)  James, 
b.  7  Apr.  1753.  (5)  Jonathan,  b.  18  Oct.  1755. 

WINN.  Joseph  Winn,  son  of  Edward  and  Joanna,  among  the  first  set- 
tlers of  Woburn,  was  born  in  England ;  married  Rebekah,  daughter  of 
William  and  Mabel  Reed,  and  sister  of  first  George  Reed  of  Woburn,  about 
1664.  Their  children  were  :  (1)  Eebekah,  born  25  May,  1665 ;  and  died  6 
Apr.  1679.  (2)  Sarah,  b.  9  Nov.  1666;  md.  to  Ebenezer  Johnson.  (3) 

Joanna,  b. ;  md.  to  Edward  Knight,  13  July,  1699.     (4)  Abigail,  b. 

18  June,  1670;  died  25  June,  1670.  (5)  Joseph,}).  15  May,  1671.  (6)  Jo- 
siah,  b.  15  March,  1674.  (7,  8)  Bebekah  and  Hannah,  twins,  b.  14  Feb. 
1678-9.  Rebekah  m.  to  Timothy  Spaulding  of  Chelmsford,  5  March,  1700. 

No  mention  of  Hannah  in  his  Will.*     (9)  Timothy,  b. ;  died  22 

March,  1678.     (10)  Anne,  b.  1  Nov.  1684;  died  13  Sept.  1686.     (il)  Timo- 
thy, b.  27  Feb.  1686-7. 
"Ensign  Joseph  Winn"  died  22  Feb.  1714-15.    Widow  Rebekah  Winn 

died ,  1734.     [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.,  etc.] 

WINN.    /.  Timothy  Winn,  son  of  Joseph  and  Rebekah  Winn,  married 
Elizabeth  Brooks.     Their  children  were: 
II.  Timothy,  born  about  July  1712. 

Elizabeth,  born  1  Sept.  1719 ;  md.  to  Nehemiah  Wyman,  7  Dec.  1742. 
Elizabeth,  wife  of  Timothy  Winn,  died  14  May,  1724  [aged  about  34 : 
Gravestone], 

Timothy  Winn  and  Jane  Belknap,  both  of  Woburn,  married  18  Feb. 
1729-30.  To  them  were  born :  (1)  Buth,  6  Aug.  1732.  (2)  Joseph,  b.  3 
July,  1734.  (3)  Jerusha,  Aug.  4,  1740.  /.  Timothy  Winn  died  5  Jan.  1752 
[aged  65 :  Gravestone]. 

Widow  Jane  Winn  died  of  small-pox  May  1775.t>  [Rec.  of  Births  in 
Woburn.] 

WINN.  II.  Timothy  Winn,  better  known  as  Dea.  Timothy  Winn,  was 
a  gentleman  of  note  and  of  much  influence  in  his  day.  He  was  the  son  of 
I.  Timothy  and  Elizabeth  (Brooks)  Winn,  and  was  born  in  Woburn  about 
July  1712.  His  place  of  residence  falling  within  the  bounds  of  Woburn 
Precinct,  he  joined  the  Precinct  Church,  May  4,  1740;  and  was  chosen  a 
deacon  of  that  church  Dec.  26,  1752 ;  an  office  which  he  held  during  life. 
He  was  a  man  noted  for  his  industry,  economy,  and  success  in  amassing 
wealth.  He  was  chosen  one  of  the  Selectmen  of  the  town  in  1756,  '57 ;  and 


»  Mr.  Boutelle,  from  inspection  of  the  Will.  *  Mem.  of  Samuel  Thompson,  Esq. 


GENEALOGICAL   NOTICES.  651 

again  in  1773,  '74,  75.  He  represented  Woburn  in  the  General  Court  1787, 
'88,  and  1791.  And  in  December  1787,  he  and  James  Fowle,  jun.,  were 
chosen  delegates  for  Woburn  to  the  convention  which  met  in  Boston  Jan. 
9, 1788,  respecting  the  ratification  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States. 
In  all  the  early  attempts  to  set  off  Woburn  Precinct  as  a  separate  town, 
he  was  opposed,  it  is  said,  to  the  measure.  But  he  favored,  it  is  under- 
stood, the  last  attempt,  which  proved  successful.  But  he  did  not  live  long 
to  enjoy  the  success  of  it.  He  died  March  3,  1800,  aged  87  years  and  8 
months,  a  few  days  more  than  a  year  after  the  act  of  Court  incorporating 
the  Second  Precinct  as  a  town,  by  the  name  of  Burlington.  By  his  wife 
Mary  (Bowers)  Winn,  Dea.  Winn  had  two  children  that  lived  to  mature 
age,  viz :  Timothy,  born  Dec.  20,  1740;  and  Mary,  born  June  21,  1743,  and 
married,  Jan.  2,  1777,  to  Col.  John  Waldron,  of  Dover,  N.  H.  Dea.  Winn's 
son  Timothy,  distinguished  in  Woburn  Records  as  Timothy  Winn,  jun.,  and 
Ensign  Timothy  Winn,  was  a  gentleman  highly  respected  and  esteemed. 
He  married  Sarah  Reed  of  Woburn,  Jan.  23,  1766;  and  she  dying,  in  Janu- 
ary of  the  following  year,  he  married  for  his  second  wife  Mary  Bridge, 
daughter  of  Rev.  Ebenezer  Bridge,  of  Chelmsford.  By  her  he  had,  among 
other  children,  the  late  CoL  William  Winn,  of  Burlington  and  Woburn, 
who  was  the  father  of  the  present  William  Winn,  Esq.,  of  Burlington,  and 
Messrs.  Jonathan  Bowers  Winn  and  Timothy  Winn,  of  Woburn,  gentle- 
men well  known  in  all  this  vicinity. 

IL  Joseph  Winn,  son  of  /.  Timothy  and  Jane  Winn,  and  half  brother  of 
Dea.  Timothy  Winn,  was  a  respected  and  influential  citizen  in  his  day.    In 
the  war  of  the  Revolution,  he  served  his  country  in  the  military  line,  and 
acquired  the  title  of  Lieutenant  Winn ;  and  at  the  first  Town  Meeting  in 
Burlington,  after  the  act  incorporating  it  as  a  town,  he  was  chosen  chair- 
man of  the  Board  of  Selectmen  and  of  the  Overseers  of  the  Poor.    He 
died  Apr.  30,  1817,  aged  82  years  and  9  months.    The  late  Abel  Winn,  Esq., 
of  Burlington,  was  a  son  of  his. 
WRIGHT.    John  Wright.     See  Chap.  V. 
Joseph  Wright.    See  Chap.  V.  add : 

By  his  wife  Elizabeth,  he  had  issue  as  follows :  (1)  Elizabeth,  born  2 
July,  1664;  married  Eleazar  Bateman,  2  Nov.  1686.  (2)  Joseph,  b.  14 
March,  1667;  md.  Elizabeth  Bateman,  7  July,  1692.  (3)  Sarah,  b.  25  Feb. 
1669-70.  (4)  John,  b.  2  Oct.  1672.  (5)  Joanna,  b.  18  April,  1675;  died  17 
Feb.  1690-91.  (6)  James,  b.  10  March,  1677.  (7)  Timothy,  b.  3  Apr.  1679. 
(8)  Stephen,  b.  22  Jan.  1680-81.  (9)  Jacob,  b.  22  June,  1683.  (10)  Ruth, 
b.  10  Oct.  1685.  (11)  Benjamin,  b.  14  March,  1688.  Elizabeth,  wife  of 
Dea.  Joseph  Wright,  died  28  June,  1713.  Deacon  Joseph  Wright,  died  31 
March,  1724. 

WYMAN.  /.  John  Wyman,  a  subscriber  at  Charlestown  to  Town  Or- 
ders for  Woburn,  Dec.  1640,  was  taxed  at  Woburn  in  tax  for  the  Country, 
8  Sept.  1645 ;  married  5  Nov.  1644,  Sarah  Nutt,  whom  her  father,  Myles 
Nutt,  had  brought  with  him  from  England.  The  children  of  John  and 
Sarah  Wyman  were :  (1)  Samuel,  born  20  Sept.  and  died  27  Sept.  1646. 
(2)  John,  b.  28  March,  1648.  (3)  Sarah,  b.  15  Apr.  1650;  md.  15  Dec.  1669, 
to  Joseph  Walker,  of  Billerica;  died  26  Jan.  1729.  (4)  Solomon,  b.  26  Feb. 


652  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

1651-2 ;  died  22  Sept.  1725.  (5)  David,  b.  7  Apr.  1654.  (6)  Elizabeth,  b. 
18  Jan.  1655-6;  died  21  Nov.  1658.  (7)  Bathsheba,  b.  6  Oct.  1658;  rad.  Na- 
thaniel Tay,  of  Billerica,  30  May,  1677 ;  died  9  July,  1730.  (8)  Jonathan, 

b.  13  July,  1661.  (9)  Seth,  b.  3  Aug.  1663.  (10)  Jacob,  b. ,  the 

youngest  son  of  Lieut.  Wyman. 

Lieut.  John  Wyman  died  9  May,  1684.  His  widow,  Sarah,  married  after 
his  death,  Thomas  Fuller,  25  Aug.  1684.  [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.] 

WYMAN.  //.  John  Wyman,  jun.,  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Eev. 
Thomas  Carter,  about  1671.  Their  children  were :  (1)  John,  b.  23  Apr. 
1672.  (2)  Mary,  b.  25  June,  1674;  md.  to  Thomas  Peirce,  jun.,  son  of 
Sergt.  Thomas,  27  Feb.  1693.  John  Wyman,  jun.,  being  one  of  Capt.  Pren- 
tice's troop,  was  slain  by  the  Indians  in  the  Narraganset  Fight,  19  Dec. 
1675.  His  widow,  Mary,  was  married  31  Oct.  1676,  to  Nath.  Batchelder, 
of  Hampton.  [Wob.  Rec.  Births,  etc.  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.] 

WYMAN.  David,  son  of  7.  John  and  Sarah  Wyman,  was  a  tanner;  mar- 
ried 27  Apr.  1675,  in  Charlestown,  Isabel  Farmer,  daughter  of  John  Farm- 
er, of  Concord,  by  whom  he  had  two  children,  viz  :  (1)  David,  b.  29  May, 
died  15  June,  1676.  (2)  Isabel,  b.  5  July,  1677;  md.  1700,  in  Maiden,  to 
John  Green,  of  that  town,  and  died  9  Aug.  1765,  "  in  her  88th  year."  [Grave- 
stone.] 

David  Wyman  died  of  the  small-pox  in  Woburn,  1678 ;  and  his  widow 
married  in  Concord,  James  Blood,  19  Nov.  1679.  [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births, 
etc.,  etc.  Manuscript  Genealogy  of  Thomas  B.  Wyman,  Esq.  Savage's 
Geneal.  Diet.] 

WYMAN.  Jonathan  Wyman,  son  of  7.  John  and  Sarah  Wyman,  md. 
Abigail  Fowle,  daughter  of  Lieut.  James  Fowle,  29  July,  1(589,  who  died  3 
Jan.  1689-90.  For  his  second  wife,  he  md.  Hannah,  a  daughter  of  Peter 
Fowle,  31  July,  1690.  Their  children  were  :  Q)  Abigail,  b.  1  June,  1691 ; 
md.  to  Sam.  Buck,  and  died  2  Dec.  1720.  (2)  Hannah,  b.  Nov.  1694 ;  md. 
1  June,  1717,  to  Israel  Reed.  (3)  Mary,  b.  26  Jan.  1696-7;  md.  prior  to 
1718  to  Jeremiah  Center.  (4)  Elizabeth,  b.  15  Feb.  1700-1;  md.  11  Aug. 
1721,  to  Zerubbabel  Snow.  (5)  Jonathan,  b.  13  Sept.  1704.  (6)  Sarah,  b. 

18  Aug.  1706;  md. to  Nathan  Brooks;  and  died  21  Feb.  1747.  (7) 

Zachary,  b.  19  July,  1709  :  a  soldier  in  French  War,  1748. 

Cornet  Jonathan  Wyman  died  15  Dec.  1736.  [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc., 
etc.  Wyman's  MSS.  Genealogy.  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.] 

WYMAN.  Seth  Wyman,  son  of  7.  John  and  Sarah  Wyman,  md.  Esther 
Johnson,  daughter  of  Major  Wm.  Johnson,  17  Dec.  1685 :  by  whom  he  had : 
(1)  Seth,  b.  13  Sept.  1686 ;  killed  at  Lovewell  Fight,  1725.  (2)  "Hesther," 
b.  25  Oct.  1688.  (3)  Sarah,  b.  17  Jan.  1690-1 ;  md.  to  Caleb  Blogget.  (4) 
Jonathan,  b.  5  Nov.  1693 ;  died  19  Jan.  1693-4.  (5)  Susana,  b.  30  June, 
1695.  (6)  Abigail,  b.  6  Feb.  1698-9 ;  md.  19  Jan.  1725,  to  Timothy  Brooks ; 
and  died  16  March,  1780.  (7)  Love,  b.  14  Feb.  1701-2;  md.  to  Josiah 
Wyman  ?  Lieut.  Seth  Wyman  died  26  Oct.  1715.  His  widow,  Esther,  died 
31  March,  1742. 

[Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.  Wyman  MSS. 
Genealogy.] 


GENEALOGICAL   NOTICES.  653 

WYMAN.  Jacob  Wyraan,  youngest  son  of  /.  John  and  Sarah  Wyman, 
a  tanner;  freeman,  1690;  md.  23  Nov.  1687,  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Samuel 
Richardson;  and  had:  (1)  Jacob,  b.  11  Sept.  1688.  (2)  Samuel,b.  7  Feb. 
1689-90.  (3)  Elizabeth,  b.  7  Jan.  1691-2;  md.  to  Josiah  Waters;  and  died 
prior  to  1742.  (4)  David,  b.  14  Apr.  1693.  (5)  Martha,  b.  13  Oct.  1695 ; 
md.  to  Major  Joseph  Richardson.  (6)  Mary,  b.  8  July,  1698 ;  died  prior  to 
1742.  (7)  John,  b.  11  Dec.  1700;  died  9  July,  1721,  a  graduate  of  Harvard 
College  the  same  year.  (8)  Solomon,  b.  24  Apr.  1703 ;  died  aged  22  years.  (9) 
Patience,  b.  13  Apr.  1705.  (10)  Ebenezer,  b.  5  May,  1707 ;  H.  C.  1731 ;  minister  of 
Union,  Ct. ;  md.  at  Woburn,  Mrs.  Mary  Wright,  22  May,  1739 ;  died  Feb.  9, 
1746.  (11)  Isaiah,  b.  28  Feb.  1708-9;  died  9  Feb.  1746-7.  (12)  Peter,  b. 
27  Sept.  1711;  md.  Abigail  Russell,  about  1744,  in  Boston?  (13)  Daniel, 
b.  27  May,  1715;  a  saddler  in  East  Sudbury,  now  Wayland;  md.  first,  Re- 
becca   ,  who  died  10  Feb.  1744;  2dly,  Dorothy  Jennison,  or  Johnson, 

who  died  30  Sept.  1806.  Daniel  Wyman  died  29  Dec.  1766;  had  8  children 
by  his  two  wives. 

Elizabeth,  wife  of  Mr.  Jacob  Wyman,  died  21  Nov.  1739.  Mr.  Jacob 
Wyman  md.  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Coggin,  4  Feb.  1739-40.  Mr.  Jacob  Wy- 
man died  31  March,  1742.  Widow  Elizabeth  Wyman  died  2  May,  1752. 
[Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.  Wyman  MSS.  Gene- 
alogy.] 

Francis  Wyman  married  30  Jan.  1644-5,  Judith  Peirce,  of  Woburn,  born 
at  Norwich,  England,  daughter  of  John ;  died  without  issue.  For  his  2d 
wife,  he  md.  Abigail  Reed,  daughter  of  William  and  Mabel,  and  sister  of 
first  George  Reed,  2  Oct.  1650.  Their  children  were  :  (1)  Judith,  born  29 
Sept.  and  died  22  Dec.  1652.  (2)  Francis,  born  about  1654 ;  died  during 
Indian  War,  26  Apr.  1676,  about  22  years  old.  (3)  William,  b.  about  1656. 
(4)  Abigail,  b.  about  1659 ;  married  to  Stephen  Richardson,  2  Jan.  1675-6 ; 
died  17  Sept.  1720,  aged  60.  Gravestone.  (5)  Timothy,  b.  15  Sept.  1661 ; 
died  1709.  (6)  Joseph,  b.  9  Nov.  1663,  lived  a  tailor,  unmarried,  and  died 
24  July,  1714.  (7)  Nathaniel,  b.  25  Nov.  1665.  (8)  Samuel,  b.  29  Nov.  1667. 
(9)  Thomas,  b.  1  April,  1671.  (10)  Benjamin,  b.  25  Aug.  1674.  (11) 
Stephen,*  b.  2  June,  1676 ;  died  19  Aug.  1676.  (12)  Judith,  b.  15  Jan.  1678-9 ; 
md.  to  Nath.  Bacon,  of  Billerica ;  living  in  1714.  Francis  Wyman,  sen., 
died  30  Nov.  1699,  aged,  per  stone,  about  82.  [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc. 
Savage's  Geneal.  Diet. 

WYMAN.  ///.  William,  son  of  Francis  and  Abigail  Wyman,  married 

Prudence .  Their  children  were  :  (1)  William,  born  18  Jan.  and  died  20 

Jan.  1682-3.  (2)  Prudence,  b.  26  Dec.  1683 ;  md.  to  Jacob  Winn.  (3)  Wil- 
liam, b.  15  Jan.  1685-6.  (4)  Thomas,  b.  23  Aug.  1687 ;  lived,  in  his  latter 
days,  and  died  in  Pelhara,  N.  H.  (5)  Elizabeth,  b.  5  July,  1689,  died  25 
June,  1690.  (6)  Francis,  b.  10  July,  1691.  (7)  Joshua,  b.  3  Jan.  1692-3 :  a 
blacksmith:  innholder,  1722;  m.  (1)  Mary  Pollard,  (2)  Mary  Green,  in  Wo- 
burn, 14  July,  1747.  (8)  Edward,  b.  10  Jan.  1695-6.  (9)  Elizabeth,  b.  16  Feb. 
1697-8.  (10)  Deliverance,  b.  28  Feb.  1700-1 ;  md.  to  Ezekiel  Gowing,  jun., 

•  Wyman's  MSS  Genealogy. 
56* 


654  GENEALOGICAL   NOTICES. 

of  Lynn,  1732.  (11)  James,  b.  16  March,  1702;  taxed  in  Woburn,  1723. 
William  Wyman  died  1705.  [Woburn  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.  Savage's 
Geiieal.  Diet.  Wyman's  MS.  Genealogy.] 

WYMAN.  F.  Timothy  Wyman,  son  of  Francis  and  Abigail  Wyman,  mar- 
ried Hannah ;  by  whom  he  had :  (1)  Hannah,  born  7  July,  1688.  (2) 

Timothy,  b.  5  April,  1691.  (3)  Solomon,  b.  24  Oct.  1693;  md.  in  Medford,  9 
June,  1725,  Mary  Peirce,  daughter  of  John  Peirce  of  Woburn;  which 
Mary,  when  afterwards  a  widow,  md.  Benjamin  Johnson,  14  Feb.  1765.  Sol- 
omon's Will  dated  2  Jan.  1760.  (4)  Joseph,  b.  1  Nov.  1695.  (5)  Eunice,  b. 
24  Feb.  1697-8 ;  md.  to  Henry  Tottingham,  1721 ;  died  prior  to  1748.  (6) 
Anne,  b.  26  March,  1700:  of  Andover,  and  died  unmarried  1774.  (7) 
Judith,  b.  16  June,  1702 ;  md.  to  John  Wright  III.  1725,  of  Ashford,  Ct. ; 
living  1748.  (8)  Eli,  b.  11  March,  1704;  died  22  Aug.  1728.  (9)  Ebenezer, 
b.  21  March,  1706 :  of  Townsend,  Mass. ;  md.  in  Woburn,  24  Feb.  1736, 
Rebekah  Johnson,  daughter  of  Dea.  Edward  Johnson ;  and,  secondly,  in 
Billerica,  2  April,  1745,  to  Dorcas  Wilson.  Living  in  1764.  (10)  Hesther, 

b. .  (11)  Elizabeth, .  (12)  Prudence,  b.  8  March,  1709;  md.  to 

Thomas  Phelps.  Living  1748,  1772. 

Timothy  Wyinan  died  1709. 

[Wob.  Rec.  of  Births.  Genealogy  of  the  Wymaus  in  Manuscript,  by 
Thos.  B.  Wyinan,  Esq.  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.] 

WYMAN.  VII.  Nathaniel  Wyman,  son  of  Francis  and  Abigail,  married 
Mary,  daughter  of  Increase  Winn,  28  June,  1692.  Their  children  were  :  (1) 
Nathaniel,  b.  23  May,  1693 ;  died  13  Dec.  1715.  (2)  Mary,  b.  28  May,  1694; 
died  insane,  1728.  (3)  Abigail,  b.  5  Oct.  1695 ;  md.  to  Benjamin  Gowen. 
(4)  Ruth,  b.  17  Apr.  1697;  md.  to  Thomas  Gould,  Charlestown,  1721.  (5) 
Hannah,  b.  28  Apr.  1699 ;  md.  to  //.  Timothy  Wyman.  (6)  Elizabeth,  b. 
11  Nov.  1700;  md.  12  March,  1723,  to  John  "Geary,"  of  Charlestown. 
[Stoneham?]  (7)  Phebe,  b.  11  June,  1702;  md.  prior  to  1729  to  Thomas 
"  Geary,"  [Gerry]  Stoneham.  (8)  Rebekah,  b.  14  April,  1704 ;  md.  7  March, 
1723,  to  Thomas  Holden.  (9)  Johanah,  [Joanna?]  b.  25  July,  1705 ;  md.  to 
Jonathan  Holden,  1731;  died  11  Nov.  1786.  (10)  Increase,  b.  1  March, 
1707.  (11)  Sarah,  b.  21  Aug.  1710;  md.  6  July,  1732,  to  Ezekiel  Walker; 
died  prior  to  1756.  (12)  Keziah,  b  5.  Apr.  1713;  md.  to  John  Reed,  1735; 
died  14  Jan.  1756. 

Nathaniel  Wyman  died  8  Dec.  1717.  His  widow,  Mary  Wyman,  md.  to 
John  Locke,  of  Woburn,  30  Nov.  1720.  [Wob.  Records  of  Births,  etc. 
Savage's  Geneal.  Diet.  Wymau's  MSS.  Genealogy.] 

WYMAN.  VIII.  Samuel  Wyman,  son  of  Francis  and  Abigail;  md. 

Rebekah,  daughter  of  Mathew  Johnson,  1692.  Their  children  were : 

(1)  Rebekah,  born  11  Nov.  1693;  married  at  Watertown  to  Thomas  Rich- 
ardson, of  Woburn,  29  Sept.  1713;  died  11  April,  1771.  (2)  Abigail,  b.  5 
Feb.  1694-5 ;  md.  prior  to  1726  to  Jonas  Richardson.  (3)  Hannah,  b.  10 
Dec.  1696 ;  md.  10  May,  1725,  to  Samuel  Parker.  (4)  Sarah,  b.  2  Feb. 
1698-9 ;  md.  probably  31  Aug.  1726,  to  John  Coggin.  (5)  Samuel,  b.  18 
March,  1700.  (6)  Oliver,  b.  5.  Sept.  1701 ;  a  soldier  of  Leominsterin  1758, 
'59,  and  died  1759.  (7)  Lydia,  b.  1  Jan.  1702-3;  md.  24  July,  1729,  at  Read- 
ing, to  Oliver  Richardson,  of  Woburn.  (8)  Patience,  b.  11  Jan.  1705-6; 


GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES.  655 

md.  to  Edward  Dean.  (9)  Matthew,  b.  3  Aug.  1707  :  of  Lancaster,  a  laborer; 
married  8  March,  1738-9,  to  Abigail  Willard,  by  whom  he  left  issue.  He 
served  in  Willard's  Comp.,  Nova  Scotia,  1755.  (10)  Esther,  b.  25  Feb. 
1709-10.  Samuel  Wyman  died  17  May,  1725.  His  widow,  Rebekah,  living 
1735.  [Records  of  Births,  etc.  Wyman's  MSS.  Genealogy.  Savage's 
Geneal.  Diet.] 

WYMAN.  /.  Thomas,  sen.,  son  of  Francis  and  Abigail  Wyman,  md. 
Mary  Richardson,  a  daughter  of  Nathaniel,  5  May,  1696.  Their  children 
were :  (1)  Thomas,  born  12  May,  1697.  (2)  Josiah,  b.  18  March,  1700. 
(3)  Phineas,  b.  1701 ;  living,  insane,  1747.  (4)  Timothy,  b.  1  March,  1702. 
(5)  Benjamin,  b.  12  June,  1704.  (6)  John,  b.  6  July,  1706;  died  26  March, 
1729;  a  housewright,  taxed  from  1725  to  1728.  (7)  Mary,  b.  10  March, 
1708;  md.  13  June,  1726,  to  Nath.  Clark,  Watertown.  (8)  Aaron,  b.  6  Dec. 
1709.  (9)  Eleazer,  b.  13  Apr.  1712 ;  died  16  July,  1747.  (10)  Nathaniel,  b. 

18  May,  1716.  (11)  Elizabeth,  b.  19  Dec.  1718;  md.  to Blogget;  issue 

by  whom,  and  Elizabeth  Wyman. 

Thomas  Wyman,  sen.,  served  in  Sir  Charles  Hobby's  troop  at  Annapolis, 
10  Oct.  1710,  to  10  Oct.  1711.  He  died  4  Sept.  1731.  His  widow  Mary  md. 
Josiah  Winn,  17  Aug.  1733,  and  died  7  June,  1743. 

Benjamin,  son  of  Francis  and  Abigail  Wyman,  was  a  "maltster;  "  and 
married  20  Jau.  1702-3,  Elizabeth  Hancock,  of  Cambridge.  Their  children 
were :  (1)  Elizabeth,  born  1  May,  1705;  md.  11  June,  1724,  to  Jacob  Rich- 
ardson. (2)  Benjamin,  b.  13  Dec.  (al.  Nov.)  1706.  (3)  Lucy,  b.  17  Apr. 
1708 ;  died  25  Oct.  1730 :  wife  of  Richard  Davenport,  of  Shrewsbury.  (4) 
Zebadiah,  b.  26  June,  1709.  (5)  Eunice,  b.  16  Nov.  1710;  md.  to  Robert 
Peirce,  1736;  died  15  Apr.  or  May,  1774  or  1775.  (6)  Jerusha,  b.  23  July, 
1712;  md.  to  Edw.  Richardson,  1730;  died  10  Apr.  1784.  (7)  Tabitha,  b.  7 
Apr.  1714;  md.  to  Josiah  Kendall,  1736;  died  24  Apr.  1800.  (8)  Abijah,  b. 
20  Sept.  1715.  (9)  Katharine,  b.  6  May,  1717;  md.  28  Feb.  1732-3?  to  Wil- 
liam Tufts,  of  Medford;  died,  per  stone,  20  Feb.  1749.  .(10)  Nathaniel,  b. 
26  Jan.  1718-19.  (11)  Abigail,  b.  26  Aug.  1720;  m.  8  Apr.  1740,  to  Jacob 
Snow;  died  31  Oct.  1771.  (12)  Martha,  b.  7  May,  1722 ;  md.  6  Sept.  1739,  to 
Samuel  Dean.  (13)  Noah,  b.  30  July,  1724;  died  10  Dec.  1726.  (14)  Jonas, 
b.  26  July,  1725 ;  a  blacksmith ;  died  at  Louisburg,  20  Jan.  1746.  (15) 
Reuben,  b.  9  Nov.  1726.  Benjamin  Wyman  died  19  Dec.  1735.  His  widow 
m.  22  Aug.  [al.  Sept.]  1739,  to  Jonathan  Bacon  of  Bedford;  and  died 
March  2,  1749,  set.  63.  [Wob.  Rec.  of  Births,  etc.  Savage's  Geneal.  Diet. 
Wyman  MSS.  Genealogy.] 

Messrs.  John  and  Francis  Wyman  were  brothers,  and  original  settlers 
of  the  town  of  Woburu.  By  occupation,  they  were  both  tanners;  and 
had  their  dwellings  and  their  tanning  establishments  near  the  late  Dea. 
Benjamin  Wyman's,  in  the  Wyman  Lane.  They  were  also  joint  proprie- 
tors of  extensive  tracts  of  land  in  other  parts  of  the  town.  About  1669, 
the)r  united  in  the  purchase  of  the  "  Coitraore  Grant,"  so  called,  in  Wo- 
burn,  containing  500  acres,  for  which  they  paid  £25  or  £30  sterling  each, 
to  Mr.  Joseph  Rock,  executor  of  the  will  of  Martha  (Coitmore)  Coggaii, 
who  had  been  the  widow  of  Capt.  Coitmore,  the  grantee.  This  grant  was 


656  GENEALOGICAL  NOTICES. 

laid  out  in  the  northwest  part  of  Woburn,  now  Burlington ;  and  upon  it 
numerous  descendants  of  both  brothers  were  living  a  century  ago,  though 
now  not  a  person  by  the  name  of  Wyman  is  an  inhabitant  of  that  portion 
of  the  town.  They  also  owned  a  large  farm,  with  houses  thereon,  adjoin- 
ing the  Coitmore  grant,  situate  in  the  west  part  of  Woburn,  and  extending 
within  the  bounds  of  Billerica,  upon  which,  by  order  of  Court,  they 
were  taxed  equally  for  some  years,  both  in  Billerica  and  in  Woburn. 

The  descendants  of  these  two  brothers  by  the  name  of  Wyman  have 
been  a  multitude.  In  a  genealogy  of  their  families,  prepared  with  great 
industry  and  untiring  research  by  Thomas  Bellows  Wyman,  Esq.,  of 
Charlestown,  a  descendant  from  John  Wyman  of  the  6th  generation,  there 
were  numbered,  Nov.  6th,  1844,  of  the  posterity  of  John  Wyman,  in  the 
male  line,  5  children,  31  grandchildren,  54  great-grandciiildren,  91  of  the 
4th  generation,  106  of  the  5th,  147  of  the  6th,  and  8  of  the  7th,— 442  in  all ; 
and  of  the  posterity,  in  the  male  line,  of  Francis  Wyman,  9  children,  71 
grand  children,  152  great-grandchildren,  213  of  the  4th  generation,  188  of 
the  5th,  41  of  the  6th,— 674  in  all;  making  a  total,  in  1844,  of  1116  descend- 
ants, from  the  males,  in  each  generation,  from  the  two  patriarchs,  John 
and  Francis  Wyman. 

Of  the  posterity  of  these  two  noted  primitive  settlers  in  Woburn,  num- 
bers may  be  referred  to  who  were  prominent  men  in  their  day ;  persons 
distinguished  not  only  by  their  official  relations,  but  by  their  ability  and 
care  to  fulfil  them  with  usefulness  to  society.  Of  this  description,  among 
the  descendants  of  John  Wyman,  was  Dea.  Samuel  Wyman,  the  revolution- 
ary patriot,  repeatedly  chosen  in  those  trying  times  to  represent  Woburn 
in  the  General  Court,  and  in  the  Provincial  Congress  assembled  at  Water- 
town.  And  among  the  descendants  of  Francis  Wyman  answering  to  the 
above  character,  may  be  reckoned  Capt.  Benjamin  Wyman,  the  faithful 
treasurer  of  the  town  from  1752  to  1758  inclusively,  seven  years  in  unin- 
terrupted succession  :  Dea.  Zebadiah  Wyman,  his  successor  in  that  impor- 
tant office,  and  at  a  very  trying  period,  ten  years  out  of  the  thirteen  which 
elapsed  from  1780  to  1792  inclusively :  the  late  Dea.  Benjamin  Wyman,  the 
judicious  and  upright  magistrate,  as  well  as  exemplary  officer  of  the  First 
Church  in  this  town;  and  Dr.  Rufus  Wyman,  a  native  of  Woburn,  "the 
beloved  physician,"  while  at  Chelmsford,  the  skilful,  successful  Superin- 
tendent of  the  McLean  Asylum  for  the  Insane  at  Somerville,  honored  in 
life,  and  lamented  at  his  death. 

WYMAN.  John  Wyman,  2d,  distinguished  as  Sergeant  John  Wyman, 
and  supposed  by  some  to  have  been  a  near  relative,  perhaps  a  nephew,  of 
John  and  Francis  Wyman,  had  land  granted  him  in  Woburn,  25  Feb.  1679.* 

He  was,  a  wheelwright  by  occupation,  and  married  Hannah,  daughter  of 
John  Farrar,  of  Woburn,  14  Dec.  1685.  Their  children  were :  (1)  John, 
born  16  Nov.  1686.  He  settled  in  Wilmington,  and  died  prior  to  6  Jan. 
1748.»  (2)  Thomas,  b.  25  March,  1689,  and  died  insane  prior  to  1749.  a 
(3)  Jasher,  b.  6  Jan.  1691-2.  (4)  Nathan,  b.  8  Jan.  1695-6.  (5)  Hannah,  b. 

a  Woburn  Records  of  Births,  etc.    Wyman's  Manuscript  Genealogy. 


GENEALOGICAL   NOTICES.  657 

8  Aug.  1703.  (6)  Anne,  b.  10  Apr.  1705 ;  md.  5  May,  1739,  to  Samuel  Bath- 
rick,  of  Portsmouth,  N.  H.»  (7)  Rachel,  b.  24  Oct.  1707. 

Sergt.  John  Wyman  died  19  April,  1728. 

WYMAN.  7.  Nathan,  son  of  Sergt.  John  Wyman  and  Hannah,  married 
Huldah  Simonds,  daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Rebekah,  both  of  Woburn, 
29  Jan.  1723.  Their  children  were  :  (1)  Nathan,  born  28  June,  1723.  (2) 
Rachel,  b.  31  July,  1724;  md.  to  Jacob  Eames,  in  1748. »  (3)  Elijah,  b.  22 
Feb.  1727-8. 

Nathan  Wyman,  wheelwright,  died  4  Feb.  1773.  Huldah,  his  wife,  died 
28  May,  1768,  set.  68,  per  stone,  a 

WYMAN.  II.  Nathan  Wyman,  jun.,  son  of  Nathan  and  Huldah,  md. 
Rebekah  Russell,  daughter  of  Saml.  and  Rebekah,  of  Woburn,  11  June, 
1749,  and  had  issue :  (1)  Nathan,  born  21  May,  1754.  (2)  Rebekah,  b.  7 
Aug.  1757;  died  15  Sept.  1759.  (3)  Zadok,  b.  20  [10?]  Aug.  1760.  (4) 
Rebekah,  b.  7  Aug.  1762.  (5)  John,  b.  26  Feb.  1765. 

Rebekah,  widow  of  Nathan,  died  9  Oct.  1811,  aged  85. » 

WYMAN.  III.  Nathan  Wyman,  son  of  Nathan  and  Rebekah,  m.  21  Nov. 
1778,  Mary  Convers,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Mary,  who  had  a  son,  Nathan, 
born  11  Sept.  1783. 

m.  Nathan  Wyman  died  30  April,  1821 ;  his  wife  Mary  died  3  Sept.  1817, 
set.  51. 

IV.  Nathan  Wyman,  son  of  Nathan  and  Mary,  md.  Esther  Wilder, 
and  at  his  decease  left  two  sons,  viz :  (1)  Herbert,  born  May  7,  1818 ; 
md.  Lydia  Kimball,  and  lives  respected  at  North  Woburn.  (2)  V.  Nathan, 
born  16  Feb.  1821 ;  chosen  Town  Clerk  of  Woburn  1844,  and  by  constant 
re-election  still  (1867)  continues  in  that  office. 

» "Woburn  Records  of  Births,  etc.    Wyman's  Manuscript  Genealogy. 


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